Received all my results. Decision time. Long

College Search & Selection
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<p>I have received all of my letters as of today and it's time to start thinking. I am a male, live in NJ and I applied to Rutgers, Drexel, Rochester Institute of Technology, Ithaca, and Syracuse University.</p>

<p>My interest is film, graphic design, and photography. I wanted to learn graphic design in college but film post-production comes easier to me, so maybe it'd be better to strengthen that in college rather than try to learn something I'm struggling with.</p>

<p>Rutgers, I got accepted to all the schools that I applied to. No aid though besides $5.5k in loans. Did not want to go that much anyways, so can pretty much cross this out.</p>

<p>-
Drexel: 4-Year+ Co-Op | Film & Video</p>

<p>Drexel was not my safety, but it was indeed one of my safer schools. I got a $12k scholarship, and a $10k grant. $5.5k in loans. For some reason though it says that the projected cost of attendance is $67k, but also an EFC of $13k. Not sure how that math adds up but I'll settle that later I guess. </p>

<p>I did not want to go to Drexel that much but I've read that their Co-Op program is fantastic, worth the money, and opens up tons of opportunities, and most importantly - essentially provides you with a job after college. This would be the main reason that I would go to Drexel.</p>

<p>Pros:
-Co-Op
-Closest to home
-Best weather out of all my schools I think
-Got accepted for my direct interest in major</p>

<p>Cons:
-I don't like the style of campus (city streets)
-Just overall does not appeal to me.</p>

<p>Other:
-Affordable if EFC is actually $13k, if anything higher probably not.</p>

<p>-</p>

<p>RIT: Photographic&Imaging Arts</p>

<p>This was originally my top choice during Junior year when I first started doing research. That interest as died. Apparently the social scene there is pretty dead and the m:f ratio is not to my liking.</p>

<p>I did not get any merit scholarship for some reason. $19k grant. $8.5k in loans. $2.5k work study. Estimated out-of-pocket cost $20k.</p>

<p>Pros:
-Close to Canada (?)
-Apparently is a good film school.</p>

<p>Cons:
-Seems like I would be extremely bored and stressed there.
-Farthest
-Probably the coldest since most north</p>

<p>-
Ithaca: Cinema and Photography</p>

<p>Seems like this is my top choice right now. For a film major, undergraduates are also required to take classes in photography, which is fine for me since I'm already interested in photography.</p>

<p>$13k merit scholarship. $2k/yr other scholarship. Did not receive my need-base yet. </p>

<p>Pros:
-Closest to home out of my NY schools
-Beautiful campus, not sure how nice the actual buildings are tho.
-Close to Cornell.
-Good match for major.</p>

<p>Cons:
-Lesser known school (?)
-Cold</p>

<p>-</p>

<p>Syracuse: Graphic Design | Visual and Performing Arts School</p>

<p>This was it. I wanted to go to Syracuse so bad, anxiously waiting for the letter. And today I got the email. My appeal to Syracuse was because of 3 reasons: -Good campus facilities, good balance of partying/academics, NewHouse is known as a great communication school. </p>

<p>I applied to Newhouse for Graphic design, but there was also TV and Film.</p>

<p>After today, it seems like I will not be attending. </p>

<p>I got $21k in grant, and $6k/yr Dean's Scholar scholarship. But even with that it's still expensive. And on top of that I do not get to be in NewHouse.</p>

<p>Any one got comments, opinions, tips, questions, etc?</p>

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<p>bump</p>

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<p>I’d go to the cheapest option, if money isn’t a concern Syracuse</p>

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<p>Has anyone graduated from Drexel? Is the Co-Op worth it?</p>

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<p>Try posting that question to the Drexel forum. For the overarching question, what is the cost after free money (scholarship and grants) for each school? Don’t include loans or work.</p>

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<p>Drexel would cost you about $45k. So, it’s unaffordable. (EFC is how much you can reasonably pay - they “gapped” you, ie, didn’t cover your financial need).
Ithaca is actually quite well-known for communications.
RIT would provide you with lots of hands-on experience but it’s more technical and less broad-based, which can be a plus or a minus for you (although, for film and photography, a broad base really helps).
If costs are equal, I’d choose Ithaca over RIT.
Can you tell us how much both of these cost, subtracting the grants* and scholarships but not any loan or work study?</p>

<ul>
<li>some colleges call them “grants” others call them “scholarships”, but what they are is free money given because you’re an applicant they want. So RIT’s “grant” is the same as getting a 19k merit scholarship. :)</li>
</ul>

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<p>I’m not sure I follow the Math on all of these, but it kind of looks like for many, your parents would possibly have to contribute or take a PLUS loan so I think you better start with them on it all. Like it or not, your decision will affect them so you have to take their thoughts into account. All of these schools listed are great, so wherever you end up, I’m sure will be wonderful for you.</p>

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<p>@Erin’s Dad Rutgers- $25k/yr, Drexel- $43k/yr, Ithaca $32k/yr (still waiting for need-base aid though), Syracuse- $31k/yr, RIT- $28k/yr
@ErinsDad lol not sure how to tag you</p>

<p>If I’m doing my math correctly anyways.</p>

<p>I didn’t realize that Syracuse was actually low enough to compare to my other schools but also the school in Syracuse that they deferred me to isn’t what I originally applied for.</p>

<p>And I see that Drexel is most expensive, but again the Co-Op. I’m gonna post on Drexel forum to see opinions.</p>

<p>@MYOS1634 but i got a merit scholarship and a grant to Drexel, whats that mean :open_mouth:

  • if my EFC is only $13k, wouldn’t it be pretty hard to pay for any of these schools? Or is it supposed to be like that, and then I take out loans and stuff?</p>
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<p>Unless you apply to schools that promise to meet 100% need, ie., about 60 in the country, yes it "is supposed to be like that: all 3,500 others do NOT make that promise of meeting need. They admit you, then it’s your problem to find the money. Depending on the school, it may mean they don’t meet need for the bottom 5% of applicants… or (more generally) that they gap everyone but the top 10 or 20% admits. “to gap” is to offer grants/scholarships but not enough to cover financial need even if one adds the federal loan ($5,500) and work study ($2,500). In your case, with Drexel, you got gapped by $30,000 or so… Drexel’s famous for doing that though. They’re really overpriced but live off being in Philly and having co-op. :)</p>

<p>“scholarships” and “grants” are the same thing - free money. Typically, scholarships are endowed or related to specific criteria, and may have a name attached to them. Grants are general scholarships. But what matters is that they’re money given to you to attend a school.</p>

<p>Loans are NOT financial aid. The financial aid package will usually include the $5,500 federal loans to which you’re entitled. But if it also includes “PLUS loans”, run away :slight_smile: </p>

<p>Based on the info above, the best package is likely to come from Ithaca since you got considerable merit aid (are you sure they didn’t give you your full package all at once, though?) I assume you’ll get about $10,000 in grants so that’d make cost for your parents about $13,000 if you take on your federal (“stafford”) loans and work or have a work study job (you can always ask that a work study job be added to your package if it’s not been done. The advantage of work study jobs is that they HAVE TO take your studies into account. You can’t be assigned work while you’re in class. In addition, if you’re smart, you can snatch one of the “paid to work” jobs such as sitting at the dorm’s entrance desk or working for the library.) </p>

<p>Check by looking into your packages that the federal loans have sneaked into your package, or anything else beside scholarships and grants :slight_smile: (Some colleges even pretend to offer financial aid when what they place in the package is “plus loans”, which are 1° loans 2° not guaranteed 3° on the parent 4° not automatically renewable and often aren’t, leaving the student stranded in the middle of his/her studies and 5°immediately repayable, meaning your parents start to pay them back right during freshman year and every one adds up, so that a $400 monthly payment freshman year becomes an $800 monthly payment sophomore year… keeping adding for every year in school…)</p>

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<p>@MYSOS1634</p>

<p>Regarding my Ithaca package. I got a $13k scholarship and another $2k/yr scholarship. It also says at the end of the letter “if you applied for financial aid at Ithaca it will be sent under separate cover” I’m not sure if that’s including grants or if the need-based they’re talking about is just loans.</p>

<p>Because for Drexel, I only got a letter for my merit scholarship. I didnt even know about my grant until I checked the website when making this original post.</p>

<p>++ its not mandatory to attend the “Admitted Student” days, right?</p>

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<p>No, it’s not. It’s just for students who want to see what it’s like in order to decide between two or three schools: you’d attend a class, meet with students, eat in the cafeteria, etc.
Okay, so it sounds like you’ll really get more financial aid from Ithaca, so at this point it’s likely to eb one of the cheapest. You’re lucky, it’s an excellent school, and highly thought of in your chosen field of study!!! Its material and facilities are top of the line and Ithaca (the town) is a great college town. Investigate and try to see if you can attend Admitted student days there (or ask for an overnight if it’s too far - this is actually even more valuable).</p>

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<p>Hopefully I’ll receive news of financial aid package soon will probably only have time for 1 admitted students day</p>

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<p>@MYOS1634 Just received my financial aid from ithaca today! $13,000! $13,000 scholarship + $2,000 scholarship. </p>

<p>$28,000 from Ithaca which brings the cost to $21k, the lowest of all my remaining schools. While this is probably the best choice and $28k is already a big chunk of money, do you think it’s possible for me to get awarded more? I don’t want to make a bad impression if I make it seem like I’m begging</p>

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<p>Nope, it’s perfectly reasonable to contact the financial aid office and ask them to reconsider your award. You might want to write an email and put exactly that in writing (our EFC is x, so there is y missing for me to attend your college - is it possible to cut expenses (eg cheaper meal plan), get (more) work-study, and increase the grant so that we can close the gap?)
Don’t demand financial aid, but kindly ask them to reconsider because you would love to attend but at this point, it’s impossbible financially. </p>

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<p>Sorry I am late to this forum but I did want to make sure that you knew that RIT also has a great Co-op program and would cost you much less than Drexel (of course there are still the cons that you mentioned). As for Ithaca, I have a friend whose son is a Sr. there and loved it. He is into TV production but has gotten good internships (olympics for NBC, etc).</p>

<p>I strongly recommend going to Accepted Students days since you are not sure which would be the best for you.</p>

<p>Good luck making your decision.</p>

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<p>JjJjJj: CONGRATULATIONS ! this is awesome :slight_smile: Go to Admitted Students Day at Ithaca to make sure and certainly word things like AmericanHopee did to see if they could close the gap a little (even if it’s with work study and $1,000 in grant… every little bit helps)</p>

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<p>If you live in NJ, you’re in-state for Rutgers so isn’t it by far the cheapest for you?</p>

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<p>@Lalirez not really that interested in Rutgers, but yes it is the cheapest by like $2k</p>

<p>@AmericanHopee Would I write said email to the “Contact us” tab on Ithaca? or directly to someone on their financial aid staff? I assume the latter.</p>

<p>Nvm- you stated directly to financial aid office.</p>

<p>Now, besides denying an increase, would there be a possibility of them decreasing my award?</p>