<p>I have to choose between St. Johns and Northeastern. I was accepted into both 0-6 Pharmacy programs. I live relatively close to St. Johns and will be a commuter. They offered me a $17,000 scholarship. My parents are able to pay this tuition with no problem - meaning I will be in zero debt. I like the St. John's campus but feel that I am missing out on the whole college experience by being a commuter. I also do not like the core classes that St. Johns requires - I feel there is not much flexibility in their pharmacy curriculum. However, I do intend to stay in NYC so attending St. Johns will obviously mean I am interning in NYC. </p>
<p>Now, Northeastern offered me a $16,000 scholarship. I have calculated that I will be in ~$104,000+ debt. I will probably receive little to no financial aid. I love the Northeastern campus and I love Boston. I would love dorming and having the full college life experience. I also love the curriculum they offer. Their co-ops are also another advantage - because if I am lucky, I will be able to do my co-op in NYC (meaning I save money on room & board and perhaps make connections with people there). </p>
<p>If money was not a factor, then I would choose Northeastern hands down. But there is unfortunately the debt burden that I would have to deal with if I chose Northeastern. I hate to pick a college just because of financial reasons. I really need other people's opinions and insights about this tough decision. Please please take the time to comment your opinions! Thank you! :)</p>
<p>A no brainer–St. Johns. Why graduate with so much debt when not needed? Certain schools might be worth that sort of debt, and most would say Northeastern is not one of them…</p>
<p>St. Johns is playing great ball right now, so maybe that is a sign…</p>
<p>Northeastern is the better school and better program, but I agree that you shouldn’t take out so much debt to pay for undergrad. While Bouve is very well known, your statement implies that you would graduate with a lot of debt. I am not sure the math makes sense from your post, but assuming you are looking at no debt or 100k in debt, take St. Johns. However, I would really sit and figure out the financials.</p>
<p>Well I haven’t received a financial aid package from Northeastern yet. But as of right now, I would have to take out 104k in loans considering tuition is now about 51k and it goes up around ~2k every year. The pharmacy program is 6 years. St. Johns is a lot cheaper because their fixed-rate tuition is 33k and I would not be paying for room and board. </p>
<p>A pharmacist’s starting salary is about 100k a year but I’m not sure if paying off 104k debt would be manageable…</p>
<p>I have calculated that I will be in ~$104,000+ debt.</p>
<p>That is waaayyy too much debt.</p>
<p>how are you calculating it? Will you have that scholarship for the entire 6 years? Or is it only for the first 4 years…and they you’d have to pay full freight? If so, you probably will have more debt.</p>
<p>Can you clarify…are you saying that no matter where you go to college, your parents will contribute about $20k per year? Is that for 4 years of for 6 years?</p>
<p>A salary of $100k per year isn’t that much for someone who will want to live in NYC once you’re a pharmacist. It would be very hard for you to pay for your own expenses, while also paying for big student loans. Plus, there would be a certain frustration knowing that those loan payments were going towards “room and board” charges that you could have had for free if you had gone to St. Johns.</p>
<p>Yes my scholarship is pro-rated throughout the 6 years. And my parents can contribute about 20k every year. As of right now - the 6th year of the program is only 30k. But that should go up to maybe 45k by the time I’m finished. With everything considered - the most I would have to owe is 104k. Yes it is a lot to owe unfortunately so I’m debating whether going away to college to be in an overall better program/school/environment is worth the debt vs staying home and settling for St Johns because of no debt.</p>