Hi! I am a high school senior and obviously the deadline for making my decision is coming up quickly. I’ve never posted in anything like this before but with quarantine and everything I just felt like I needed some unbiased opinions to help me out.
So right now I have narrowed it down to two options: Pitt or Marquette.
Initially, I love Pitt. I love basically everything about it, the campus, the city, the people, the distance from home (~9 hour drive), but the problem is that with it being a state school not in my state, they gave me little financial aid. This really seems to be the one thing holding me back.
Marquette is a really nice school too. It’s not that I don’t like Marquette, the campus and city are pretty too, but it doesn’t stick with me quite like Pitt does. On the other hand, Marquette gave a ton of money, and with the deal I have with my parents, I would be able to leave college debt free. There is one thing holding back from this school too though: my sister goes there. I know this seems like a very silly reason to make a decision. I love my sister and we are close, also she would be a senior when I’m a freshman so it would only be one year, but I’m not really worried about going to school with her. I think that would be really fun. What is stopping me from choosing Marquette is the idea of me following her footsteps as opposed to making my own path. My life has not changed at all in 18 years. I really wanted to do my own thing.
Yesterday, I finally thought I had come to terms with going to Marquette and making the smart financial decision. When I told my dad (who is always telling me not to worry about the money) he told me he was rooting for Pitt. I would love to give my dad a new football and basketball team to cheer on and something that could be for the two of us.
The thing that sticks with me the most is the question “If Pitt and Marquette cost the same, where would you go?”
The answer is Pitt.
Is the answer to that question more important than the debt? (After graduating from Pitt, I would have about $44,000 in debt) I really don’t even know how much is too much. I just need some advice. Thank you!
Just a quick note: I don’t really have to worry about programs or anything because I’m not exactly sure what I’m going for but I know it’s not anything sciencey or engineering or anything that really matter for strength of programs.
A few comments:
- I would try to avoid a lot of debt especially since it does not appear you are sure about what your next step will be after college. If you may go to grad school it is best to not start that off with undergrad debt. If you were going into engineering, computer science or something then I'd be less concerned with that level of debt.
- Pitt is a really nice school. If your dad was rooting for that outcome could you talk to him about helping you to limit the debt for undergrad to perhaps the federal subsided loans?
- FWIW I would not be the least bit concerned about following in your sister's footsteps. Marquette has over 8,000 undergraduate students and a huge variety of majors and minors. You will have plenty of space to pave your own path. FWIW my brother attended the same undergrad college as I did (similar number of undergrads) and we also overlapped one year. We were both so busy that we had to arrange in advance to meet for lunch or anything like that, we had different majors etc. I think we only had one or two of the same professors in our four years. Now, as adults, it is kind of nice that we share a college alma mater. I don't think your sister should be the reason you attend or don't attend Marquette.
This is really helpful! Thank you!!!
Forty years ago, I was faced with the same issue. My brother was attending Marquette and this was my opportunity to chose my own path. In the end I did go to Marquette and my brother’s presence was a very important part of my college experience for the first year and a half (I studied in Spain the second semester of my sophomore year). We had different majors, interests, and friends but always got together at least once a week to spend some time. As your sister is older you will most probably get to experience Marquette without your sister on campus. There is no football but some great basketball makes up for it. Btw - my younger brother also attended MU six years after I graduated. We each have very different careers (younger brother is science/computer Pharma guy, older brother is photographer, and I am a CPA) so you will forge your own path regardless of what college you attend.
I sometimes make fun of longtime posters here for their extreme debt-aversion, but in this case I think they’re right. Pitt is a great school, but not that much greater than Marquette, and certainly 44k plus interest greater than Marquette.
44K is not huge debt. and a mountain of regret for not going to Pitt might be the flip side.
I would go to Pitt.
I think you’re right, and I know I’ll be happy at either one. Thank you!
You can only borrow $27,000. Your parents will need to borrow the rest. Even if you “promise” to pay them back, the debt is theirs, not yours. Does your Dad’s support for Pitt extend to taking out $17,000 in loans in your behalf?
And if the idea of striking out on your own is appealing now, how will it feel in four years when you can’t take the job in Pittsburgh (or Cincinnati, or wherever) because you need to move home with your parents so you can start paying back your loans?
You say you’d be happy at either school. Pitt is a fine school, but so is Marquette; and Marquette will offer you financial freedom in the future.
I agree that I would not weed out a school because of sibling attendance. No offense but I dont exactly know of many college gals who want to spend all their free time with their baby sibling on campus.
I would go with the cheaper option. Look at it this way, do you want want to pay for college debt when you graduate or buy a house or a car, go on a huge vacation, etc?