Some very important advice needed from CC ppl before decision making!

International Students
1

<p>Hey ppl!</p>

<p>I was not sure if I needed to post this online and ask for advice, but well, what do you know lol</p>

<p>I have some decisions to make soon, and I thought to seek valuable advice from you CC ppl for some help! =]</p>

<p>So here's my story --></p>

<p>During my senior year at high school, I didn't know what I wanted to take up as a major. I hadn’t even done any standardized tests that year as I wasn't planning on studying abroad. But as the year progressed, I realized I wanted to become a doctor, but it was too late to apply to any medical colleges, and I had to be over 18 years old to join. So I planned to take a gap year. </p>

<p>During my gap year, I slowly drifted away from the idea of studying medicine and became highly interested in engineering, chemical engineering to be specific. I soon started researching about it and found myself in love the major. I applied to a couple of schools and got accepted to 2 and got waitlisted at 3. Schools were not top 30 as my scores weren't really that impressive, neither were my gap year activities. But since I did pretty well in high-school and got a 3.8 GPA, I got into my first choice college which was Northeastern University. I felt like it was the best match for me, and my sister is a college student in Boston as well, so that made it better. </p>

<p>I applied for several scholarships (government scholarships) for Northeastern University and got accepted at two. The first one offered me a full tuition pay and a monthly salary of 2,200$. The only charges on me were the housing and meal plan.
Second one however is offering me full tuition pay and a monthly salary of 3000$, but are asking me to take a gap semester and reapply to top schools, as they don't accept NEU. This meant that I drop a semester and apply for spring'10 and most probably repeat my SATs and TOEFL as I'm expected to get into a top school (at least top 50). </p>

<p>However, during the time scholarships are offered (June-August), I came across one that is just for nuclear engineering. I applied and got in. Their deal is that whoever gets accepted will be sent to GTech (Georgia Institute of Technology) for some SAT or ACT preparation courses, register for exams, get good scores, and apply to some top colleges which offer nuclear engineering programs. Examples include (UWisc, GTech, Texas A&M, and Penn State).
The offer also includes a 5000$ per month allowance and extra stuff as well like free airline tickets and housing. The only problem that bugs me in this offer is, that I am already a gap year student and if I don’t get into the colleges they expect me to get into, I would have nowhere to go. As all the colleges mentioned have outstanding students each year, it is VERY competitive to get in. There is never a guarantee. Also, no scholarship departments accept you after 2 years of graduation from high-school (I cannot afford going on my own). I currently deferred my enrollment to NEU to the spring'10 semester. </p>

<p>My question is, which scholarship should I take? What’s the best way to go on? And is it worth taking the risk that is present in the nuclear program?</p>

<p>If anyone wants any further details that I forgot to mention, you can just post it! Any advice and opinions are appreciated =]</p>

<p>Thank you for reading!</p>

2

<p>First off, don’t let this decision be about money. Your worst offer gives you free tuition and $2,200 a month. You can live quite comfortably with that. It’s more money than most American college students have at their disposal!</p>

<p>If you want to go to Northeastern, you got the offer, take it. If you have your heart set on nuclear engineering, consider that program but do not pick it for a higher stipend during college years. What’s the worst-case scenario? If you don’t get into one of the required nuclear engineering programs, can you go to college in your home country? </p>

<p>I assume you would have to work for the government for a number of years after college in any case. What sort of careers would you be looking at with a degree from Northeastern vs a degree in nuclear engineering?</p>

<p>

It’s too late now to apply for spring '10 admission, just FYI. If you need to retake some tests and have not signed up for them already, you will barely make the fall '10 application deadlines for the top schools.</p>

<p>If it was my decision, I would probably take the offer to attend Northeastern unless I had my heart set on nuclear engineering <em>and</em> a very good back-up plan. I wouldn’t want to gamble away my future given the opportunities you already have!</p>