I am a transfer student and I have two options right now to complete my degree. I have already taken a year off due to a medical issue. So, something that is important to me is not getting more far behind than I am already. Technically, I should be in the class of 2017. That is when all my peers are graduating. My first choice is UCLA. I was accepted to the Communication Studies Program. One of the pros of UCLA is that I should graduate in one year if I attend because the program is fairly short and I have already completed all my lower division classes. Also, UCLA is a great school and I am interested in the major and great internship opportunities. The only negative to UCLA is that I am an out of state student from Arizona so I am looking at anywhere from $35,000-$55,000 in loan debt depending on where I live and how much my parents are willing to assist me. My other option is ASU. I would be a Journalism and Mass Communication Student at the Walter Cronkite School. The pros of ASU are that I will have little to no debt leaving school because I received a scholarship. The negatives to ASU are mainly that it will take me 2 years to graduate if not more because I tailored my Associate’s degree more to UCLA’s requirements. Also, I am not fond of ASU’s overall reputation. I feel like a degree from ASU will not mean much in other states when I try to get a job. I want to work in a state other than AZ. I just want to be successful when I graduate like any student. I obviously want to go to UCLA much more but am not sure if that kind of loan debt is worth it. Also, I will be in school much longer than necessary if I go to ASU and I feel as if my opportunities will not be as great there. Any outside perspectives on my dilemma? This decision is so difficult.
You will most likely need more than a year at UCLA because most upper division comm classes are 4 units a piece and you’ll need at least 60 upper division units as part of your record. To graduate, you need at least 180 units total. How many units are you coming in with? Do you know yet, if those units are transferable? There is a limit too.
How would you fund the debt if you went to UCLA?