is it better to go to an average college(50-100 ranked in USA) with a full scholarship or a great college(1-50 in USA with no scholarship?
Yes
First of all…in your life, you will have many decisions that are much more impacting than this one.
If you get accepted to a school in the top 100 with a full scholarship, you will be saving your family about $200,000 in money for your undergrad education…unless you are a resident of Michigan, Virginia or North Carolina where the flagships are top 50 schools, or you are a CA resident and get accepted to UCLA or UCB…and if you are a resident you have instate tuition status.
Does your family have $200,000 to pay for your undergrad education?
I would personally do the former, but I’m sure many would disagree with me
There is a lot of variables with that question.
Can your parents afford and willing to pay what their EFC is?
Your major - if you are going STEM, there is a lot of schools in the 50-100 range that can give you a great education.
Do you plan to go to graduate school/law school/medical school, if so should you use your parent’s contribution there?
My own family had to make that decision. We choose to go to a lower ranked school with the full scholarship and save the money for graduate school or a downpayment on a house for them. They did choose STEM degrees and have had no problem finding internships and I expect a full time job or law school. They also are going to schools where they are the big fish in the pond. The schools are promoting them and they will be successful at the end.
You have a 3.4 GPA and 28 ACT? From which 50 to 100 - ranked colleges can you get a full scholarship?
Easy - if you can afford it, go to the second one and you won’t have to worry about losing the scholarship.
My Ivy degree has helped me a lot, and though many go blah blah blah “Ivies aren’t worth it”, it was a life-changing experience for me, and my best friend who was basically in poverty beforehand.
IF you have the money, 70K per year would not be an issue.
IF you don’t, it is no-brainer the other way. You can’t get blood from a stone.
With a 27 Act (that is what you posted it was at 7:30) and a 3.4 GPA, I would say admission to the top 50 schools isn’t a slam dunk either.
Will you be retaking the ACT or taking the SAT? Did you do well enough on your PSAT to be a NM finalist?
How much are your parents willing to pay to pay for your undergrad education annually?
It is very important that the OP understands that 280K is likely the full cost of attending a top US college.
It is very important that the OP know enough detail about their parents’ income and assets to know if that is affordable.
Parents would have to be making 500K per year for that to be no problem, and also have no significant debts. No financial aid at all usually begins at a good bit less than that.
If OP’s house has more than 8 bedrooms and 5 bathrooms, pick the second choice.
As for admission to a top 1 - 50 school not being a slam dunk, it might be easier than getting in a top 50-100 school with a full scholarship…
OP should also realize that top 50-100 school in the US is NOT by any means average, it is well above average.
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With a 27 Act (that is what you posted it was at 7:30) and a 3.4 GPA, I would say admission to the top 50 schools isn’t a slam dunk either
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If those are the stats, then getting into a Top 50 is likely not happening. Even top 75 would be a stretch because of the GPA.