Hello! I need help deciding among these schools
My major is Accounting/Business Management and I plan to become an Accountant in California, Texas, or outside of the U.S.
I’m not really worried about money, I am more interested in which schools have better academic, alumni network, internships, career opportunities, and study abroad.
As an accounting major, I’m really surprised that you are not worried about the cost of attending those UC schools. UC’s are California public schools and are funded by CA taxpayers; they don’t give any financial aid, nor grants for non-resident students. Santa Cruz may give you a little bit, but, as a resident of Georgia, you will not receive a penny of financial aid from the other UC’s.
If you submitted the FAFSA application, you may be eligible for small loans from the federal government in the amounts of -$6k per year. You are not eligible for loans of $65K per year.
All colleges (except the UC schools) gave me good financial aids that make all of them affordable. I only included the UC schools because I heard a lot of good things about them and I do plan to work in California. But like you said, I only got the 6k federal financial aid for the UC so I will probably reject them.
Then use your accounting head and crunch the numbers. These schools are all fine schools. Don’t saddle yourself with any debt. Presumably you applied to all of these colleges for good reasons. Figure out where you want to spend the next four years…and where the costs are favorable.
Are you saying your out of pocket net cost at Santa Clara University is the same as UGA? Really?
OSU (assuming you mean Ohio) and UGA are very large flagship public universities. Santa Clara (assuming that is the SCU you are talking about) is a much smaller school with about 5000 undergrads.
Santa Clara has an excellent business college. Did you get accepted to the business college?
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If you are in-state for UGA, Terry is excellent and has a top notch accounting program (not easy though - you will work very hard). With decent grades, you’ll get many Big 4 opportunities from there. The one thing to be mindful of is that CPA requirements in each state are different so pretty early on you’ll need to decide where you want to practice to make sure you have all of the coursework completed. Texas requires a couple more classes than Georgia does. You’d need to check CA requirements. Terry overall is all-around excellent if you decide to change majors. Btw, while UGA is a large flagship, accounting is one of the smaller majors within Terry, so your classes will not be large. And the new Terry complex is gorgeous.
My D is a graduating accounting major at UGA so feel free let me know if you have any specific questions about Terry or UGA.
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UGA is definitely cheaper than Santa Clara but I have enough aid and scholarships that make SCU affordable.
Yes, I got directly admitted to Accounting for SCU’s Leavey School.
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What is the attraction to CA? SCU is a good option if you want to practice there. Definitely do not take on debt for an accounting degree if it can be avoided. The salary difference between GA, TX and CA is very very small and will not make up for the huge cost of living difference. I would not recommend starting out practicing there as an accountant.
I want to get out and be away from my family. I don’t want disclose as to why but let just say I need to be away from them
Agree! The cost of living, as a student, in the Silicon Valley is very, very expensive. It does help to have a car, but gasoline prices in California are extremely expensive. Uber and Lyft rides are not going to be cheap.
I’m assuming that you’re OK with the Jesuit influences with Santa Clara and USD?
USD is a very beautiful campus, but you will need a car in San Diego; public transportation is relatively lousy in Southern California. Right now the price of our gasoline, in San Diego County runs about $4 a gallon.
I would suggest that you go to your in-state school, but find out what additional coursework you would need in the other states. Then apply to the other states for jobs.
Save your money for moving expenses to your desired states.
Our California housing and rents are insane, unless you live in the very rural, farming communities.
(My daughter had been paying $2500 a month rent for a San Francisco shared, one bedroom. The reason for the cost, besides the location, was that she was in a “safer” neighborhood, she didn’t have much of a choice, and we stepped in to help her pay. That was $5000 per month for two people! She moved in recently, with friends, to be nearer to her hospital, so she paid $1000 x month for a small room. We just paid to have her car window repaired, because her car was broken into, given her on street parking. Private parking in the apartment lot would have cost an additional $1800 a month.)
Consider the costs before you decide.
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Thank you @aunt_bea, @thumper1, and @itsgettingreal21 for helping me. At first, I only considered the tuition and dormitory expenses without including other expenses when I said that these schools are affordable. I feel like my wanting to get away from my family is influencing my decision too much, so I will consider what you guys said and make my final decision.
Thank You
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You can get away from your family at UGA. You’ll only be in the dorms first year. When you move off campus second year, that is year round housing so you never have to go home if you don’t want to. My DD has friends who like you who are happy to get away from their families and never go home. It makes me sad when she tells me about it but I realize some have very good reasons for feeling that way.
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One thing to bear in mind in terms of finances is that to become a CPA one now needs 150 college credits (a typical Bachelors degree is about 120 credits). Some can finish that in four years with overloading, APs, summer classes but many go on for a one year MS in accounting. Any money you save as an undergraduate could go towards the Masters degree should you go that route.
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Is tOSU the same price as UGA?
Email SCU to ask if they guarantee housing all 4 years and if the part of your scholarship currently for R&B will continue if they don’t guarantee on campus housing for sophomores and you must move off campus.
Good luck with your decision