Hi all,
I am here asking for some advice choosing between colleges. I recently got off the waitlist at Notre Dame, and now have to decide between Notre Dame and Georgia Tech.
As of now, I am interested in studying some kind of engineering, or computer science. However, I don’t really know exactly what those subjects are like, and I might end up changing. I’ve also been interested in biology, chemistry, or business/finance.
Notre Dame:
-76k/year (will have to take out 80k total loans or try for an ROTC scholarship)
-Better college experience (smaller size and classes, more professor interaction, undergrad focus, residential communities…)
-My dream school
-Strong programs in all subjects
Georgia Tech:
-50k/year (will not need loans)
-Bigger public school
-Potentially a stress culture and more of a weed-out structure
-More reputable STEM programs
All in all, I am asking for any opinions on where I should go. I truly would love to go to Notre Dame, but am having trouble justifying it. One of my options would be to try for AFROTC scholarship, as I am actually very interested in the military, but it is not guaranteed.
I’m biased if you can’t tell. Finances are a personal matter, and I would never advise someone to pay for something they cannot afford, but if your money situation is ok and your parents support your decision… you would be hard pressed to find a more gratifying undergraduate experience than Notre Dame.
D1 sports, top academics, beautiful campus, outstanding grad school placement, happy students, 98% retention rate and high alumni giving. Football saturdays are as close to heaven as it gets.
the only con I can think of is the weather. It stinks, but 4 years of a fun, community based and amazing experience is worth it imo.
I am a ND fan (H went there undergrad and S went there for grad school) but there is no way I could justify taking out $80 in loans to attend ND over GATech especially for a STEM major.
@sportz606 You probably would have the more whole undergrad experience at Notre Dame, but then $26K/year is quite a bit of additional money and $80K total loans is high for any undergraduate education. You have a good understanding of the respective pro’s and con’s in my pov. All the best for your decision!
Hi all,
I am here asking for some advice choosing between colleges. I recently got off the waitlist at Notre Dame, and now have to decide between Notre Dame and Georgia Tech.
As of now, I am interested in studying some kind of engineering, or computer science. However, I don’t really know exactly what those subjects are like, and I might end up changing. I’ve also been interested in biology, chemistry, or business/finance.
Notre Dame:
-76k/year (will have to take out 80k total loans or try for an ROTC scholarship)
-Better college experience (smaller size and classes, more professor interaction, undergrad focus, residential communities…)
-My dream school
-Strong programs in all subjects
Georgia Tech:
-50k/year (will not need loans)
-Bigger public school
-Potentially a stress culture and more of a weed-out structure
-More reputable STEM programs
All in all, I am asking for any opinions on where I should go. I truly would love to go to Notre Dame, but am having trouble justifying it. One of my options would be to try for AFROTC scholarship, as I am actually very interested in the military, but it is not guaranteed.
I guess you need to figure out how much it is worth to you. Debt is absolutely a consideration but you only get to do this once, so think long and hard about what you want to give up after graduation to pay off the loans (car, apartment etc). One of my kids is hell-bent on getting her Masters at ND (already accepted). She has no undergrad debt but is finishing another grad program now which will set her back about $40K. If ND’s program is virtual, she will try to defer. If not, she said she is going to suck it up. We have the means to help her with her repayment, but she knows it’s not a given and she is going in knowing she’s on the hook.
Georgia Tech is world class for engineering and computer science.
Unless you have a particular desire to be at ND, I would advise against taking on that much more debt for a weaker academic program (assuming money is a consideration).
I went to notre dame. It stays with you forever. Well worth the ‘cost’ in $ as this is your life and your dream school. People who get it, get it. No brainier. Dont do the military, that is not a good use of your time on campus.
Hi, I definitely wanna go. Unfortunately, the money is an issue. I just got fin aid and was awarded nothing. My brothers college will cost 70k/year. It’s either AFROTC or not going
Personally, I’d choose neither. (Not a fan of paying OOS rates for a public.) Do you have any instate options? Comp Sci is a hot field and jobs are plentiful, from any good school. Bio/chem are generic majors available everywhere. If you did have your heart set on Eng, a case could be made for GaTech.
I’m sorry but this is extremely bad advice to give to a rising college freshman. It has often been said on CC that dream schools become nightmare schools when they require you to take on student loans exceeding the subsidized limit (>$27k). Do not do AFROTC unless you seriously want to serve in the military.
GT is hands down the better school for computer science or engineering and an all round better choice if ND requires any debt at all. ND has some rabid boosters whose loyalty is endearing only if they are willing to pay your tuition themselves. Otherwise, GT is the only reasonable choice.