Stanford vs ASU Barrett Honors vs Georgia Tech Honors

Colleges and Universities A-Z Stanford University
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<p>Hi everyone! I'm needing some advice in choosing a college. My top choices are Stanford University, Arizona State University (Barrett Honors), and Georgia Tech (honors). I plan to major in biology, cell biology, or biochemistry, because at this point I want to go into medical research. </p>

<p>There are internship and undergraduate research opportunities at all of them. </p>

<p>Stanford is the most highly ranked, but it would cost my family at least $50,000 per year, which is pretty tough on us, especially because my parents are looking to retire soon. I would be in debt from undergrad and have NO money for graduate school left.</p>

<p>Georgia Tech (with honors) would cost around $30,000 per year, and I would have money left for graduate school.</p>

<p>Arizona State (with honors) would cost around $13,000 per year, and I would definitely have money left for graduate school.</p>

<p>These amounts include tuition, room and board, books, fees, etc. </p>

<p>I have been looking into MD/PhD programs, and some are fully funded if I can get into them. However, I'm not completely sure this is what I would like to do. I would like to know my chances of getting graduate school funded and which choice would be best, considering financial issues. I have toured all three campuses and loved them all.</p>

<p>If you have any information on these or other schools to which I've been admitted (Berkeley, UCSD, UChicago, Wisconsin), please share! I have to make a decision in just a few weeks!</p>

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<p>For pretty much any science/engineering grad school, you’ll get a pretty livable stipend as a phd student, so you don’t have to worry about that. </p>

<p>As far as your school choices go, I would say that Stanford is probably worth the price. You can certainly still do well at the other schools and where you go to grad school would be more important, but for the difference in price, Stanford would still be worth it. The resources you get as a student at Stanford are pretty amazing, and they take good care of their undergrads.</p>

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<p>There is no shame in going to ASU. You have to take into consideration your parents, and their long term interests too. Don’t be lured by the prestige of Stanford, think where you will do the best and where you are most likely to be happy 4 years from now.</p>

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<p>My daughter had the same choice last year. She really liked ASU following her visit. The Dean of Barrett really puts on a full court press in his recruitment of high stat students when they visit. What did you think of their dining hall? Pretty impressive. I’m assuming that they have offered you one of their full tuition scholarships? Our family REALLY struggled with having D go to ASU level school with great scholarships like yours or to Stanford with only the hope of some financial aid over the four years. I would caution you to avoid taking on excessive levels of debt to attend Stanford but Stanford prides itself on having one of the best financial aid programs in the Country. They typically make a Stanford education “financially feasible” for every student that they admit however it’s up to each family to ultimately decide if Stanford’s definition of “feasible” is the same as the theirs. We are happy with D’s decision to go to Stanford, even though there are days when I daydream about all the other things that I could have spent that extra $35,000 per year on. If you can attend Stanford and accumulate less than $25,000 in overall debt, I’d recommend that you jump at the opportunity. If you’d have debt substantially above this level and possibly accumulate additional debt for grad school, then ASU is looking more attractive. I’m not familiar with Georgia Tech. Good luck with your choice. You’ll be successful wherever you end up!</p>

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<p>MidWestPop - I posted this to student232323 in another forum he put his question.</p>

<p>I am not sure what decision you and D made, but I thought this might give you some hope if it was Barrett.</p>

<p>In 2007 my oldest daughter had essentially the same type of decision you have.</p>

<p>We are from the east, she had expensive schools offers here in the east (even after generous scholarships they were 30K/year real cost) or a free ride at Barrett (well really like 3 or 4K/ year with travel & misc).</p>

<p>She was a NMS as were most of her friends at Barrett.</p>

<p>She and her fellow Barrett graduates have been extremely successful getting into grad schools, which I happen to think is one of the most important tests of a school. She got into all the top law schools and when she went to the admitted student days, she saw other Barrett graduates - and these law schools are all here on the east coast. She has mentioned other friends who have gotten into top medical schools as well.</p>

<p>Her boyfriend majored at Barrett in the areas you mentioned. Some of the work he did was amazing. He ended up going to Harvard Law focusing on Environmental law.</p>

<p>Neither my daughter nor her boyfriend had any debt when they graduated from Barrett.</p>

<p>Hope that helps.</p>

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<p>^MidWestPop’s daughter chose Stanford, per his posts. </p>

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<p>Congratuations to your daughter, but just fyi, Stanford Law School ties with Harvard Law School in recent rankings, so not “all the top law schools” are on the east coast. ; )</p>

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<p>Indeed, Stanford Law ranks above Harvard Law in the most recent ranking, as someone just PM’ed me to point out. I stand corrected. : )</p>

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<p>Oh brother what a fool I am. You are of course correct. Clearly I wouldn’t get into any of these schools. I didn’t even notice what forum this was. I apologize. I will be quite now…</p>