<p>Okay, now I need help with the hardest decision I've ever had. It's a long story so here it goes: </p>
<p>Originally, I decided I was going to choose Carnegie Mellon over Northwestern. I live in Pittsburgh and realized that it would be convenient to be at a school so close. I also never visited Northwestern and don't know if I should make a huge decision based on a school I have never visited. I decided to choose Carnegie Mellon because they were offering me 40k in grant money to attend. I realized that reduces the cost significantly. I haven't discovered my Northwestern Financial Aid award, but we'll get back to that. I paid my $800 for CMU already and realized I would not get that back if I choose to pick Northwestern. </p>
<p>Now to the dilemma, I found out that the reason I got accepted to Northwestern is because a friend of my father put in a good word for me (which I really don't like because I'm sure someone else deserved it, but its not like my stats are really that much lower than their standard applicant). I also found out that if I attend Northwestern they will give me a free ride because of said friend (friend is good friends with the person who apparently donated the library to Northwestern). I realize with the free ride CMU may match the offer because Northwestern is a peer institution (although a free ride is a pretty big match). </p>
<p>So, I don't know what I should do. I plan on doing Pre-Med with a major in Chemistry and a minor in Psychology. I also feel that CMU connects with me on a more personal level, while Northwestern is just based on statistics and information I find out from other people. I've also visited CMU and have only seen some of Northwestern. I've been to Chicago, but haven't actually been on Northwestern's campus. I also plan on hopefully having a chance at Harvard Medical School in the future, so a school that could help with that would be awesome.</p>
<p>I also have friends at CMU and one of my cousins went to Northwestern. Northwestern I really don't know much about and only applied on a whim (because said friend planned on writing a letter of recommendation, but decided to call instead and instantly got them to accept me). I really don't know what to do. I guess it depends on whether or not I plan to stay in Pittsburgh, because around here Carnegie Mellon is WELL known, while Northwestern, not so much. Which one is better known (which is important in this economy)?</p>
<p>If you actually read my ramble, thank you! I really need the advice. Any feedback is appreciated immensely. Hopefully, I can make the right decision with your assistance :)</p>
<p>I don’t have much in the way of in-depth pros/cons—other than that you don’t really know much about Northwestern at all (in terms of environment, departmental strength, renown/prestige). Definitely research more on the school…it’s probably too late to visit, but if you can maybe talk to some current Northwestern students here on College Confidential (or through the admissions department), you’ll get a better feel for how attending Northwestern might be like.</p>
<p>How much does the $40,000-versus-free thing matter to your parents (assuming they’re the ones paying for it)? Considering you’re planning on med school, which is expensive all on its own, Northwestern could be a better option (unless the difference in financial burden is not that significant for your parents, and you feel you have more opportunities/like the environment more at CMU).</p>
<p>Do you not like Northwestern because of residual guilt issues concerned with the friend putting in a good word for you? Or are you just cautious about attending because of that?</p>
<p>My big question is, how smart is it to attend a school you’ve never visited? Also, I am a little cautious because of the good word put in, but what’s done is done. My parents want me to go to Northwestern (mainly because they DON’T want me close to home). If I decide to choose NU it would be solely based on renown/prestige because… well, I really don’t like how big Chicago is for a college student and it is extremely far away from someone who’s been sheltered his entire life. So, I really have no idea… I also feel more connected to CMU, but NU may be better to accomplish my academic dreams.
Is giving up happiness at the school worth the academics?</p>
<p>How much are you paying out of pocket after the 40k in grants to attend CMU?</p>
<p>A little more than 10k, but CMU said they will match offers from peer institutions and NU is a peer institution.</p>
<p>If I were in your shoes, I’d try to go to CMU as much as possible. Get that reward letter from NU and see if the Financial Aid appeal with it causes any changes. If it doesn’t, then you “should” go to NU to save that 40k or so because Med school is going to steal your wallet and then some.</p>
<p>Of course, that is what you “should” do if you don’t plan on trying to reduce that 40k while in school. If you could cut that 10k/year down with a job/internship or whatever to something around 20k-25k after 4 years, I would go to CMU.</p>
<p>And yes, you should look up videos and do lots of online research on NU if you decide to go there and don’t visit. Last thing you want to have i regrets over a silly thing like the school not having any appeal to you and you went through all this trouble.</p>
<p>I’ve decided to attend CMU because my parents said if I decide to visit NU that’s where I’m going whether I like it or not, so yea thanks :)</p>
<p>^Lol. That was easy.</p>
<p>Yea, they took it completely out of my hands so I had no choice. Works for me though, I was starting to get stressed out (and slowly gaining peptic ulcers causing me to suffer slowly) :)</p>
<p>Harvard-- you’ve written some really weird stuff on this the CMU threads-- pardon me, but it sounds like you’re ■■■■■■■■ us. Free rides are rare even for URMs-- they go to people with super high stats. I know, I’m also a minority-- and free rides are for people who win Ron Brown Cola, Gates, etc.-- and your stats aren’t at that level. This just seems weird to me.</p>
<p>How did that Harvard acceptance go for you?</p>
<p>BTW NU is not in Chicago, it’s in Evanston. A burb of chicao.</p>
<p>By the sound of it, if your parents get to make your decisions for you, seems obvious that you need to get out of Pittsburgh and should go to NU to get away from them, and it will not cost you much anyways.</p>
<p>Being blunt you stats were not that impressive , so other than being a URM, cannot imagine how NU gave you a free ride. Regardless of connections- this just seems like another weird thread from you.</p>
<p>What’s the name of the scholarship you were awarded?</p>
<p>I read what OP wrote on the NU boards-- the story is really bizarre-- she didn’t even apply to NU-- this story cannot possibly be true. OP- wow.</p>
<p><a href=“Carnegie Mellon vs. Northwestern Pre-Med, Financial, etc. - Northwestern University - College Confidential Forums”>Carnegie Mellon vs. Northwestern Pre-Med, Financial, etc. - Northwestern University - College Confidential Forums;
<p>I got rejected from Harvard (way to bring up sad memories, not really I’m over it). I know it’s in Evanston, but when people ask me where NU I always get “where is Evanston” so I just say Chicago to keep them from asking more. They don’t make my decisions for me, but they weren’t going to pay for me to go to Chicago (after they just paid $800 for CMU). They don’t make that much money. I’m a guy and I did apply to NU if you really don’t believe me then why are you continuing to post. I just wanted advice… If you don’t have the advice then don’t respond. I’m not asking you to question the validity of my statement, but I can’t really complain, it sounded farfetched to me when I found out. Anywho, I already am planning on CMU so the advice is no longer needed. If you really don’t believe that I got into NU on the first day of CMU orientation I will wear my acceptance letter on my shirt 
(Joking of course)</p>
<p>Go to NU, if anything, save your parents $40,000 net, or $60,000 gross, or at least $40,000 if the can invest in a no interest CD for your maybe medical school. </p>
<p>Letters of Recommendations serve a purpose. If you don’t like LOR’s then maybe you’d like to ask your teachers to rescind their LOR for you. You gotta embrace the network, the network is and will always be everything. </p>
<p>So what if you got a push or pull. Wait until you apply to med school, You will need every pull you can get, assuming your GPA and MCAT is up to snuff. </p>
<p>Do you really think that a visitation makes or breaks a school? For a lot a kids, 600 miles is still too close. Chi-PIT is what, 1 hour by plane. 10 hours by road?</p>
<p>I don’t think it makes or breaks a school I just don’t know if Chicago is the type of city I want to be around… It’s huge!</p>
<p>For what it’s worth, the people at the NU cc thread were particularly brutal, but they make some valid points. People who are filthy filthy filthy rich have a hard enough time getting their own kids into a school, let alone a perfect stranger and with a free ride. This story sounds rather bizarre to me too and I agree with CMUGUY who was much kinder in his speculation than the people at the NU cc thread were to you.</p>
<p>In any event, if it is true- this is a no brainer- NU over CMU for premed and chemistry. Throwing in the free ride and that someone has stuck out their neck for you, you are IMHO obligated to take that ride-- you have won an ally-- don’t mess it up by not going to NU.
NU is an outstanding institution and Evanston is a really nice place to be. Besides, if you hate it, then come back to CMU. You should go visit NU regardless of the threats your parents have made (I suspect it’s b/c of the $800 deposit).<br>
You should go to NU - even if you didn’t visit. If you were happy with the size of CMU you will feel the same way about NU. Why not check in with the minority student groups there and see how you feel about the diversity on the campus-- since you already attended COD here.
If you want to be doctor – NU all the way. No brainer.</p>
<p>Thank you for your kindness; they were brutal. I realized that NU would be the best school academically, but I wouldn’t want to make such a huge decision without more information. Also, Chicago was a huge and somewhat menacing city. I don’t know if I’m ready to be around a large city. Pittsburgh isn’t half the size of Chicago (I don’t know if this is accurate, but it sure feels like it). I’ve lived in Pittsburgh my whole life and haven’t felt overwhelmed, but Chicago would be brutal to live in completely alone. At least I have a few friends at CMU if I’m having trouble transitioning into the college life. Also, I feel closer, emotionally, to CMU than NU. I think maybe I should just stick with CMU because it is a good school and if I decide that Med school isn’t for me I wouldn’t mind becoming a chemical engineer and CMU has an amazing engineering school. Who knows? If I regret my decision in the future at least I can say I gave it some thought. CMU is still a good school, nonetheless. It’s also renowned throughout Pittsburgh (as opposed to NU which only 2 people have actually heard of, out of the many I’ve told), which is, as of right now, going to be where I decide to reside in the future.</p>
<p>Anyway, thanks to all of those with advice. It was appreciated. :)</p>
<p>Ok read the NU thread. Show the two threads to your parents. </p>
<p>Again, I would not worry about the unsolicited recommendation.
CMU and NU are peer universities. If one peer gives you an acceptance, there is a good likely hood that other peer colleges will give an offer. NU extended a bit more FA than CMU because 1) NU is a peer to CMU and matched their offer plus a sweetner. CMU does the same to NU; 2) NU assumes that you are vetted by CMU and thus there is little risk to them; 3) NU has a larger endowment than CMU, they could probably afford the extra incentives; 4) Being on a school board is thankless. Sometimes, people assume that taking a thankless but absolutely necessary job shows good character and perhaps this trait is also imparted onto the offspring. </p>
<p>If CMU is your decision. Good for you.
I’d also write, a hand written note to the NU admissions officer, a sincere thankyou but no thanks and mention your reasons as you mentioned in this thread. Leave out the Chicago (NU is in Evanston, far from Chicago) vs Pittsburgh.</p>