Hello everyone,
I never really thought it would come down to posting here but it appears I am seriously running out of time in choosing a college for Fall 2018 and as soon as I make up my mind, I am start questioning my choice again.
I have gotten in to all three colleges and have visited all three campuses yet am still at a loss. I am planning to major in Biology and definitely want to go to grad school but I am still unsure if that is really what I want to do.
I am leaning towards Carleton. I would love a liberal arts education, the people there are incredible, the small classes seem ideal and the 7 week winter break meaning I could travel to another country to see my family sounds amazing. However, the price is a slight problem because I would have to take out about 4.5k in loans each year. I am also worried about how unknown the college is around the US and opportunities for internships…
However, I am worried I should make a more pragmatic decision and choose a college that would facilitate my post-Bachelor’s degree path.
The cheaper option is most likely McGill where I have a scholarship and the tuition is one of a out of province Canadian citizen. I would also be entering U1 and doing 3 years there. I am very attracted by the school’s excellent reputation, tough academics and assume I will get the best opportunities after graduation. I also really like Montreal but the large class sizes and work load seems like it would be extremely tough and I am afraid of risking a low GPA. I have also heard that McGill is turning into a party school which is really not the environment I would like to be in.
Finally, UT Austin is also a great school with a good price for instate though I have been given no financial aid to cover the costs of dorms which is very high and I assume would not be able to study abroad. However, the school also has a good reputation and I believe it would be very well seen going into grad school. I would, however, avoid the extreme winters of North America.
For UT and McGill, I am also hesitant because I know I will not be able to explore electives and might be launched onto a set career path without really having freedom to figure out what I want to do.
I adore Carleton but I assume the most mature decision is to think further ahead.
Thank you to anyone who can help or has attended these schools and might have information that could help be decide.
Uh, Carleton would be very well known and esteemed in academia all over the US even if some of the general public may not have heard of it (but those who matter likely respect it a lot). I don’t know why you’re assuming grad schools and hiring managers are as ignorant about educational quality as some of the general public may be.
What are total costs at each?
“I am also worried about how unknown the college is around the US and opportunities for internships…” - This is just a flat out a misconception. Carleton has an excellent reputation. That said, you have some excellent choices. Go with what makes the most sense financially, especially if you are going to grad school.
^I agree - go with the cheapest undergrad option and save your money for grad school.
So are you Canadian? And are you talking about the Carleton on MN or the Carleton in Canada?
In the US, Carleton (in MN) probably is better known than McGill. I knew of Carleton in HS and didn’t know about McGill until I joined this site.
You are aware that a good education could be had at either of the three institutions you are considering. Personally, I favor Carleton College, partly because I am an alum and a current parent. Biology at Carleton is particularly good and, unless you are looking for a large-university experience, you can’t go wrong with Carleton. You will find opportunities to be close to faculty and to make life-long friends with other students there in Northfield.
Universities in Canada – more like those in Europe – don’t try to provide the all-inclusive experience that colleges and universities do here in the U.S. in terms of facilities and extra-curricular activities. Decide whether you desire a large institution or a smaller one. The choices available to you likely are the envy of many students.
So it seems like you really want to go to Carleton but are worried about (1) its reputation and (2) $20,000 in loans for college. Concern 1 is not a problem; as @PurpleTitan said, the people that matter know how good a school it is. Concern 2, well that depends on how financially conservative you are. For me, that’s less than a car. If I thought I’d get substantially more out of my experience at Carleton (and it sounds like you think you would), I personally would feel comfortable with that amount of debt. You say your major will be biology and you want to go to grad school. If you want to go the PHD route, many programs won’t cost you. But if you want to go the MD route, that’s a lot of money, so then I’d be leery of taking on any undergraduate debt, even $20,000.
Also, OP mentions the easier freedom of exploring electives and even a change of major at Carleton.
I agree with other posters that Carleton is an excellent school and is well known enough. I also agree that $20,000 in debt is acceptable (maybe not, if med school is in the future). And the long winter break may be a perfect touch.
Since you are international, have you checked with each school about staying on campus during other school breaks? Is housing guaranteed for four years? Have you checked flights to and from that other country, and airport shuttle possibilities? Do any of these schools provide summer storage? These are convenience factors that might tip the balance.
McGill is not turning into a party school. It has been a party school for decades, as is Carleton, UT Austin and virtually every non-commuter college in North America. Even if you enter McGill as U1 you can choose to stay for the full 4 years to increase the range of courses that you take.
McGill is actually much better known in the northeast than Carleton. Nationally and among those in academia I would surmise they are equally well known and highly regarded.
Thank you to everyone for your very helpful responses. I definitely did not mean to imply that grad schools are not well informed. It’s just that being from the south where midwestern and liberal arts schools are virtually unkown and at a school where many, many people have gone to McGill, I had many preconceptions about the university.
Carleton. It as the most advantages based on what you want and the debt level it requires is doable.