<p>Hey. I have no idea where to go to school next year. These are the places I got in: Northwestern, WashU, Stanford, U of I, Notre Dame, and a 6 year med program at UMKC. I don't know for sure if I want to pursue medicine, but if I accept the 6 year program, I am certain I will go through with it. Also, I live in Illinois. NU gave me $15k, WashU $7k, Stanford $10k, U of I none, and waiting on UMKC and Notre Dame. I'd say factors influencing my decision from most important to least important are as follows: money, student:faculty ratio, prestige, school spirit, location, religious affiliation. Please help me!!!</p>
<p>I would go to Stanford. From what I heard the experience there cannot be replicated in any other college.</p>
<p>Stanford. That’s a solid list, but with Stanford on there it’s a no brainer.</p>
<p>Stanford. Congrats on the amazing list of acceptances!</p>
<p>Stanford, of course.</p>
<p>Stanford no doubt… unless you have some intense interest in becoming a minister in which case Notre Dame (I think, I actually have no idea and am just basing this off a character from the West Wing).</p>
<p>I was hoping someone would be rooting for a school other than Stanford. Am I crazy not to choose Stanford?</p>
<p>Yes .</p>
<p>Stanford, sin duda.</p>
<p>Why don’t you want to choose Stanford? If money is an issue I would definitely look into northwestern if for whatever reason you don’t love Stanford.</p>
<p>Seriously, go with Stanford.</p>
<p>according to those factors you listed, NW might be better for you, since they are (slightly) less expensive than stanford and offered more money. student ratios are about the same. prestige goes to stanford. the others are open to debate, but i’d say it’s between northwestern and stanford.</p>
<p>I have turned into such a prestige whore lately. I would go to Stanford. The difference between the Stanford (beautiful, sunny CA, laid-back students; world-recognized name; great pre-med prepration) and Northwestern would be well worth the $5,000 a year (which is only $20,000. That’s actually not a lot of money.</p>
<p>Unless you absolutely love another school and you are just fishing for reasons to turn it down and go somewhere else – in that case, I say go with your heart! But if you’re seriously unsure, I think Stanford is the best choice hands down.</p>
<p>what a fun world you must live in Juillet if $20,000 is not a lot of money…</p>
<p>I meant in terms of undergraduate loans, not in general. I’m definitely in touch with reality – I come from a working-class family and my current salary is $27,000 a year. Sure if someone had handed me $20,000 yesterday, I would’ve taken it.</p>
<p>But $20,000 in undergraduate loans can easily be paid off in 5 years with low monthly payments and a reasonable salary ($50,000/year +). I know because I currently have $20,000 in combined loans (grad + undergrad) and my projected monthly payment is $232. Finaid.org projects that you only need a yearly salary of $28,000 to comfortably pay that off in 10 years, and they’re right, because I save about the same amount every month that I would be paying in my loan payments and I still live comfortably in New York City. (If you wanted to pay it off in 5 years, which is my goal, you’d need to make around $48,000 a year. If I’m not making that with a Ph.D from Columbia I’ll be upset.)</p>
<p>Besides, like I said, it’s an investment. If the choice between my undergrad LAC (a good school that I loved, but definitely not top) and Stanford or my dream schools of Dartmouth or Columbia had been only $20,000 total, I would’ve jumped at the chance to go to those top schools. And I’m telling the OP that if she plans to be at least mildly middle-class, a $20,000 difference in loans will be worth it IF she really wants to go to Stanford (or he, if the OP is a he). If it doesn’t make a difference to he or she either way then NU might be the way to go.</p>
<p>When I was 18 I wouldn’t have turned down the extra $5K a year at Northwestern for Stanford. Knowing what I know now 5 years later, I think I would.</p>
<p>OP, you need to smack yourself for even making this thread. </p>
<p>Your decision is a lot easier than mine, and probably a lot of other posters in this forum.</p>
<p>Of that list, I’d say Stanford.</p>
<p>op is parading…-_-</p>
<p>Probably Stanford or Northwestern (I’m just not a fan of those 6,7,8 year Med Programs because many people change their minds… then where are you? Take it easy in undergrad, have fun and explore your options) =)</p>
<p>Stanford Stanford Stanford
Congrats and enjoy</p>