<p>anyone ever faced with this situation like mine (besides northstarmom,great story by the way, really helped me put things into perspective a lot!)?</p>
<p>Anyone think this would be a lot easier if I was really poor(and thus get full aid wherever accepted)? just a thought, feel free to disagree</p>
<p>Look on about the second page of the Parents Forum, there's a thread "you get what you paid for" and another, "what I've learned about full merit scholarships". The rents love to discuss this topic, just search, there are many similar threads.</p>
<p>yeah, that's a really good point fairlyconfident</p>
<p>You might also consider that if you choose to remain living in your state after graduating college, there will likely be a large network of alumni within the state and they might look upon your job application more favorably than an application from someone who went to another school.</p>
<p>jk, I actually do get what you mean. You know how you just described that you might feel less burdened knowing everything is paid for, and you won't need to work much (which, btw, should also allow you to focus 100% on your education and college life, and getting involved in the activities you want to involve yourself in), well, perhaps your father will feel that way too. You might want to have a conversation with your parents to find out.</p>
<p>I've talked to my parents, and they said I should decide, and they are willing to pay the money for the big private schools. I know they can afford it, but I still feel bad. Just because my parents can pay for it doesn't mean they should have to though. I know it's a lot of money, and even if they don't say it is a big deal, i feel it would be because I would be in debt to them and would prevent them from spending money etc. again, I would be a burden, and I don't want to be burden, i don't want to be the person that gets everything from their parents, i don't want to be a spoiled rich kid like others I know. But.... here is the dilemma, would I be happy at the state school, or at the other private school, is it worth it, whichever way I choose in the end. Any other ideas, I am open to many, say whatever comes to your mind.</p>
<p>I think i'm just gonna pray, pray that I make the right decision.
But I still want everyone's input though.</p>
<p>I'm somewhat in the same financial situation as you, although I'm not as sure whether I'll get into my top choices and my parents are willing to pay the price. My dad is willingly, (actually forcing) me to enroll into a better college if given the chance. Personally, if I were in your shoes, I would take the money and opportunity to get into a private school. But that's just me. You have to decide what is more important to you. Your college experience, or your family's finances/relationship? I don't want to influence you too much, (this is your future after all, and there's alot at stake) but you really need to gauge what is more important. I think a first step would be to do alot of research in the colleges you have been accepted into and your state college (if you have not already done so). That way, you won't regret it if you end up in the state college. Other than that, I have nothing much left to say. This is a family issue and I wouldn't rely too much on other people's opinions. (as I have said, this is your future). Find what's best for you, and that wherever you end up, make the most of it! Hopefully, you choose the right school for yourself! Good luck!</p>
<p>Thanks everyone!! Another question for anyone who wishes to answer. For those who attend expensive private schools, and have parents that aren't super rich, but don't qualify for aid and thus have to pay the ticket price, Do you feel all the money was worth it??</p>
<p>bump bump?????</p>
<p>Even though you don't think you would qualify for finaid at private schools, did you submit FAFSA/Profile anyway? (If not, for some schools there is still time). You might be surprised; eg., Harvard has expanded finaid so that college cost should be no more than 10% of income up to about $180,000; Yale does a different calculation but includes up to $200,000 income in granting aid (all of which is now grants, not loans). If your father makes $200,000 a year, the comparison would be $20,000/yr Yale vs free at State, and Yale offers a lot of additional financial support for special programs, travel etc that might not be available through state U. You'll have to compare the actual finaid programs of your private colleges and state to make your choice rationally. Good luck!</p>
<p>You could try visiting the state school and the good college(s) that accept you and see how you like them. Or you could consider the strength of the programs that you want to major in at each college. Good luck!</p>
<p>In my opinion, if you're going to work hard at any school, you're going to make an impact on the world. While you have fewer connections, you could do just as well in a community college as you could in an ivy league. </p>
<p>Obviously, like others have said, the decision is yours. But if you have a literal full ride scholarship to your state school and it's a decent place, why wouldn't you go there? Having your parents pay 50k a year for you and your sister wouldn't sit well on my conscience....</p>
<p>I think it just depends on how much you really want to go to the private school. </p>
<p>If you really want to go and try new things and get out of your hometown, then I say take the chance. I think you parents would be happy to pay if they knew that you were genuinely having a good time and getting an excellent education at the good time. I don't think that it's something you can really put a price on.</p>
<p>On the other hand, if you're kind of wishy-washy about going to an expensive private school and think that you could flourish at state u, then I would take the full ride. Too many people today are swayed by the whole prestige thing, and state u is really not as bad as people make it out to be. </p>
<p>In the end, it really comes down to whether the private school experience outweighs the financial burden. Since you're parents can and are willing to pay, I think you should go wherever you feel you would be the happiest. Knowing I chose a school simply for financial reasons would weigh the most heavily on my conscience. I know that other people here may disagree, but I personally would take the private school in a heartbeat. </p>
<p>The college experience should be about you first and others next, so think about what YOU want and then decide.</p>
<p>(do the other schools you applied to not offer merit aid?)</p>
<p>editing this to ask: is the scholarship you are receiving full tuition or a full scholarship for everything, including room & board etc? you'd still have to pay for some stuff if its only full tuition.</p>
<p>full tuition, but only because I checked the box that said I would live off campus. I wouldn't live in dorms, I would commute and live at home, which is another issue. So it would have been with room and board, but I wouldn't live on campus, so there is no reason to give that part to me.</p>
<p>A few offer merit aid, but the chances I will actually get those scholarships are very small, but I still applied for them, however, the competition is horrendous</p>
<p>I know a couple kids that were in the same boat. One girl turned down the Morehead for Yale, another got a full ride to UVA and took that over Brown.</p>
<p>I mean, a lot of it depends on whether it's a good school. You get your UCLAs, your Berkeleys, UVAs, Michigans, but then you also get the not-so-great state school. You wouldn't want to sell your education short by compromising, especially if, as you said, you could afford one of the pricier schools. On the other hand, some state schools really do offer a great education, in which case that might be the best route to go.</p>
<p>I ended up choosing the ivy...my parents were cool with it and I knew I'd be happier. I definitely made the right decision :-)</p>
<p>I think you should go for the Ivy/higher-tier private school. Just borrow the money from your dad and when you get a job and make money (hopefully more cuz you went to teh better school) then pay him back!</p>
<p>
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I wouldn't live in dorms, I would commute and live at home, which is another issue.
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</p>
<p>At this point you enter severe-differences territory. Part of what makes college, well...COLLEGE, is living there. Consider living on campus a near-must. And then compare that cost to the cost of the private school.</p>