<p>I was accepted to 7 schools and am looking for the best all around college experience. I am undecided on my major but looking to possibly study mathematics/statistics or business and would like to continue on to graduate school (likely an M.B.A, law, or both). My parents are not wealthy but started saving for my college the day I was born and have $200,000 set aside for my entire education including graduate school. So $200,000 is my entire budget. (I know I am lucky to be blessed with great hardworking parents.)
I am looking for a good all around college experience including a good sports scene, ECs, nice campus, and, of course, academics.
My college choices and their overall costs with merit aid (if given) are below:
1) Villanova University (Science- Undecided) $204,000
2) Pennsylvania State University (Undecided) $90,000
3) Temple University (Undecided) Honors Program/ Law Scholars (Conditional Acceptance to Beasley Law School) $60,000
4) Loyola Univeristy Maryland (Undecided) Honors Program $140,000
5) Univeristy of Delaware (Undecided) $126,000
6) Virginia Tech (Undecided) $114,000
7) Saint Joseph's University (Undecided) $111,000</p>
<p>I have visited each school at least once and most of them twice. I am leaning towards Penn State as I really loved the campus and also Temple due to the Honors and Law Scholars program. Loyola Maryland and VA Tech round out my top 4 choices. (I know these are really different environments although Penn State and VA Tech are most similar. I do like the larger campuses like Penn State and Temple. I love the excitement of the larger campuses and am a night person.) Also with my top choices I would have a nice budget set aside for graduate school. </p>
<p>If you were me, what school would you choose for your undergraduate studies?
Thank you.</p>
<p>Since your parents have the funds to pay for any of the above schools, choose the one where YOU feel most comfortable. You are the one going to college there…and what I or anyone else might think is food for thought but really not all that important. It’s YOUR decision.</p>
<p>So what Main Line school do you go to? Penn State is always a fun good choice that has everything you are looking for. And as much as I like Temple and its location safety must be taken into question. Their honors program is great but not many kids stay in it so you have to factor that in as well. With the conditional acceptance to law school though it may make up for everything, especially with that price tag.</p>
<p>If you prefer large public, Temple gets you honors and the lowest out of pocket
If you prefer small private, take LM for honors or St. Joes for cost</p>
<p>Do look into what it takes to remain in honors: specific honors courses, certain GPA?
Is the merit money lost if you do not stay in honors program?
If not honors, what are the conditions for keeping merit scholarship? 2.5? 3.0? 3.3?</p>
<p>After all analysis, what does your gut say?</p>
<p>Try and eliminate 2 of your choices by the end of the week and then get it down to 3 so you can really focus. Don’t forget to factor in ease of travel from your parents house to the campus.</p>
<p>Thanks. I am from Bucks County, PA and attend the local public high school. My parents have had good corporate jobs, but were avid savers and investors (real estate, stocks, etc.). They taught me thrift and to always look for value. I work on Fridays and weekends and my parents have encouraged me to save most of what I earn. They seem to like the fact that I am a bit of a tightwad.
Everyone I know that went to PSU seemend to really like it. Also their job placement seems to be very strong.</p>
<p>Temple requires a 3.25 for Honors and a 3.0 for Merit. I need to a maintain a 3.45 to receive auto admission to Beasley Law. Loyola Maryland requires a 3.0 for Merit. I am visiting again next week to find out the requirements for LM honors as their website offers scant Honors information and I only received a letter with no further info when admitted.
Saint Joes’s requires a 3.2 for Merit.
And yes travel is important. 3-1/2 to 4 hours is a good maximum drive time.
Thanks.</p>
<p>Yes… that VA Tech drive is a killer and I never knew so many trucks existed. I really liked the Temple Honors Experience weekend. I believe I am leaning towards Penn State University Park and Temple. Temple’s campus was the most surpising of those I visited (nicer than I thought). The new Fox School (Alter Hall) is amazing and housing at 1300 is great. But there was something about PSU University Park that really excited me. I am going back again next week to check out PSU and Loyola.
I need to turn down 6 great schools. These are the only 7 to which I applied (visited many more) and I did not expect to be accepted to all 7 in this crazy admissions process.
I want to make the right choice but I believe my gut and heart will play a big part in my final decision.</p>
<p>That is really what you should rely on, I am having similar problems deciding, but I have narrowed mine down to 2. When you really think about it though, there is no college that offers a more pure college experience than Penn State. They have so many opportunities for students and there is so much to do. All at a great cost, too. You would definitely not be making a bad choice by going there.</p>
<p>Personally? I’d choose Temple- You’ll be in the honors program, and if you do well, you’d get into law school. Not a bad deal at all, and it’s the least expensive, which means you can probably not worry about textbook expenses, study abroad, or whatever. How nice. Maybe you could put down some of the extra funds into a CDs/Bonds/whatever, and take them out for Law School.</p>
<p>Penn State and Temple are probably my top two. Penn State for me would have been the choice but the Temple programs are nice opportunites that are making the decision difficult.</p>
<p>If you were my kid, I’d advise to go to Temple for the opportunities and the cost. If you are not happy there, transfer to Penn State. Without honors and the higher cost, it would be hard to justify passing up Temple.</p>
<p>First of all – kudos for your parents for saving up enough to sponsor 4 years of undergraduate work at the college of your choice. If there is CC perfect parenting prize, then they should win it. (So let them know how much you appreciate their good judgment and planning.)</p>
<p>Law school is expensive-- and you can’t count on merit scholarships then – so I’d be in the camp who would be encouraging Temple-- but I don’t know anything about the school or the program they are offering you, so that is simply based on the money. But if your goal is to make that $200K pay for both undergrad + law school, then it makes sense to economize. </p>
<p>But Penn State is a good choice, and still leaves you with an nice nest egg for law school. So if that seems to be the best fit… I think that’s definitely a reasonable option. After all, you might change your mind about law school along the way.</p>
<p>I think PSU and Temple would both be great choices, but IMHO, the admission to Beasley isn’t worth much. If you graduate with >3.45, you’ll probably get into better law schools than that, anyway. If they were promising you a merit scholarship at the law school, that would be a different story. I guess it’s worth something not to have to take the LSAT, but not much.</p>
<p>Penn State or Temple so you’ll have some $$ left for law school or MBA. Unless you are a URM, or plan to go into public service, it’s nearly impossible to get scholarships for any of the top law or business schools. And…the next level of professional schools that give merit money usually save it for the tippy-top applicants.</p>
<p>Temple or Penn State. Both good choices. Do you like the idea of an urban campus or a college town? What do you think about football? (a big deal at PSU). </p>
<p>Typically, i see these two choices as appealing to different students. I haven’t met many students who really like both. I would visit, talk to students, attend some classes. Get some contacts in clubs that are appealing to you and touch base with them. Get a feel for what it will be like to live in each world. </p>
<p>Also, what perks does honors give you? Does it allow you to pre-register for classes? Getting into classes at PSU can be tough sometimes. </p>
<p>Regarding jobs: All colleges are struggling to match kids to jobs right now. That may ease by the time you graduate. One thing though…it may be easier to get a part time internship at Temple since it’s in the city. Work experience is as important as a high GPA in business. </p>
<p>You did well! Good luck to you and enjoy your campus visits.</p>
<p>funfatdaddy, I know you’re pretty local, but if you have any questions about Temple, feel free to ask here or via private message. I’m a current Temple student from Montgomery County.</p>
<p>Two great choices! I like Penn State a little more on the “college experience” part of your question, but both sound like terrific options for you.</p>