RU vs PSU - need urgent help!!!

College Search & Selection
1

<p>WAIT! don't get scared by the length!!!
I am in crucial need of help and no one seems to be able to give me this</p>

<p>I am an NJ resident, with parents who are currently unemployed. I can't decide between Rutgers (New Bruns) and Penn State (UPark)</p>

<p>I never wanted to go to Rutgers, considering everyone in my family went there. I just wanted to do something different and that was more tailored to my needs.</p>

<p>I planned on doing Business Management and I was accepted into the Smeal college of business at PSU and declined to the Rutgers college of business and only accepted to the college of Arts and Sciences.</p>

<p>Now i'm thinking of doing labor studies/relations, where I will still major in management but not so much business (finance, economics, etc). Rutgers has a school of management available through the college of Arts & Sciences, Penn State has a similar program but it is in the Liberal Arts college.</p>

<p>So although the business school at PSU is much better, I may not end up going there.</p>

<p>Next: Tuition</p>

<p>Penn State for OOS students is estimated to be about 46k for the next year. I filed my FAFSA Jan 1st (the first day you could) and was only given 5k from the fed and nothing from the school. Again, I have $0 income coming in. They told me at the financial aid office that they already gave out all the money and that i could "get an great education anywhere i decide to go." ...</p>

<p>For me to go here my mother will have to move, give up an opportunity for a job she may get, and try renting out our house as she lives in a smaller apartment.
I will end up being a ridiculously broke college student in TONS of debt and working nonstop to try to pay off loans.</p>

<p>Rutgers is my state school and has given me aid to cover almost 80% of my bill. My mother will have little to no problem paying the rest. She will not give up her life for me to go to college, and I can go to college/get out of college stress free.</p>

<p>Other than that, I don't like the rutgers campus, the people, the proximity to my hometown, and inevitably being with 50% of my graduating class. Also, my brother came here and I just wanted to do my own thing.</p>

<p>Penn state is exactly what I'm looking for in a school. I love everything about it.</p>

<p>Although, PSU is in the middle of nowhere. Where do I look for internship opportunities? Will I have to travel all the way back to NYC? Doesn't that defeat the purpose of going away? Especially if my mother rents of the house... I won't have a place to come back to in the summer to do internships in the summer. I am definitely a more urban girl...</p>

<p>But I cannot neglect the fact that PSU is ranked #1 for recruiters and has (apparently) amazing career services. I love the prestige that comes with the name Penn State and it gives me the confidence to believe I will land myself a job immediately after college (which is of course, the whole point).</p>

<p>I also already have the perfect roommate at PSU, which sounds absurd and silly but we became really close friends and I haven't told her about my dilemma yet. I know the experience there would be great... granted it may be great at Rutgers too.</p>

<p>I just don't want to miss out on an opportunity and regret it for the rest of my life. But even if I only go here for a year and realize it's too much to handle.... i would be wasting about 20k. I know the obvious choice seems like Rutgers, but I just don't feel excited or happy or even content picturing myself there.</p>

<p>Can someone PLEASE give me some insightful advice... I have to enroll either way ASAP!!!!</p>

2

<p>this is a very tough one…</p>

<p>maybe try looking at the return rate on the investment of a business degree? I don’t know anything about it but if most are making decent money pretty soon after college (base salaries around 40-50k) you should be on a good track of paying the Penn state debt. </p>

<p>that said, the realer choice is Rutgers here. I too fall victim to the appeal of a college’s name/image, but try to realize the reality of the situation is the college experience is what you make of it. both penn and rutgers are similar in their size, and rutgers has a better name than you think OUTSIDE of New jersey (im from new york and everyone knows the name and thinks its good). however from what i have heard from people from new jersey on this forum is they have a low opinion of rutgers. fact is EVERYONE dislikes their own state school and thinks that the grass will be greener on the other side/state. its just something we all feel, but its irrational. </p>

<p>Finally, I’d like to let you know that your college GPA will be a WAY bigger determination of the value of your degree and hirability than the school, especially because the difference between penn state and rutgers isn’t THAT monumemtal. and please try to not treat this situation with so much gravity. In the end if you’ll be happy one place, you’ll be happy most places you go. people dont like to admit it but the school you graduate from (for undergrad) is really not all that important.</p>

3

<p>It’s very easy. Go to Rutgers. Can your mother even qualify to co-sign for loans for Penn State? Do you want her to give up her life so you can go there? </p>

<p>Rutgers is a good school. I know people who graduated from there and have done very well. Some were reluctant to go, because of its proximity to home and the number of classmates going there, but if you’re on campus, you’re away. My sister lived 20 minutes from our house and she had a whole separate life. She had some friends from high school and made new friends as well. </p>

<p>Maybe you can start picturing ways you can be happy there? If you’re set on being miserable and not giving it a chance, you will absolutely hate it. And keep in mind that you are in love with the IDEA of Penn State. The reality–especially when you figure in all that debt and family upheaval–will be far less idyllic.</p>

4

<p>KShizz, your math is WAY off.
I just plugged some numbers into a loan calculator. If he borrows $160,000 (and he’ll probably need more than that to go to Penn State), at the interest rate of 6.8% (rate of unsubsidized Stafford loan), he will be paying more than $1,000 a month for TWENTY years.
That’s rent. That’s a down payment on a house. That’s graduate school tuition. That’s time to grow a skill set and make a name for yourself. That’s your future.</p>

5

<p>yea 160k debt is crazy. I said that part without thinking</p>

<p>Penn state is really out of the option here</p>

6

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<p>Penn State is one of the worst state(-related) universities when it comes to financial aid to in-state students. Out-of-state students naturally cannot expect any better.</p>

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<p>That pretty much says that Penn State financially rejected you. Move on.</p>

<p>What is the net price for Rutgers and amount of student loan debt you need to take on there?</p>

7

<p>Tough situation. Agree Rutgers is the responsible and best option based on the facts you’ve presented. It may grow on you once you’re there - and if not you could always consider transferring to a school that is less expensive and/or more financial aid friendly than Penn State. Wish you the best…</p>

8

<p>Penn State is a great school but it is overpriced, even for in-staters. Could you go to another state school in New Jersey since Rutgers is so close to home? The only person I know of that had an internship while at Penn State was several hours away in a major city.</p>

9

<p>ended up picking PSU for anyone who is interested :slight_smile: i got about 9,500 in federal and school grants and two federal loans! thanks for all your help everyone</p>

10

<p>Ouch. How are you going to come up with the remainder. And for the next year, and the year after and the next year?</p>