I applied to all three. I was accepted to PSU and RU and expect to be accepted to NCSU. However I can’t decide which to attend please help!! Which is most fun, Greek life, school spirit, best job opportunities etc.
A little more info would be helpful. What is your home state? What are you majoring in?
NJ (my parents are pushing me torwards RU because of the in state tuition) and I’m going in undecided however I’m interested in English, political science, or management.
NC State would be my bet. They’re all fine schools, but NCSU is the best of the three, followed (closely) by Penn State. NCSU would also be the best bang for your buck; Rutgers is outrageously expensive for in-state, and Penn State is very expensive for OOS. I also think you should venture a little further out into the unknown. If you pick either of the other two, you would very likely be joining a plethora of your schoolmates, which would obviously not be a very ideal situation. NC State and PSU both have huge school spirit and great Greek life, can’t say the same for Rutgers however.
I agree that NC State would be your best bet if want to go out of state. The job market in the area is fantastic and I’ve never had trouble finding a job, even when the market wasn’t great several years ago. I also landed nice internships in both undergrad and grad school.
There is a great deal of school spirit and Greek life is large (but not overwhelming). ACC sports are a huge part of the culture here, and you sure can’t beat our weather! I’ve moved away from Raleigh several times in my life for work, and I’ve always wanted to come back because it’s such a great place to live.
Best of luck with your decision!
What’s your parents’ budget and how much would each cost?
(Can your parents afford either NCSU or PSU?)
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my parents are pushing me torwards RU because of the in state tuition)
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What all does that mean? Are they saying that they won’t pay for OOS PSU or elsewhere? If so, then the debate is moot. If they won’t pay then you won’t be able to go OOS.
However, if they’re saying that they’ll pay all costs no matter where you go, then let us know that and then we can further discuss the pros and cons of each school.
Whether your parents can or cannot afford really isn’t the issue. they may be able to afford 100k per year, but if they won’t pay for an OOS public, then…
It would be very strange, if not unreasonable, if a New Jerseyan wouldn’t pay for an OOS public despite being able to afford it…
@LBad96 I’m sure that there are a number of NJ parents who may have the income to support an OOS school but need to allocate their money towards other things, like retirement funding, and therefore can’t justify paying OOS rates.
There are just too many majors and career goals that can easily be met by attending Rutgers. It is still a very good school even though many NJ students want to leave the state.
<<<<act 28 gpa 3.6 w lots of community services and good essay<<<
NJ publics are still expensive for in-state students. There’s also the issue of fit; sometimes a much better fit exists OOS for students. Some kids just wouldn’t thrive at their state flagship because it’s too large, or (in the case of virtually every other NJ public) the campus life/social scene is sorely lacking bc most students head home on the weekends, etc.
Have you visited all 3? If not, I’d encourage you to do so. If nothing else, the settings of each are quite different and may factor heavily in your decision.
For my money, I wouldn’t consider NC State. It is not a flagship. Rutgers, being located in metro NYC, is hard to beat for job prospect.
^That sounds a little elitist. why does it not being a flagship matter? neither of this student’s two other choices are better academically (Rutgers, although good, is the weakest of the three). This student shouldn’t have to stay in NJ if they don’t want to. NC State is an excellent university, and isn’t much more expensive than Rutgers (and has a better value as an OOS student). FWIW, OP would in all likelihood have a better college experience at a school like NC State where having to take a bus to class isn’t a necessity.
I think we need clarification as to how much parents will pay.
I am paying for majority of my tuition.
err… how are you planning to do that? do you have savings from an app you sold, a college plan…?
are your parents paying for room&board and books no matter where?
Or have they given you a specific amount of money you can use, total, per year, and you determined it’d cover room/board/books?
err… scholarships, money from MY job, savings, loans (don’t act like student loans are uncommon), unfortunately I didn’t sell an app yet that’s next on my list!!! What app have you sold? It’s kinda hard for me rn when I’m a high school student, with a job, chores, college apps, scholarships apps, a commitment to the gym, and a LIFE. but to answer your kindly worded question they’re going give me a set amount per year, probably a little less than half wherever I end up.
You can only borrow $5500/year. How much is “a little less than half” in dollars? Do you qualify for need based aid or merit?
Nope my parents have an average - slightly above average income. They just think I should pay on my own 
but I have savings and scholarships, and if needed I can borrow from them too.
My question was based on other real life students who planned on paying on their own.
Others intend to borrow money but don’t know they’re limited to 5.5K.
(You’re allowed to borrow 5.5K for your first year, 6.5K for your sophomore year, 7.5K jr+sr year).
If a university costs 45K, and you can borrow 5.5K for sure, you need to know exactly how much your parents will give you so that you add up the scholarships you’ve won, your savings /4, to have your budget - and make sure you have an affordable choice.
If your parents let you borrow from them for the difference, what will their conditions be?
Had you shown NPC results to your parents ahead of time - do they know the cost of college today and that you can’t pay for it all on your own, even Rutgers? (Some parents don’t; when we went to college, Harvard tuition was 15K a year.)