OP Congratulations on your admits! You have good choices, although they are all different schools. You mentioned that you have full tuition and honors at your instate flagship. Would Univ. of Oregon be your least expensive option? Have you ruled it out, or is it in the mix? I’m wondering since you ask only about SCU vs. ND.
Like has been suggested above, your campus visits may help you decide. You may end up preferring SCU after all, making this question a non-issue.
But if you’re even a little on the fence, then definitely talk to an ND FA rep during your visit. Maybe your parents have other medical bills that were not reflected in your FAFSA or CSS Profile, which may affect your aid. You’ve heard from ND parents, and they are better informed than I am about their experience with ND FA. In my limited experience, it seems that ND will do what it can to help you, if you really want to go. As an aside, congratulations on your direct admit to Mendoza. From what I hear, it’s not only an outstanding business school, but the alumni network is legendary.
Good luck on your road to college. Also sending best wishes to your twin.
@hafamama University of Oregon and SCU financially are mostly a push. SCU gave full tuition for 4 years with stipends for extras that I am not real clear on. U of O gave me Presidential Scholarship which is a flat 15,000 a year. For next year it would basically cover Tuition at U of O’s Honor College but not any tuition increases. My sister most likely will be in Eugene Oregon at NW Christian but I would kind of like to get away. U of O seems like high school 2.0 to me. It is 90 minutes from my house.
@suzy100 My mom called ND financial aid office today and she said they were pretty dismissive and abrupt. They wouldn’t make an appointment with us when we are there and said to just “drop in.” I am not sure what to say when we are there. I am surprised they weren’t more helpful on the phone. Any suggestions? Should I let them know about my SCU Presidential Scholarship or will they not even care?
Would it be better if I talked to Financial Aid department instead of my Mom?
Right now, it seems that you’re focused on cost. Of course, this is a very important factor, esp. given the concern regarding fluctuating family income. If I understand correctly, you have free tuition at Univ. of Oregon and Santa Clara and need to cover just R&B for both. (You said you live 90 minutes away, and I don’t expect that you would commute daily.) You received $40,000 from Notre Dame. Your initial post seems to be, is Notre Dame worth twice the cost of what you’d pay for Santa Clara?
First, I have to say that Univ. of Oregon has about 19,000 undergraduates alone, and a total population of almost 23,000 students. So consider these numbers when you think about the state flagship being like high school part 2.
Second, you must find out if SCU guarantees on-campus housing for all four years. It’s in a very expensive location, so if you have to move off campus after freshman year, this may add a lot to the cost. Alternatively, if you find people to room with, your costs may go down, and make SCU even cheaper than Univ. of Oregon. As was suggested above, post on the SCU board, if you haven’t done so already. Also, you’ll need to add in travel costs when comparing SCU to Univ. of Oregon.
Third, if you really have your heart set on Notre Dame, then why not contact the FA office personally – it’s worth a shot. I don’t know if they consider “matching” other school’s financial aid offers. You may want to contact the admissions counselor for your region for more information.
https://admissions.nd.edu/connect/find-your-counselor/
Maybe he/she can give you some guidance with how to proceed with the FA office. I can see your reluctance to just drop in during your visit, but if that seems to be the practice, then, as I suggested above, I’d be prepared to discuss what you think should be considered that may not have been included in your FAFSA or CSS profile (maybe medical bills or changed circumstances in the family business, or your twin’s college costs, or other considerations)
Finally, you said that ND’s package is $40,000. This means ND has already offered to cover 75% of tuition. I realize it’s not enough for your family given the entire cost of attendance, but IMO it’s a pretty good offer.
Good luck!
My kid is a SCU alum. There is housing available all four years. Lots of kids do move off campus near the school. There are a lot of houses and apartments. When my kid moved off campus, it didn’t save us money, but it didn’t cost us more either. But she did share a 4 bedroom, very convenient house with 6 others!
To the OP…when you go to ND, bring a copy of your SCU award with you. The issue I see here…SCU gave you a merit award. ND gave you need based aid…right? ND doesn’t give a LOT of merit awards.
Is there anything ND should be considering in terms of you application for need based aid? Has anything changed since you applied for aid? If so, bring documentation of THAT too.
OP, I’m sorry (and surprised) they weren’t more helpful. I’d have whatever parent is going with you (you can go too) talk to them with the questions and concerns they have. There are no dumb questions. One thing to think - and ask - about is what your aid will look like when your sister graduates. I hope they are more helpful in person.
OP, you have some great options and I think it is great that you are approaching this with finances in mind.
You are getting some good feedback on this thread.
I only wanted to say don’t put too much weight on one phone call with fin aid office. It’s an overwhelming time of year for them, too. Have your documentation in order and know your figures ahead of time.
PS we have one nephew at ND and two nieces at Santa Clara. All are having wonderful experiences.
OP, how was your visit to Notre Dame? Were you able to speak to a financial aid officer?
I thought Notre Dame was great. I loved the atmosphere but my Mom was a bit skeptical when a professor told me I had the “Golden Ticket” when he saw my name tag that said “Mendoza- Finance” My Mom just thought it was a bit over the top. We did go see someone in the Financial Aid. They were a bit nicer than they were on the phone but still not very helpful on what I might receive for Financial Aid in the future. I am not sure what my Mom will do. After a great visit, we left on bit of a down note after talking to Financial Aid.
Sounds from your visit that you fall into the “love” ND camp. I’m sorry to hear about feeling let down with the financial aid office. I don’t have experience in this regard. Other ND parents have said the aid amount is consistent, and I defer to their past experience. This doesn’t help you right now, unfortunately. But although you mom may be skeptical, many parents on CC have mentioned the strength of the ND alumni network. I have also heard firsthand from ND students and alumni, about how much the network has helped them. So I don’t think the professor’s comment was too much over the top, especially with regard to Mendoza. But if it doesn’t seem that you’ll get your parents’ support re: ND, you have fine options between Santa Clara and Univ. of Oregon.
Other posters on this thread, notably @thumper1 are much more knowledgeable than I am, and even have (or have had) kids attend the schools in question. SCU is very well regarded, and you’ll be able to see it for yourself when you visit.
Best wishes! Keep us updated!
Proud alum of a SCU graduate.
The two schools are different.
First…the weather. SCU has lovely weather year round. Unless you just love winter…and snow.
Second…both campuses are very lovely in different ways. You will see that when you visit. SCU has put a ton of money into their facilities in the last 10-15 years…and they are constantly upgrading and building new. Their library learning commons is now about 8 years old but is state if the art. They take a LOT of pride in having updated and upgraded facilities. But I’m guessing ND does as well.
Third. Location. Really…ND is sort of in the middle of nowhere. SCU is in a more urban setting.
Fourth…reputation. I honestly believe both schools have excellent reputations in their regions. SCU is well regarded in CA, and the west coast. Lots of students from OR, CA, HI, WA. ND is well regarded and maybe a little better known nation wide.
Fifth. Both provide excellent learning opportunities. We really liked the Jesuit mission of giving to community, which is required of all students, and is infused in many courses. I can’t comment to ND on this.
Six…SCU is very ecumenical. I could be wrong about ND, but it impresses me as more “Catholic” and religious than SCU was…for my not Catholic kid. Both have theology requirements for graduation.
Honestly…I don’t think you can go wrong with either choice.
I just got back from SCU and am more conflicted than ever. As a Presidential Scholar, I was made to feel very special. the weather was beautiful, the dorms very nice, but without character. The Honors students were nice and went out of their way to engage with me - I went a day early by myself for a special receptions for a Johnson’s and Presidential scholar’s. Outside of the Johnson’s, Presidential and Honors Students, the other students at SCU were not nearly as engaging as they were at ND. School spirit did not seem strong at SCU - of coarse at ND probably has the strongest school spirit that I have witnessed on any college campus. At SCU, the teaching faculty seemed nice but not quite as impressive as ND; however, I was exposed to only a couple at each school. SCU’s internship opportunities seemed extensive - if you want to work in California. ND seemed to have a further reach with internships. Financially SCU is absolutely better, near term. The weather and campus were absolutely beautiful. I do feel that to be happy for 4 years, I would need to look off campus at SCU - but it certainly would be easy to do. Some of the questions I have include:
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If I want/need to go to grad school, would a degree from SCU with perhaps a better GPA be better or worse than a degree from ND?
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I have been trying to come up with a point based evaluation system for college admission offers. Does anyone know of one?
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It seems to me there would be more adjunct professor’s at SCU, based solely on location. My Mom said some of the most inspiring and practical instruction she received in college was from adjunct professors as they are more tethered to the real world. Does anyone have any insight on this between SCU and ND?
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I started off this process wanting to go east to an urban school. Now I don’t know what I want. I was looking for an undergrad business school. I was looking for at least some financial assistance. Neither of these two finalist meet all of my initial goals. I thought I wanted to work in corporate finance. Sometimes I even question now if I want to go to business school. My Mom said she will make either decision work financially but I don’t want to burden her. Any last insights on how to make a good decision?
I’m probably the wrong person to ask. Our kid graduated from SCU…we are from the east coast. After her four years at SCU, she did a 27 month Peace Corps assignment. SCU was very helpful in that process…they even had a time at their health center for P.C. physicals.
My kid is now in professional school.
Re: adjuncts… I think the only time my kid had an adjunct that she knew was an adjunct was when she took a summer course. As you know…SCU has no TAs teaching classes. Classes are taught by the faculty. That being said…she found the faculty to be easy to engage with…and her fellow students as well.
It’s funny that you say the students weren’t all that engaging. SCU and one other school were in the running with my kid also, and the main reason she chose SCU at the end was because everyone there was so friendly to her and her hosts when she did her accepted student overnight.
You have two wonderful, but slightly different choices. Honestly, I don’t think you can go wrong at either.
I don’t know about ND, but SCUs core course requirement was something my DD found to be terrific. She liked learning about areas she might not otherwise have chosen.
My kid had a double major…bioengineering and biology. The school was very helpful in terms of making sure her courses lined up so she could graduate on time.
One thing…and maybe this would have happened at ND too…my kid had a medical emergency second quarter of her senior year. We honestly thought she would need to withdraw. But the dean of students and her advisor worked with her, and the faculty to complete as much of that term as possible. She did have to drop one course…and that could have been an issue…but it wasn’t. They made sure she got in the next term. Because of this course bump…she had one core course to complete…because she chose to spread them out over the four years. Again…the faculty worked with her to find an online course to satisfy that last course requirement…which she completed during the summer after her graduation ceremony.
Oh…she did live off campus for her last two years. Just FYI, it’s not a bargain to live off campus, and it’s not like the houses in the area have a lot of special character.
Anyway…ND is also a terrific school with a great culture. Their sports “scene” is certainly more nationally known than SCU. I’m sure that contributes to the school spirit.
Look up “Rough Riders” at SCU…I think that’s the name of the student boosters. My kid joined, and really had fun. No, they were never on national TV…but it was fun anyway.
You can PM me for more specifics about SCU.
I’m sure there are some ND folks here who can chime in as well.
Like I said …you can’t go wrong with either choice. They are just great schools…and different.
The last part of your post says this:
I can understand wanting to evaluate different factors and come up with some type of point system, but in the end, you’ve admitted that SCU is “absolutely better” financially. You’ve visited the campus and seemed to like it. Are you willing and able to spend twice as much for ND, knowing that your twin will be in college at the same time? Yes, both are good schools. So as an outsider (that’s me) looking at your situation, this is what I see: one school gave you a merit scholarship plus other scholar perks, and will cost you half of the other school.
@Hafamama, Your point is well made. My Mom and I were talking about some of this tonight. While SCU is cheaper, after our visit I came away feeling it was somehow lacking energy. I am not sure if it was a weekend and not everyone was on campus or the vastly different sports scene, it just seems a lot more casual. The one significant difference I noticed was the student questions and level of engagement in the finance presentation I sat in at SCU. At SCU it was the parents asking all the questions and the students in some cases were literally sleeping. At ND, during the business school presentation, the students were asking the questions and they were meaningful - about specific class sequences, internships etc. They just seemed more like minded at ND Mendoza. That said, I felt much better about the Honor’s students and other top scholars at SCU, I’m just not sure there is enough of them to make a difference. I am concerned I might get complacent at SCU while Notre Dame may challenge me more. Any thoughts from ND or SCU students?
OP I think that hafamama is right to suggest a serious look at the financial aspect. I would take this from another angle.
First, tho, I am very sorry to hear that your sister has been dealing with a serious health issue. I am sure your parents have a lot to take into consideration. And I commend you for taking such a mature approach to this decision. You have some fantasic choices here and you can’t go wrong!
To mull over…sounds like you are comparing a merit scholarship from SCU and need-based aid from ND. SCU would give you the same scholarship for four years – as long as you maintain a minimum GPA. Do you have any hesitation about this? Would it keep you from trying new disciplines or challenging yourself?
Our goddaughter has that full tuition scholarship at SCU. Senior year, she had been disappointed to not get into more selective schools, but that lasted about a week into the first semester on campus. She is making the most of her time and has found some great professors. And…there’s a lot to be said for sunshine 
Re. ND, as your family finances change, so would your aid package. This could actually work in your favor. Or not!! Time to get practical. Can you run the net price calc adding in your sibling as an undergrad to see if your aid will change? Also - some schools factor home equity and others don’t; some factor private school tuition for siblings and others don’t., etc. Can you find out if medical expenses considered? Your parents’ income is volatile, but can you project ballpark figures for the next couple years? Make a four year budget…and look long and hard at those numbers.
Our nephew graduates from ND next month and has loved the school spirit and vibrant community. His sister, our niece, is loving life at SCU! It’s all about what will work best for you and your family.
You have a lot to think over, but it sounds like your parents are supportive and you are motivated.
Keep us posted!
I have looked at the GPA requirement at SCU. I talked to some students there and a 3.5 doesn’t seem too difficult to meet. My Mom and I went to the financial aid office to discuss the GPA requirement and they were pretty liberal - giving a number of warnings and time to improve before a scholarship is pulled. They even said some more challenging majors they actually relax the GPA requirement for Presidential Scholars. While this sounds very supportive, it makes me concerned about it just being too easy, too good to be true. I am used to and like being challenged.
Oh for heavens sake. You will be challenged at SCU. You will be challenged no matter where you attend college. There are smart kids everywhere.
If your family can afford ND, then go to ND because that’s your choice. But stop making silly excuses why you should do so.