NYU vs PENN

<p>Daughter got into NYU CAS Presidential honors scholars program with a $43,000 per year scholarship,$3000 work study plus an additional outside scholarship of $5000 per year making total COA about $10,000 per year. We have a EFC of $32,000 so the cost to go to Penn ended up at $28,000 per year. So the difference over 4 years is about $72,000. We have saved over $60,000 in a 529 that could be used for graduate school.
The Nyu honors program's benefits include 2 basically free trips abroad, a semester abroad, research grant, small honors classes with less than 15 per class, personalized advising with department heads and other benefits.
DD really liked Nyu and she loved all the personal attention plus felt like they wanted her. She plans on studing neural biology with a premed track. She also has an offer from State Flagship for basically free in honors. The choice seems to be simple in my mind and her mind also NYU.
So the question I am asking is an Ivy education that much better even if costs were not a factor than the NYU honors program?</p>

<p>NYU is the obvious choice - stellar faculty coupled with 70K in savings makes this a no brainer and one other thing - DO NOT take getting that kind of funding at NYU lightly - NYU is notorious for NOT giving enough aid.</p>

<p>NYU gives really good aid to the small group of students that it really wants. For your daughter’s longterm goals, and given the family budget, NYU is an excellent option. That nearly free home-state option is good too. Kiss Penn good-bye.</p>

<p>Thanks for the confirmation DD decided last night on NYU. Realistically she decided on NYU last summer after visit but after the honors program and aid sealed the deal. Fit is the most important thing not so called “prestige”, we just want her to be happy[plus within the budget]. I think the only one upset about this choice will be her high school GC since she will be the third student to turn down an ivy this year.</p>

<p>I’d suggest that you show the numbers to that HS GC. Too many GCs out there really don’t get it about the money, and it is helpful for them to learn where students with ivy qualifications can land big merit-based aid.</p>

<p>You are absolutely correct. One student got into Yale but is going to Emory on a full merit scholarship saving parents about $240,000. The other got accepted to Dartmouth with no aid and will be attending UF on a full ride, again saving about $240,000. We are saving about $80,000, so the total saved is about $560,000 for all three and all are top students that will thrive at their college choices.</p>