<p>so im applying to a few more presigious schools including wash U, dartmouth, and U chicago, but i have a couple offers (from central florida and south florida respectively) for not only a full ride, but a free laptop because of my being national merit semi finalist. even though i guess they're just desparate for higher caliber students, im having a really hard time trying to decide whether i can turn down $100,000 (the tuition for the whole 4 years) just to go to a school with more name recognition, even though i know i would enjoy the people, environment etc. at washU or wherever a lot more. plus my family is not exactly rich (i could find a way to pay for a more expensive school, but it wouldn't be easy.)
what do you guys think?</p>
<p>A lot depends on the price differential. What kind of difference are we talking about, in terms of cost?</p>
<p>a full ride vs 1/3 of a ride at best probably</p>
<p>If it's your terminal degree, the prestige is probably worth it. If you are going to law or medical school, probably not.</p>
<p>yeah it would probaly be between 30 and 40 grand a year at washU or dartmouth with the need based aid, as opposed to nothing at ucf.</p>
<p>That's a bit high for my tastes. What about like... UF?</p>
<p>Do UCF or USF have good programs in what you want to do? Would you be happy there? If the answer to both of those questions is yes then you should seriously consider going to UC/SF</p>
<p>well i'm going to visit there in january (it's kind of a hassle since i live in ohio), so i guess i'll find out more about them then.</p>
<p>If we are talking about undergrad. TAKE the MONEY! Use the savings for grad school or professonal school.</p>
<p>I disagree. If you can find a way, go for the quality experience. Grad or professional school can build a career; the quality of your undergrad experience can change your life.</p>
<p>The "quality" of your undergraduate experience is not a matter of the ranking of your school. It is more a matter of access to professors and their projects, smart and capable peers, etc., which will be available at most schools, regardless of ranking. The difference is that when you choose to attend a school that offers you a full tuition scholarship, you will be considered top of the heap and your professors will know this and be more favorably inclined to have you participate in their endeavors, which will likely lead to more enthusiastic graduate school recommendations because they will know you and your work better. </p>
<p>Your college experience will likely "change your life" regardless of where you choose to go to school, and an excellent education can be had at all of the schools you've mentioned, so you have to decide whether a name brand is worth the money. If someone offered me a quality good for free or a quality good with an exclusive name brand for $100,000+, I would opt for the quality good for free because I don't think brand names are worth the cost. You may feel differently.</p>
<p>Every major study (i.e. Princeton study) has noted that the cache of the undergrad education doesn't make a difference in overall fanancial success. If these studies are correct, it makes sense to take the free ride as long as you feel that you can succeed in the school and you like the culture enough to enjoy your experience.</p>
<p>UCF/USF offer many other benefits to NMF other than the full ride. You are among a group of top students that have access to special faculty advicement, undergraduate research opportunities, internship, and close working relationship with professors that might net you some good recommendation. You will get top priority in registration and so on. Pay a visit, attend some classes, talk to professors there and keep an open mind. Best of luck to you.</p>
<p>I'm going the price route personally.</p>
<p>An undergraduate education at the University of Chicago is worth $46K a year.</p>
<p>ChicagoScholar,</p>
<p>Is it worth living with $160K in debt afterwards?</p>
<p>I mean, really?</p>
<p>In cases where the difference in cost isn't that much, perhaps the prestige is worth it. If its going to cost you a lot more to go to one of the other schools, though, I definatly think you shouldn't give up a free ride! Think of being able to graduate virtually debt-free, and the freedom that will give you; is it worth saccrificing that for a college with more presige?</p>
<p>I think that most of the younger people on this site, never having PAID their loans back, don't realize how much you're spending each month on your debts. </p>
<p>Assuming $100K in loans at 4.5% and paid over 10 years, you're spending $1000 a month. This means you need an income of around $120K to spend only 10% of your income paying it back.</p>
<p>That's a pretty harsh reality. VERY VERY VERY VERY few BAs can ever hope to get anywhere NEAR $120K when they start.</p>
<p>hell no, chicagoscholar. i wouldn't PAY to get grade deflation and to have an anal four years and not to get to go to a grad school of my choice. hell no. i am a smart consumer. </p>
<p>and to the OP. it's not all about the prestige. Dartmouth would be worth a llot more than say, wash u or chicago for the simple fact that Dartmouth grads, for example, are known to hire fellow grads over equally qualified candidates. you get a huge leg up from going to one of those very tight-knit institutions. </p>
<p>ivy league still means a lot if you want to work anywhere in top finance or law circles. some of the top wall street law firms, for example, are known to hire exclusively people with ivy undergrad degrees. it is, after all, a lot easier to get an ivy grad degree. and it says a lot less, too, about the person you are.</p>
<p>Go for what your family can afford to pay. Don't be a leach on society by taking financial aid.</p>