<p>My parents want me to go to UNC/NC State unless I get scholarships :(</p>
<p>Gigg my mom told me the same thing, altho my whole family is pretty lower middle class-poor lol...but they really want me to be able to go to a private so they will do whatever possible.</p>
<p>Millancad - I want your parents.</p>
<p>hah, total opposite. my parents don't really care. I actually think public colleges are a much better deal, especially if you are getting no FA</p>
<p>also, OP, you can get scholarships...I got a full scholarship from UPitt (similar to quality/etc to Penn State, which you mentioned)</p>
<p>Meh. I used to attend a SUNY. I prefer it to the "high-ranked, we're the best" private college I attend now.</p>
<p>My parents want me to go to a local public four-year or a community college. I'd be a little more understanding if they were paying for it, but they're not. I'm the one paying for my education. So I don't think that gives them very much say in my choices.</p>
<p>I've already gotten full tuition at a liberal arts college about two and a half hours from here, so I don't think I'll be needing a public college. I applied to my state flagship public, and they've sent me the acceptance letter, but I don't know how much scholarship money I'll get.</p>
<p>I'm in a tricky income bracket (middle middle class) for financial aid. So I really have no idea how this is going to work.</p>
<p>But yes, my parents are being antagonistic toward my desire to go to UChicago. I've been accepted and I got a preliminary financial aid offer (that, I'll admit, is not looking good). But I can't really justify a community college just because it's cheap. The CC near me doesn't have my major (Economics), and it doesn't offer any foreign language courses. I think I need a little more stimulation than that. I've done high school once. I don't think I need two more years of it.</p>
<p>my cousin(who is a harvard graduate and now is on getting his PHD at caltech/stanford) keeps telling me that it doesn't matter where you go to school, but what you do with your opportunities. you could always apply for a lot of loans, or go to a local college then transfer, or take some time off to work, or do work/study. it's not the end of the world. and there are scholarships that are apparently EVERYWHERE and there's always a way. you just need to brighten your outlook..</p>
<p>and you know, if you do well at a local college, you can go far for a grad school. i think you want something in engineering or comp. sci? ga tech(i think) has a great grad program too..look into it.</p>
<p>as for job opportunities, internships are the way to go. just find a school where you get the training you want and try for lots of internships and do well. you have to believe that hard work and intelligence will be rewarded.</p>
<p>just make the most of what you're offered...people in other countries don't even get to think about high school let alone colleges. we are all extremely lucky to have our universities. no matter how much we complain.</p>
<p>Ugh, my parents wrote the book on pressure to go to the state school.</p>
<p>I had big dreams once all of which are now squashed by my Mom. It's OK, in time you learn to deal with stuff that life throws at you. I know it seems like a hard idea to digest now, but try to find the good things about whatever school you'll be forced to go to. I don't think there is a single school that is ALL bad, so there must be at least something good you can find.</p>
<p>"my cousin(who is a harvard graduate and now is on getting his PHD at caltech/stanford) keeps telling me that it doesn't matter where you go to school, but what you do with your opportunities. you could always apply for a lot of loans, or go to a local college then transfer, or take some time off to work, or do work/study. it's not the end of the world. and there are scholarships that are apparently EVERYWHERE and there's always a way. you just need to brighten your outlook."</p>
<p>I agree with him.</p>
<p>I'm from Florida, so I'm not too worried about the education I'd receive if I ended up going to UF. Plus I could probably graduate early. </p>
<p>Honestly, I'm much more for the OOS prospects, but I am keeping it real; if I don't get any scholarships other than BF I'm fine with just going to UF. After all, the whole point is to maximize your opps, as others have said.</p>