<p>I currently go to a decent liberal arts college. My parents are having to pay $25,000 a year (long story, but we thought we'd only have to pay $22,000). My home state just got a lottery established and all current college students in our state will apparently get $3,000 a year in scholarship money gained from the lottery. </p>
<p>To make it simple, here are my two options:</p>
<ul>
<li><p>Stay at my current school and have my parents pay $25,000 a year for the next three and a half years, or</p></li>
<li><p>Transfer to my state's university and have my parents pay $10,000 a year starting fall of next year?</p></li>
</ul>
<p>My grades weren't great last semester (but they will be this semester), and I'm just not sure an additional $15,000 a year would be worth it. The school I'm currently at is a lot better. I like the kinds of people here a lot more, the smaller scale, the better academics, and the essentially guaranteed opportunity to study abroad my junior year....but I'm not sure those things are worth $15,000 more a year.</p>
<p>I’m not sure how I forgot to mention my family’s financial situation. I’d say we’re middle class. My parents <em>can</em> afford $25,000 a year, but I think they’d be much much better off at $10,000 a year.</p>
<p>I should talk to my parents about this – and I will --, but I’d like unbiased opinions… I feel like my parents would say they’re willing to pay the additional money and claim it wouldn’t be a huge burden…even if it really is a huge burden.</p>
<p>Let’s suppose it is a huge burden on my parents. Would staying at a better college that I like more be worth that burden?</p>
<p>If it’s a burden, but not a huge burden, would staying be worth it?</p>
<p>I agree with fogcity. You’re looking at the glass half empty when it’s half full. You’ve been given a pretty big scholarship for the opportunity that you currently have. Stay where you are, take it seriously and study hard.</p>
<p>I assume your parents knew their exposure before they ever agreed to let you attend the liberal arts college. So, they are probably OK with you staying there.</p>
<p>However, you are showing maturity by recognizing the big cost difference between the two types of schools. </p>
<p>If you were my child, I would appreciate having this discussion with you.</p>
<p>Although my parents knew what they were getting into financially when they let me attend the liberal arts college, we originally thought it was going to be $22,000 (not $25,000), and we originally thought my state was going to be $13,000 (not $10,000). So the difference is $6,000 greater than we thought it was before we made the decision, and even then it was a pretty close call.</p>
<p>So… I think if we made this decision knowing the difference was $15,000 a year instead of $9,000 a year, we probably would have decided on the state school.</p>
<p>But of course, I’m already at my current college, I like it here, etc. I’m really not sure what the best thing to do is.</p>
<p>I apologize for not answering your question. However, I will mention for you to take into consideration your GPA for studying abroad. I know at my school, one has to qualify with their GPA to have a chance at studying abroad at particular schools/countries.</p>
<p>Transferring solely for financial reasons is not a good idea unless you are in (or headed toward) financial difficulties because of your current school. If you are happy there and you believe their program fits you better than the cheaper alternative, stay. It is admirable you are trying to make things easier on your family, but I think if you have an honest discussion with them about it, they will want you to go where you are happiest and have the greatest potential, not just wherever is cheaper.</p>