<p>UW doesn’t have that whole prestige, wow factor that Berkeley has. I’d be missing out on one of the strongest and biggest alumni networks. The alternative to Berkeley, Boston College, has much less grade deflation than either of the 2 public schools. I think I would be missing out. I know kids that go to UW that aren’t too smart. In fact, one kid has gotten expelled from 2 schools. I just don’t think UW has that great of students.</p>
<p>–</p>
<p>As a BeanTownGirl, you may see where I’m coming from when I say I want to experience a different culture.</p>
<p>“I just don’t think UW has that great of students.”</p>
<p>Your acquaintance who has been expelled (for grades???) from two other institutions isn’t likely to be sitting next to you in OChem. Once you get through the first year pre-med filter classes (the hard versions of intro bio, intro chem, intro physics and intro calculus) the few survivors will be lean, mean, studying machines no matter what college or university you attend.</p>
<p>@happymomof1. This kid is just one example of an unfit student. In his case, he was expelled from both schools for behavior and drugs. Your point is highly logical, and am starting to less hate UW… starting. Still would kill for Berkeley or Boston College!</p>
<p>No school, not even Harvard, can convince me to take out 100k in loans. The interest will build up, you won’t be able to pay it off until you are like in your mid 30s/early40s, unless you land a job where your yearly income is high enough to pay it off quickly.</p>
<p>As a premed who will face even larger medical school loans, the magnitude of the size of the financial mistake that you will be making by taking out $100K in undergraduate debt cannot be overstated. </p>
<p>Both of your parents are physicians and they can’t pay full freight. I mean no disrespect. Physician incomes are getting squeezed by managed care. Tuition is going up. That should tell you something. </p>
<p>There is a world of good that you can do as a physician, but you will need to be able to function as an adult and having that much undergraduate debt on top of medical school debt will put you in a hole so deep that you will deeply regret it. </p>
<p>University of Washington is a great school. You have a great opportunity to go there free. It has my vote all the way. </p>
<p>Think about this a little differently. A more prestigious university <em>might</em> bring you a little more in pay through the years. However if you attend UW without loans, you are <em>guaranteed</em> almost $1000 extra a month in pay right after graduation. In other words if you take home $3000 a month:UCB you will get about $2000 of it, UW you will get $3000.</p>
<p>ETA: I’m not suggesting that you will only make $36,000 annually in your chosen field, but if you haven’t already experienced it…net (take home) pay is <em>way</em> lower than the annual salary from the many deductions that keep going up.</p>
<p>Add me to the chorus recommending one of the free choices you have ESP if you want to go to med school afterward. Choose UW if you want the stronger academic school or USD if you want to get away from home. Either can get you into med school as long as YOU do your part in your classes and with ECs. No school can get you into med school if you don’t do your part.</p>
<p>No name is worth 100K in debt. There isn’t a single one of your patients who will even ask where you did your undergrad (unless they have students aiming toward med school). In med school you’ll find oodles of students who chose a low cost undergrad option.</p>
<p>I work at our local public high school. Most students who regret their college choice do so because they end up with high debt… It’s a ball and chain for many years in life and no one will care about the name on the degree you hang on your wall.</p>
<p>Here’s a suggestion: Read some of the posts on the financial aid threads. After reading about all of the students who cannot afford to go to college because of financial problems (and some of those teens have grades and test scores higher than yours), perhaps you will at least APPRECIATE UW if not love it. You have a wonderful opportunity that many people only hope for.</p>
<p>At any school you will have students whose lack of intellect will drive you nuts, and students who will be superior to you in intellect and achievement. At many less expensive schools there are very accomplished students who simply could not afford to go elsewhere, or who made the mature decision to do what we’ve all suggested that you do - avoid debt in order to attend grad school.</p>
<p>My own kid had to go to her second choice of school due to financial issues. She has had the time of her life there and would choose it again in a heartbeat. She’s now in grad school and has an excellent job waiting for her when she gets her diploma in August.</p>
<p>“Settling for less” is sometimes a blessing in disguise.</p>
<p>Oh, for the love of God. You are potentially going to make a decision costing $100K based on showing off to your friends?</p>
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</p>
<p>No. You would simply be joining another strong, big alumni network that should serve your needs just fine.</p>
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</p>
<p>Wherever you will go you will find students that aren’t “that great.” So don’t hang out with them, and distinguish yourself in the classroom. Did you get into an honors program at UW or UCSD?</p>
<p>*Quote:
I’d be missing out on one of the strongest and biggest alumni networks.
*</p>
<p>You want to be a doctor. Who cares what Cal’s alumni network is. You won’t be using it.</p>
<p>And, the “wow” will be MED SCHOOL.</p>
<p>*Quote:
In fact, one kid has gotten expelled from 2 schools. I just don’t think UW has that great of students.
*</p>
<p>Since the UC’s use GPA more than SAT/ACT, you’re going to find some “not so great” students at Cal as well. And, do you really think that Cal doesn’t have some students with some checkered pasts? lol</p>
<p>Your HS buddies will be impressed, which seems to matter to you. And as you so eloquently put it, you “earned it” with your HS work paying off in admission. You seem to think they have some magic at Cal, so whatever it is you will get it. That 100K in debt, which pretty much equals OOS tuition, will be your gift to the state of California. And on behalf of California taxpayers and students, I thank you for it.</p>
<p>Mikemac - I love your reasoning. I think you’re convincing me to change my vote too (even though I don’t live in CA). Some people deserve their debt as a “life lesson…” and I hope they never change things to allow those folks to bankrupt out of it.</p>
<p>This is a no-brainer for U. Washington – it’s a respected school and you would have no debt. Lots of high school students think debt is monopoly money, and when they graduate they have severe regret</p>
<p>The calculator at [FinAid</a> | Calculators | Loan Calculator](<a href=“Your Guide for College Financial Aid - Finaid”>Loan Payment Calculator - Finaid) shows the total cost of 100,000 loans (if you could get them) would be **138,000 <a href=“10%20year%20repayment%20schedule,%206.8%%20rate.%20So%20that’s%20the%20number%20you%20will%20be%20paying%20off.%0AOh%20I%20forgot,%20%5BB%5Dadd%20medical%20school%20on%20top%20of%20that%5B/B%5D%20;”>/B</a></p>
<p>mikemac: you’re sooo right. Your argument is the best. I thought it was funny!</p>
<p>But guys, my parents are saying that they’ll help me with the debt and stuff. If all fails, are you all recommending I go to UW not USD? One poster said to go to USD if I want to get away from home. I won’t have a problem going to USD really… Idk. Help me out here haha. I’ll be changing my location soon enough.</p>
<hr>
<p>P.S. Let’s assume I didn’t get into med school. Well then I will be thinking I should have gone to Berkeley, right?</p>
<p>If you don’t get into med school, what would that Berkeley degree do for you that a UW or USD degree can’t? What are your backup plans? If you are thinking grad school in bio or chem, well you can get into those from places not even nearly as good at UW or USD. If you are thinking of a job right out of college with a bio or chem degree, then contact the career centers at each campus and ask where their grads end up.</p>
<p>But to be perfectly honest, I think that you’ve already decided against Berkeley and aren’t ready to admit it. If you truly believed that it was the best option for yourself, you would never have begun this thread in the first place - or at least you would have abandoned it after the first couple of posts. It is OK to drop a fantasy and get on with real life. You know all the arguments against Berkeley, and you know the ones in favor. You don’t need us at all, unless you are hoping we will come up with some language that you can use with your friends to explain why you aren’t attending their fantasy U even though technically it is affordable for you. I’d suggest, “Ya know, I decided I’d rather buy two really nice cars instead.”</p>