Notre Dame Vs Santa Clara

I got full tuition at Santa Clara and 40,000 at Notre Dame. Business/Finance major. Wha to do?

Is Notre Dame affordable to your family. Are they willing and able to pay the difference

Looks like ND will be about twice the cost of SCU.

Our DD is a Santa Clara grad. She had a number of friends in the business major. They were very happy.

The business school at SCU is well regarded, particularly in the area in which it’s located.

Notre Dame is a fabulous school also.

What do you want from a college location…in my opinion SCU is more urban than ND. And the weather in Santa Clara is very pleasing year round! You have to like winter to go to ND!

Both are fine schools…different…but fine.

I haven’t talked to ND financial aid yet. ND is financial aid, SC is merit aid. I am unsure what I should say to ND. Im worried I might not get the same amount of financial aid next year if my parents income changes. has anyone tried to “negotiate” with Notre Dame?

I also got into UCLA but only with 5,000 in aid

Money is somewhat of an issue. Especially if I want/need to go to grad school.

Congrats on the full tuition award to Santa Clara! Are you from California? Have you visited both schools? I really think visiting a campus helps you access your “gut feeling” about a school. SCU has a pleasant campus but is located in an otherwise nondescript suburban region of the greater Silicon Valley area. I’d recommend having a car if you go there. I’d never tell a student to turn down a free or deeply discounted education to a well-regarded school. It gives you such a leg up on your finances when you graduate, some breathing room, more options to consider for a graduate school path, etc. Having said that, a cousin of mine turned down a free ride to Creighton some years ago in favor of paying full price at Harvard, and I don’t think anyone begrudged her that decision. You do need to be happy where you choose to attend, and money isn’t everything, so I’d visit both schools this month if you can. You’re in a great position – congrats.

My kid spent four years at SCU without a car. The train station is right across the street from the main campus entrance. There are buses that you can use also. Plenty of Uber and Lyft now. Plenty of students have cars, but it’s not a necessity.

If I understand, then Notre Dame will cost at least $27,000 per year ?

OP, unless something changes, ND’s financial aid will be comparable year over year. What are your parents saying about this choice?

I live in Oregon. I got full tuition but must pay room and board at SCU so difference is about 15,000 per year to attend ND - first year. My parents are worried about financial aid at ND They said their income is volatile and I have a twin sister, also going to college, that can have expensive and unknown medical costs - she had brain cancer. My parents are worried that in future years ND could switch out scholarship/grant for loans. We are going to ND this coming weekend and SCU next weekend I think. Its snowing at ND. It just seems to me ND is a better all around school. I am worried SCU isn’t as well regarded outside of California and I don’t want to be be stuck long term in Silicon Valley as it is so expensive to live.

@ SDCcountry3Mom I know Notre Dame is a good school, but it doesn’t seem to carry the same weight as Harvard.

We had the same problem two years ago. Our son got full tuition merit scholarship at Santa Clara, and approximately one-half merit scholarship at ND. We are from California, so we went back and looked at ND. It really depends what you want.

ND is a different type of place. Either you will love it, or you’ll see that it may not be the right type of fit. Tight knit community, strong undergraduate experience, and a very unique vibe.

@Sylvestor

You should post this on the SCU and ND threads to get more feedback.

But ND is about $14k a year more than SCU is. Your folks have to decide if paying that difference is financially do-able or not. Is ND worth paying more for? It depends.

Theoretically, the reason to pay more for ND is because you highly value and would grow more and benefit from the ND undergrad “experience” which is a strong and particular thing. Those who love it, REALLY love it. Others wonder what the big deal is.

Other things you’d get with ND is an extremely strong alum network across the country. And their Mendoza undergrad B school (did you get direct admitted into Mendoza?) has a very strong reputation.

But overall, I think you should mostly focus on whether ND is really such a special fit for you that you should consider asking your parents to pay the difference. SCU is a great school too and not just around the Bay area. And you may get some resume value from being able to tout yourself as a top scholarship winner there.

I got direct admit to Mendoza.

But I also got Honor’s College at SCU with preferred registration and housing.

@CowboyBruin What did your son decide?

I guess its worth noting, I also go Presidential Scholarship at University of Oregon Honor’s College which is essential full tuition, preferred registration and preferred housing.

He’s at ND. He kinda split the difference when it came to cost. SCU cost the least, Stanford cost the most and ND was in the middle between the two. We could afford ND and they’ve been very good to him.

Our next son is currently choosing between Brown, ND and UCLA.

ND was great and contacted me suggesting we submit early for financial aid for our older son so they could process them together and we could look at their awards jointly. They were very generous, and I have found them to be very consistent even through my income fluctuates too… He’s being flown back there this weekend for Reilly Weekend and we’ll see what he decides. Brown will cost us significantly more. UCLA will end up essentially the same as ND.

My guess is that you’ll figure out if ND is the place for you this weekend.

OP, have your parents call and schedule a visit with the Financial Aid office when you are there. I did this with my first D, who is now a junior there. I had concerns about whether FA would stay relatively stable, etc. They will be able to answer all of their questions and get some clarity for your parents.

I’m sorry to hear about your sister, and hope she is doing well.