Please help! Can't decide...

<p>So I was accepted by IUB round III but my parents contribution is €6360. Considering all othere expenses(plane tickets, books etc) my parents would pay circa €11000. As if this was not enough I need to take a student loan of €7500 a year for three years. On the other hand I have also been accepted to American University in Bulgaria(AUBG)which is a more like a LAC than a research university. There my parents need to pay a total of $5000 and no loans(4 years). I want to major in Computer Science and after do a PhD in CS at a top U.S college. Which school would you guys advise me to attend? Is AUBG as renown as IUB in the U.S?</p>

<p>7500 euros a year is simply ridiculous.</p>

<p>TemplarOfSteel, whatever your decision, I just wanted to tell you that I know a guy who went to AUBG for undergrad, then ended up at a good MBA program in the States, and now he is a very successful entrepreneur. The point is that wherever you go, it is what you do that counts. Your merit/achievements and so on. Since you are in a dilemma, if I were you, I would personally try to appeal the financial aid at Bremen (it won't hurt; who knows, they might reduce your EFC).</p>

<p>I haven't heard of AUBG, but yes €11000 sounds pretty ridiculous indeed. I think I'll go with AUBG, if the financial aid at IUB is not negotiable.</p>

<p>temple of steel ur calculations are a bit of..
well in case u talk to IUb ppl.. ill realise ur cost wont be 11000 euros per yr but rather only at max about 6360+ 3000 ( at maximum unless u do booze off like hell on expensive wines )</p>

<p>thats abt 9360 ..</p>

<p>plus the loan shuhdnt be a botheration.. its allowed to defer ur loabn till ur masters also.. i mean if u do go to US for ur masters ull end up paying only after ur masters and for a 10 yr term .. so i dont think its hardly any consideration..</p>

<p>SO well .. i dont think its thats big of a deal unless i am missing sumthing otherwise..Also IUB doesnt negotiate Finaid coz they giv in gud packages otherswise ( leaving out loans). though u may ask for a reconsideration of ur file for finaid totally..</p>

<p>again now.. also do consider the Parttime job scene at IUB.. i mean ull be able to earn arnd 1500 euro here too.. which i think u shud ..</p>

<p>so ur net cost wud still come down further to a 9360-1500 = 7960 Euros</p>

<p>SM as I said before I plan to pursue a PhD in CS directly without getting a masters which takes an average of 6 years. How much time after that would I have to pay out the loan? Also I might work for a year or two in germany before the PhD. Will I be able to find work there(computer programmer, network administrator) with just a B.S? However the most important factor is research oportunity since top PhD programs in CS require that during your time in college? can I get any research oportunities at AUBG? Also maxy I think AUBG has decent/social sciences programs but I am not sure about CS?</p>

<p>Templar, I don't really know anything about AUBG. However, a lawyer advised me not to go to AUBG if I want to become an attorney. And actually the entrepreneur of whom I was talking, I think he was a computer science major, because all his businesses revolve around innovative computer software.</p>

<p>As a side note, I read a magazine about the top 100 most successful young men and women in my country. The only field in which there was a real emphasis on top American education was the financial sector. In computer programming, all the people were educated at local universities and few, if any, have PhD's. What I am trying to say is that you will definitely find a job in computer programming with "only" a B.S., if you are good enough.</p>