<p>Ok no offense but if your dad "just sold a company," I have a hard time believing that Princeton tuition will be an insurmountable financial burden on your family. I say go for Princeton. Usually I'd tell people otherwise when a full ride is involved but not this time, even though med school is on the horizon. You might want to do med school now but that could change down the road. Get away from home, experience a new place, go to Princeton.</p>
<p>Look, I know a lot of folks aren’t attracted to a preppy environment like SMU which has more than its fair share of students from wealthy backgrounds, but some of the comments above a little harsh. </p>
<p>SMU has turned out some pretty amazing business people in its time and the school has a lot of weight and influence in Texas. Also, the George W library is going to be on their campus (Mrs. Bush is a grad) so that will be a boost to the university’s status in Dallas and Texas and perhaps further (and this comes from someone who is not a Bush admirer at all). </p>
<p>Before you go thinking that the stereotypes stated above are completely accurate or that they mean that the school is incapable of turning out some pretty excellent graduates, I ask you to consider some of the graduates of SMU and the absolutely GREAT businesses and wealth that they have created:</p>
<p>Gerald Ford (not the President): Entrepreneurial banker who built Golden West Bancorp in SF and sold it to Citigroup for $6 bn in 2002.</p>
<p>Aart de Geus: Founder of Synopsys (major electronic design automation co in Silicon Valley)</p>
<p>Lamar Hunt (now deceased): founded the American Football League and Major League Soccer and was a major player in several different areas of the sports industry</p>
<p>Ray Hunt: part of the famous Hunt family that built an oil empire (Hunt Oil Co) that led to his being named one of the richest people in the world</p>
<p>Jerry Junkins: President and CEO of Texas Instruments and the new Engineering building is named after him</p>
<p>Aaron Spelling (now deceased): legendary film and TV producer and one of the most powerful men in Hollywood</p>
<p>There are plenty more, but I hope you get the idea. SMU has produced some pretty heavy hitters in the business world. I should also add that they have a few to be embarrassed about, including one Jeffrey Skilling, former CEO of Enron. </p>
<p>I recognize that Princeton has a list a mile longer than SMU, but that was not my point. My point is that the school has produced a lot of accomplished people and it retains sizable influence in Texas and in Dallas in particular. SMU continues to do a good job for its students (undergrad and grad) and it is an attractive school to a certain segment of the college-going group. So, posters who want to dump on the school, lighten up a little; no need to trash the school or the people who go there.</p>
<p>Princeton has its fair share of stereotypes too... exclusive, snobby and preppy. Some are true to an extent.</p>
<p>If I were you, I'd take the 200k and run.</p>
<p>OK, so a little more background...</p>
<p>I overstated when I said my dad "sold his company." He had a large share of stock in the company, and another company acquired them through a stock buyout and took the company private. The business he worked for at that point probably was about $10-20 mil, and (again I don't know specifics) he probably took in somewhere like 1-2 mil off of stock. But his salary is paid on commission, and is not really, really high end. I'd be making more in a year as an entry-level ER doc than he makes in a year on an average salary.</p>
<p>The financial concern is that I have two brothers, a sophomore and a freshman, that will both (more than likely) be going to big-time colleges as well. The expenses for them, on top of Princeton and med school, will be a hit for any family, unless you're a Bill Gates type.</p>
<p>I don't intend to rush at all. I spent time with friends in Greek environments, and I just hated it. It's not an experience I'd go for.</p>
<p>I do live in Highland Park. My house is actually one block away from the new football stadium/athletic complex, and the Honors Residence Hall (where the PSs reside) are about a 2 minute drive down Hillcrest (if you know the town). So I don't like the whole Highland Park University feel of it, because that's really what it is. And biology at SMU isn't exactly their focus, so I'm afraid of a rather underfunded program.</p>
<p>Jerry Junkins is deceased as well.</p>
<p>Think of it this way: If you go to Princeton and decide you made the wrong choice, you can always transfer to SMU. But not the other way around, because Princeton doesn't accept transfers.</p>
<p>MOWC,
Junkins died about a decade ago. Thanks for the correction.</p>
<p>Ernie,
I doubt that the SMU financial offer would be the same for a transfer.</p>
<p>nickburns,
Im wondering why you applied to SMU in the first place because it sounds like you are not a fit at all for the school, either personally, intellectually or in your chosen field of study.</p>
<p>If the OP's choice were between UTexas and Princeton, I could see more of a dilemma. I agree SMU does NOT seem like a fit and it wouldn't even feel like going away to college. I think that would be a shame.</p>
<p>I was thinking the same thing about UT.</p>
<p>I applied to SMU for my safety school, and it's the only place that I applied to that gives merit-based scholarship (living in HP doesn't exactly get you a lot in the need-based category)... I applied and got into Princeton, Johns Hopkins, Northwestern, and SMU, and got wait-listed at Harvard...</p>
<p>Princeton is my dream school. But I'm trying to reconcile dream with reality, seeing if the "P-bomb" degree is going to be worth the extra $200k when I've got plans for med school.</p>
<p>OP -- if you read my posts in the thread about U Maryland full ride vs. Weslyan $200k, you will know how I feel about families taking on loan debt just to send their kid to their "dream school" (btw, what a naif and idiotic concept... reminds me of junior high kids' concept of dating and marriage). </p>
<p>In your case, your parents would not be taking on a burdensome debt load, and it will likely not materially affect their retirement plans. ... In this case, I say Princeton all the way.</p>
<p>I agree that Princeton is a much better school for you and I think that you would regret the choice of SMU. I would have a frank discussion with your parents--how would this choice affect them? Is there any chance that when your second sibling goes to school, financial aid might be available for him (especially when your two younger brothers are in college together for 3 years). Can you work during the summer and at school to at least help defray out-of-pocket and transportation expenses?</p>
<p>It sounds like you would be unhappy at SMU and I think that you should figure out if there's any way Princeton would be a possibility for you.</p>