<p>Hello, great mothers and fathers, and the want-to-be's. I'm trying to decide where to go next semester. I've got a full ride at Rice University (awesome school, no doubt) and a good scholarship at Brown University (not too shabby), and I've just found out about being accepted to U Penn. Though I haven't found out about F.Aid at Penn, I'm having enough trouble deciding between Rice and Brown. Though having been in Dallas for only five years, I think I've accepted the full punishment of Texas' fickle, sizzling hot weather for whatever misdeed I committed; therefore, I'd love to go to the NorthEast for a change. However, I see the benefits in staying close to home, having a car, and not having to borrow money, all of which result from the generosity of Rice's financial aid department. But, at Brown and U Penn, I'm sure I'll meet awesome people, have a more flexible curriculum, and enjoy more previleges and opportunities brought about by the Ivy League reputation. Seeking for a well-rounded undergrad education, an awesome choral department, and a laid-back, friendly atmosphere, I'm still trying to find my best fit. Please help me. In return I'll send you good thoughts and prayers in Vietnamese (a very rare gift, you might say).</p>
<p>As far as privileges and opportunities from the Ivy League reputation, imho Rice is right there. It is not "regional" in its reputation, but widely respected.</p>
<p>The benefits to staying close to home and having a car can be turned around and seen as disadvantages compared to exploring a new geographic world in environments where cars are much less important than they dould be in Houston/Dallas. You won't miss the car at Brown or Penn.</p>
<p>The $ issue is a serious one and only you and your family can evaluate the difference vs. full ride/good scholarship/??.</p>
<p>Re sizzling hot weather, you will - of course - be trading that for winters chills at Brown/Penn and if you return home for summers, you'll still get the brunt of sizzling hot. :(</p>
<p>I feel confident you can find a sufficient laid-back, friendly group at any of the three.
I'm not qualified to comment on curriculum/choral program aspects.</p>
<p>Hope these thoughts help you in your decision.</p>
<p>btw, it looks as though you might have just gotten off a waitlist at Penn, but didn't you have to let Brown/Rice know earlier this month?</p>
<p>Also you might try: <a href="http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?t=51596&highlight=Decide%5B/url%5D">http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?t=51596&highlight=Decide</a></p>
<p>Well the first parent up is biased. I went to Brown and loved it. </p>
<p>If flexible curriculum is what you want, Brown is on the short list of elite colleges where you will have complete control. I think the benefit of this is that by graduation, you have had 4 years of <em>deep engagement</em> and 4 years of autonomy in life choices. As a graduate, you will thus have good practice at running your own life and you will have set a high bar for doing things that deeply interest you. </p>
<p>As for laid back & friendly-- YES. Very. </p>
<p>I suppose it may come down to: how much borrowed money? Can you handle that amount of debt, and are the benefits of a Brown education worth the difference to you? </p>
<p>I think it is of great value to leave one's home area and comfort zone for college... I actually told my kid to choose schools 300+ miles from home. Both Brown and Penn give you that. But Brown and Penn are different places. I think the undergrad focus is better at Brown & Rice than at Penn. Philly gives you some benefits of city life lacking in Providence (but available in Boston, one hour away.)</p>
<p>Does your heart tell you one of these schools is a better "fit" than the others? Follow your heart.</p>
<p>If you want to send me a good thought or a prayer please direct it specifically to my left calf; I popped a tendon yesterday playing tennis and I need all the help I can get! :) </p>
<p>Good luck in your decision.</p>
<p>Brown is a great school, and I love Brown - my favorite of all the Ivies - and for all the reasons you stated. But you said "awesome choral department". There is nothing at Brown that will compare with what Rice has to offer, what with Shepherd School right there. Not even close. This is not a put-down of Brown, as it is fine for what it is. But if choral music is a major issue, the two just aren't comparable.</p>
<p>Don't take my word for it - do your own research, and check it out for yourself. (I wouldn't choose Penn either, but that's just a matter of individual preference, and many others feel differently.)</p>
<p>These schools are pretty much all the same in my eyes. Go whereever you like the most, or if they are pretty much all the same in your eyes too, go where its cheapest.</p>
<p>This is indeed a tough decision. You didn't say what your intended major will be if you know. Of the 3, Rice's music program and vocal opportunities are the best if you are thinking of a career in that arena. If you aren't, and just want to sing with great choral groups of non-majors, any will be fine. If $$$ are very important and you don't want to leave yourself or your family impoverished, choose Rice. If this is not that big an issue, follow your gut and your heart. You can't go wrong!</p>
<p>Thank you so much for the great responses. To clarify, I'm a biology pre-med major with a passion for singing, painting, and just liberal arts in general. I don't intend to pursue a music career, but I want to develop my singing skills throughout college for several reasons, one of which is to win American Idol one day (there's laughing in my head, too). So I'm looking for a school where I can participate in several singing activities, one of which is hopefully a good university choir. Going to Rice would be close to the comfort zone for me. I've got two best friends there and a family in Dallas who already plan on multiple suprise visits. I'm also not a big fan of Houston. That's Rice. Anyway, last semester I studied abroad in Holland and really enjoyed the weather and the open-minded culture there. Therefore, I want a similar experience for the rest of my college career. And from what I've learned about Brown, I like it a lot. The money issue is what's holding me back from sending my response card to Brown immediately. I'm going to have to borrow about five grams a year for Brown (Subsidized Stafford Loan and partly Perkins Loan). At Rice I might have to borrow a thousand bucks or two (unsubsidized Stafford) a year to buy health insurance. So that's my financial situation. Since I receive no parental contribution, I'm weighing the money issue carefully. But in the end I just want to pick the school I'll be most happy at. And it's so difficult to decide which one that is.</p>
<p>Medical school is going to be very pricey. Might be best not to be too deeply in debt before you start that phase of your life.</p>
<p>Congratulations on all the wonderful choices, though.</p>
<p>On the one hand, medical school is hugely pricey. (Figure $200k plus by the time you get there.) On the other hand, $20k college debt is really not a lot these days, and after med school will be pocket change (you'll have much bigger debts to worry about.) You'll be able to find good singing at both places, just more of it (and of higher quality) at Rice.</p>
<p>Now, one last thing: two-thirds of students who enter colleges thinking they are pre-med end up deciding otherwise. You might or might not be one of them. Either place will give you terrific pre-med preparation (which is just not that difficult these days - 11-12 courses, and you definitely don't have to be a biology, or even a science, major. My alma mater Williams boasts that a higher percentage of its music majors go on to medical school than biology majors.) And if you are good enough to get into any of these places, with enough application you won't have any difficulty getting into med school if it comes to that. So think about where you will grow the most in the next 4 years, and choose accordingly.</p>
<p>$20K is nothing in the grand scheme of things for the wider experience you will get at Brown. In addition, EVERYONE graduates from med school >$150K in debt and EVERYONE pays it off in 10 years. I know this from personal experience! So...GO TO BROWN...and enjoy yourself.</p>
<p>quiltguru -
folks say that about law school, too, and that is certainly not true. Are most doctors really paying the debt off that quickly?</p>
<p>quote: "btw, it looks as though you might have just gotten off a waitlist at Penn, but didn't you have to let Brown/Rice know earlier this month?"</p>
<p>I applied to Penn, Brown, and Rice as a transfer student, so I didn't turn in my applications till mid-March. That's the reason why I found out about the decisions so late, and each school lets me know at a different time. But anyway, yes, I had to tell Rice first, and I have a few days left to respond to Brown. I just found out about Penn and still have to submit some papar work before receiving my financial aid letter. So that could take a while. The transfer process sucks only in the response part, and especially if one applies to many schools at once. I have to admit that I felt a little hurt when you said that Penn accepted me from a waitlist. It made me feel like I'm not worth the admission, or I'm just a replacement for someone they really want. But I'm okay, and plus, I think you didn't know I'm a transfer.</p>
<p>Brown is perfect for someone with simultaneous and unrelated interests. You can complete premed & major in music, if you so desire. Brown's vibe is definitely the closest to Holland!</p>
<p>BTW there is a great music scene at Brown... We have our pop stars like Lisa Loeb and Mary Chapin Carpenter. We have our Broadway composers like David Yazbek. We have Rockapella founder Sean Altman. And that's just from my brief time there! If singing is a love and you just want to have fun with it and develop your abilities there is plenty for you musically at Brown.</p>
<p>If it all boils down to financial aid, you can always go back and see if they will beat your Rice or Penn award, but I would agree that 20K is not too bad.</p>
<p>Interesting advice, SBmom, about the financial aspect. I can't say I haven't thought of that one myself, but I just fear that Brown will take back my admission offer and deem me ungrateful for what they've given me already. So, close call. Well, what the heck, I'll take that risk tomorrow and find out how it goes. At least I won't have to sit around on my chair cushion wonderring what would've happened.</p>
<p>Give it a try!</p>
<p>BTW, if you are a transfer student, I assume your debt would not be $20k but maybe 15K or 10K, depending what year you are right now... Small debt to have if the school is where you really want to be. If youare a rising sophomore, you'll be getting a $125K education for 15K which seems like a darn good deal.</p>
<p>SB</p>
<p>Yes, ohio-mom, we all do pay off our debt...maybe in 13 years (I had a 3 year deferral due to military service), but we pay it off. Worry about cost shouldn't keep someone from going t omed school.</p>
<p>quiltguru,
thanks for the info. Some of my niece's graduating law school class are having issues - she's ok, but not everybody is. My son is thinking of med school - so its good to know that an 'extra' mortgage is not insurmountable!</p>
<p>sorry to interrupt, but the op said they were a transfer studet and that brown gave them financial aid? am i correct? because i thought transfer students didnt get financial aid. thanks.</p>
<p>I don't see why transfers couldn't get financial aid. If in need, anybody could get financial aid. Am I incorrect?</p>
<p>tienthangtuan, If I were you I would go to Brown. It's not that much money in the scheme of things(10K-20K) but you'll love your experience of going far away from home,you'll grow up a lot, and New England is a great place to spend 4 years. You'd be just an hour away from Boston which has 136 colleges, there are tons of things to do on a weekend.</p>