<p>Thanks for the added insights, barrons & benny. Actually, the real choice for us is between U of TX Austin & U of Alabama. U of AL offered almost full scholarship -- would only cost about $3k a year to go there, plus it's warm, people are friendly, honors program there. </p>
<p>Only thing -- jobs in comp field are mainly in defense industry at AL. When I asked engineering prof about comp software development/gaming co-ops, internships, career recruitment -- he laughed & said, "not here...you'd better move to CA or WA for that kind of thing."</p>
<p>It's hard to quantify all this stuff (future career ops [more national, as you said, barrons] vs. how many years to work off the added debt, etc.).</p>
<p>Jolynne, I would go to UT Austin for comp sci over AL easily because of the location alone. Austin has a good number of tech jobs and the tech field is growing very quickly. Even if he managed to catch the eye of a recruiter for a nice computer-related job in AL, he would have missed out on the opportunity for internships that Austin provides in spades.</p>
<p>That's what I'm thinking, openedskittles. I'd planned to back to work (yikes, economy!) to fund the more expensive, UT option -- just hoping I can find the steady, well-paying job that will allow us to swing that choice for him. Economy is making all these types of choices more nail-biting.</p>
<p>Back to the original topic. Some schools offer in-state tuition to OOS (for top students). University of Minnesota gave scholarships to both my daughter and son that matched instate tuition. (We are in Illinois.) U of M also has "reciprocity" for all bordering states. It is cheaper for Wisconsin kids to go there than the top University of Wisconsin schools such as Madison. For my son who chose to go to U of I for engineering it actually cost more than if he had gone OOS to U of M. Now my youngest wants California. No such luck there!!</p>
<p>D is going OOS to a public U. The schools in NJ do not offer her major. Besides, the cost of in-state to this particular OOS public U is only a few thousand dollars more than in-state. If NJ would lower their in-state publics, we would have entertained the thought of spending the first 2 years in-state then switched OOS in Junior year. NJ has one of the highest dollar value for in-state tuition schools.</p>
<p>We live in NJ and our S was accepted at Rutgers in the Honors program and wants to go anywhere else becacuse it is too close to home..... he wants to "get away". I don't think it is worth the cost to go to UMCP OOS (he was accepted into honors) or American (got the top scholarship but still more than Rutgers). Other top choices for him are Northeastern (got good money) and SUNY Binghamton. But I've told him that he has a certain amount to spend on college and its up to him. Sometimes I am ok with that, sometimes I want to scream.</p>
<p>As some have noted, there are often reasons - other than financial - that a student will consider an OOS public univ. One mentioned is for more members of an affinity group. Another might be a kid who has always pictured themselves going to a school with big-time sports. Any New York kid hoping for a school with "big time" football games won't be going to a NYS flagship. Even though a NYS flagship made it into the NCAA baseketball tourn. this year, the schools are not known, in recent history, for big time basketball either. Many on this site aren't willing to spend more just so their kids, who want to, can have that quintessential college experience. But others are.</p>
<p>Also...if parents can pay and a kid could get into William and Mary -- a VA state school that is not a flagship - in gorgeous Williamsburg VA, versus SUNY Geneseo in the middle of nowhere --- with snow from November to April (just joking...but barely) --- I can fully understand sending the kid to W & M vs the SUNY school.</p>
<p>Not on topic...but response to Binx...has your daughter looked into going on a program abroad with a college from her state....rather than Miami of O? Many years ago I was able to do that and spent substantially less for a semester abroad with my state school vs my private Univ. The private accepted all of the credits.</p>
<p>(EDIT -- Can't seem to get part of this post that's duplicated to delete!)</p>
<p>We live in NJ and both my kids are going to out of state public universities. The out of state schools don't cost much more than Rutgers does for instate!</p>
<p>I find it interesting that so many times on college confidential there are huge discussions about "finding the right fit". Yet on this thread people are saying just go to your instate university as if all public universities are the same.</p>
<p>I think there are a lot of differences between different states' public universities. My dd applied to nine state schools (various states in the mid-atlantic/northeast region). We visited the schools and they had very different environments, strengths, locations, etc.</p>
<p>Living in NJ I know that Rutgers is not a "fit" for everyone.</p>
<p>I lived in New Brunswick, D was born in New Brunswick. Rutgers is not a fit, the campus is spread out over three towns and the only way around is via campus bus. Newark and Camden aren't even worth considering due to the areas surrounding those colleges. What's left, Rowan? Montclair? I've visited Montclair, the dorms are scary, old, and in need of MAJOR upgrades. I'm surprised they haven't been condemned.</p>
<p>No thanks. I will pay the extra couple thousand dollars a year and have D go to an OOS large public U.</p>
<p>It so depends on the particular situation. I'm in NY and I see kids who do go to Penn State, Michigan, and many other state schools. SUNY is a good state university/college system but not in the top 50. There is a huge difference between going to any of the SUNYs and going to a Big 10 or other such flagship school. </p>
<p>Also there are state schools that do have excellent programs in certain niches that are difficult to find elsewhere. My son applied to Georgia Tech for such a program. I know others who have applied to Purdue, Indiana University and other OOS schools for the same reason. The cost would be more than the SUNYs but often less than a comparable program at a private school. If you throw in a little merit money, it can be a good deal. I know someone who got a $3500 merit award which did bring down the OOS cost so that it was a nice savings over a private school he was eyeing.</p>
<p>We are facing the same tough decision. Son has his heart set on University of Vermont. He has a strong interest in Environmental Science and UVM has a great program. We're also from NJ and DS definitely wants to go OOS. However, UVM is SOOO expensive. He has been accepted at other OOS universities that are far cheaper. Anyone have any insight about UVM?</p>
<p>I began this thread and while my D ended up at an in state NJ school she applied and was accepted at many oos public schools. The schools she applied to were within the range of the cost of going in state. It helped that housing costs are generally less at the oos schools. All that being said "a few thousand " is quite different from $50 to 100k over 4 years and that is what some people are looking at. For those avoiding Rutgers my D was one would you go for $25k per year for the large oos that is not RU.</p>
<p>I have friends whose kids went to College of Charleston, James Madison, Virginia Tech, among some other schools that were comparable in cost to their in state flagship. In our case, in state was by far the cheapest cost, but the above schools were certainly a deal compared to the privates, as were most all OOS schools. </p>
<p>My highschooler is interested in some of the big flagships like Penn State, UMD. Don't know yet if it is just a name recognition thing as he is a big sports fan. But I could see him or anyone finding those schools more attractive than the SUNYs.</p>
<p>Although this year's economic turmoil and effects on state universities have given us cause to pause, I think DH and I are still of the opinion that the only publics that make sense for our S, weighing programs, quality and cost, are going to be in CA. Any OOS applications made will be to privates around the caliber of USC or higher, as DS has, if admitted, the chance of attending tution free since DH is on faculty.</p>
<p>S is CA centric enough that making him go through a few paces to consider opportunities outside CA is a challenge.</p>
<p>We're lucky, since CA is large enough to be a state-nation, and has many levels of public universities to choose from, in all major regions of the state.</p>
<p>Let graduate school pay the tab or use the money saved for grad or prof school that will enhance pay and employment opportunities when it comes to leaving the home area. Kid will be older and more independent too.</p>
<p>We're trying with him. Although I must admit, my DH didn't venture (travel excluded) out of home state of WA until graduate school (to Cambridge, MA), and I didn't (travel excluded) out of home state of WA until my first job after grad school, to Albany, NY. </p>
<p>Our S likes traveling just fine, and had the chance to visit seven foreign countries and a number of states. He just likes the climate and culture of CA and thinks he's found a number of school that fit his bill. We do have him thinking about the special Integrated Science Program at Northwestern U, which is definitely in the freezer zone.</p>
<p>I love it--"FREEZER ZONE". That is a big reason why my DS though living less than an hour from Northwestern wants to go to sunny california. Not a very rational reason. Waiting for USC.</p>