<p>Hi I am a resident of New York City ( been living here forever ) and I was recently accepted into the 6 year PharmD programs of both Northeastern University and St. John's University. I got a $5k merit scholarship and $14k grant from Northeastern and including my FAFSA, they are awarding me with $36600 per year...which would leave me to only pay for dorms. For St. John's I received a $16k merit scholarship but have not heard about need based grants or federal aid yet. </p>
<p>Northeastern has been my first choice for a long time because not only is it a better school, I want to try to explore a new area and do new things. It is only 4.5hrs away from my house (Boston) so I did not think it would be much of a problem. St. John's however is my parents' first choice school. It is only 15 minutes away from my house and they want me to stay at home. They even said that if I needed to, they would even let me dorm at St. John's. However, I think that would be a big waste if I did that. I don't want to miss out on the full college experience though since it is a once in a lifetime experience. I really want to go to Northeastern and not miss out on this opportunity, but my parents refuse to see it my way. Is it worth it to go to NU for the better education and break my parents' hearts? I'm so confused!</p>
<p>PS: I do have future plans to possibly continue education after the PharmD...possibly law.</p>
<p>Are your parents going to University or you?</p>
<p>Seriously, unless your parent’s objections are in fact financially based and they are embarrassed to tell you this (living at home and attending St. John’s they can afford… the dorms at NU they cannot), then you really have an issue of when your parents are willing to allow you to make an adult decision about your own future.</p>
<p>How would you respond if your parents told you they would not support your marriage to the person of your choice?</p>
<p>There are cultures and homes where 18 year olds are encouraged and allowed to make their own decisions, and cultures/homes where they are not. I hope you are from the former.</p>
<p>Its not really a financial matter… I just don’t know if its right for me to make the decision and disregard my family’s decision. I mean, is the experience gained from Northeastern really worth it? I never really wanted to go to st johns…and NU would give me more opportunities but yeah.</p>
<p>If money is not an issue, I would go to NU.</p>
<p>I myself am a grad student at St. John’s, but I am a non-traditional student. If I were still college age, I think living on campus if possible is an incredible experience.</p>
<p>Congrats on the PharmD acceptance! NEU pharmacy is a first-rate program!</p>
<p>Go to NEU. You want to go there, and it is an incredible opportunity in your field of choice. If your parents won’t pay for the dorms, get a part-time job on campus to pay for what you can, and take out loans for the rest. With all the aid you’ll be getting, you won’t need your co-op money to pay tuition, so you can use that to pay for dorms or save it to pay off loans.</p>
<p>Is there anyone who could talk to your parents? A friendly guidance counselor? A family friend who’s a pharmacist and could explain what it is that you would be passing up if you turned down NEU?</p>
<p>I grew up where you live and went to MIT. It’s only 3.5 hours driving to Boston, not 4.5. Go through New Haven and Hartford, not Rhode Island. </p>
<p>Sit down with your parents, tell them that you love them and respect them. But tell them that it means a lot to you for your personal growth and development to leave home and go to Northeastern. Tell them that you will still see them pretty often, that you will come home on long weekends, vacations, etc. They are also welcome to come visit you occasionally, it’s really not a bad drive for them. Tell them that you plan to return to New York to live when you graduate, and that Northeastern’s program is much stronger and more well respected than St. John’s. Such an opportunity could increase the chances that you will have to find a job where you want. In other words, your chances of ending up in NY may just be greater coming out of Northeastern than St. Johns. (I don’t know if it is actually true or not, but if Northeastern’s program is so well respected, it may just be true).</p>