Hi guys I am definitely applying to both of these school and I am right around the range for a good chance to get into both. If that is the case, I am having troubling deciding which of these would be a better choice. I know for sure I would rather go to Northeastern for a million reasons except one: debt. Everything about Northeastern seems perfect for me, from campus, to classes, to co-op, to living in Boston. However I could go to UMass nearly for free most likely, or I could go to Northeastern and graduate with $150,000+ in debt probably. So if everything goes to plan, should I go to my dream school which is Northeastern, or settle for less, but graduate with barely any debt whatsoever from UMass.
Thanks!
@onmyway What is your major?
How can you go to UMass virtually free? Need based aid? merit aid? You may also qualify for either or both at Northeastern.
What are your stats?
I’m not sure what major it would be yet, I am only a Junior in High School. Also, I am from Massachusetts and have qualified for several scholarships for Public Universities, thus UMass would be basically free, while Northeastern would be very expensive.
If you are talking about the Adams Scholarships, UMass won’t be free. The tuition scholarships do not cover fees (which is $$$$) or room and board.
For a major like CS, UMass is the better school. For engineering, NE is probably better but not significantly so. UMass is difficult to get into for engineering so I’m not sure it is a safety for you for that major. Depends on the application pool that year. Having a dream school is silly IMO. It is just a short time you spend learning to have a dream career. 150k would be a huge burden with no benefit. UMass is highly respected and you can intern/coop there.
Those scholarships from the MCAS only cover tuition which is actually a small part of what UMass charges. Check out the fees - they’re much larger than the tuition, plus you have room and board. The scholarship helps, but not that much, and it certainly isn’t free.
Ok let me rephrase: I could go to UMass practically free COMPARED to NU, I understand there will be some debt but 20-30k is chump change compared to 150k
@onmyway With free tuition, you will still have to pay about 14k for room and board etc. and 6k for fees. (someone should confirm this) Add in more for honors and engineering.
I appreciate the responses, but you guys are straying a bit from my question. Would it be more wise to go to NU and save upwards of $100k, or to just go to UMass.
You must have misspoke. You could go to NU and spend 100k more or go to UMass. UMass is a top school and that is too much debt.
Without knowing your major or stats, or income level/budget, it’s impossible to answer this. NU will probably not cost what you think it will, and UMass will not be free. NU MIGHT BE CHEAPER THAN UMASS. No one knows because you haven’t given enough info. Run the NPC’s for both schools.
I think it’s foolish to assume the #42 ranked school, which is also private, will be cheaper than the #78 ranked school which is public. UMass Tuition is around $13k while NU is $43k
Also your numbers are totally off. 20-30K per year as opposed to 60K per year, MINUS grants given according to your income and stats.
@onmyway UMass is NOT ranked that low for all majors. It really depends on your major choice. Right now you have a 3.5 GPA and 1380 M & CR??? It is ranked higher than NU for CS grad school for example.
@gearmom Are my scores that bad…? My GPA is 3.5 UW, it is much higher W. Also I will be re-taking the SAT as I have only taken it once so far.
Rankings be damned, UMass-Amherst ChE and Polymer Engineering is among the best in the U.S.
Ok, whatever. http://www.northeastern.edu/financialaid/grants-scholarships/undergraduate.html#merit
Read the threads of the students who have been accepted to Northeastern this year and read what they are actually paying. Your stats are not high enough to make it a match.
They are actually, my school is quite strong and has a running website which shows averages from our school that got into every college in the nation. From my HS, the average SAT is 1910 and GPA is 3.49.
Umass is a clear choice between the two if you are in-state but no guarantees that you can get in 
FWIW, an in-state student may get the Adams Scholarship which is worth about $1800, and another $2000 merit aid, deduct that from the $29,000 honors pricetag and you are still at $25K. Depending on your EFC it could go down slightly but with an EFC of less than $6K, our estimated COA is still nearly $20K for the CHC. That is using the NPC, we haven’t received a finaid letter yet, hoping that its a bit less of course. Does NE meet 100% need? If so, and your family is low/low middle income, you might end up less than UMA. If they are middle/high income, I don’t think NE can touch the $20K mark.