<p>I have narrowed my college decision down to Binghamton and Stevens Institute of Technology and am having trouble deciding which one to go to.
I live in southern NY, which puts me about 2 1/2 hours away from Bing and 1 1/2 away from Stevens. I plan on majoring in computer science and also playing the saxophone in music ensembles at either college.
I really like both schools, but liked Stevens a little better. It is my financial situation that is preventing me from deciding. With all of the scholarships I got from Stevens, the total cost is down to $33,000. I didn't get any scholarships from Bing, so that cost is about $23,000. I qualified for the $5500 federal direct unsubsidized loan at each school. Next year my brother will also be in college, so my EFC will be cut in half and I will qualify for more aid. I only have $3000 in my 529 savings plan and will probably get a few thousand dollars in scholarships from my school. I will definitely have to take out thousands of dollars in private student loans over the course of my college years.
I know Bing is cheaper, but Stevens has the co-op program and is regarded as a "better" university. Which one do you think I should choose? </p>
<p>Also, does anyone have any information to offer about private student loans?</p>
<p>I would really appreciate any help, advice, or info I could get about these schools or loans, as I'm really in a bind. Thank you!</p>
<p>Stevens has a good reputation for job placement after graduation. I know a couple people at Stevens currently and they have been paid well for their coop experiences. So that is a plus. There is also work-study available if you need to make money during the school year.</p>
<p>Rualum: Do you know about how much money they made from their co-ops and if they liked the experience? Also, I didn’t qualify for work study this year but I will next year with the new EFC.</p>
<p>I can’t remember the exact amount but I remember thinking, wow! Also, at the coop presentations we went to on parents’ day, they mentioned the salary range and it was very good but again I don’t remember. Maybe some current Stevens students can comment.</p>
<p>bandgeek now I see those salaries I can say that my friend’s son made about 10k his last coop. Other students were telling us hourly wages in the 20s. I suppose it depends on your major, year, and GPA-I’m guessing that you’ll get better coops as you get more experience.</p>
<p>Stevens was the first college my son and I went to visit because his college counselor highly recommended their engineering information session as a way of learning about the different branches of the career…and rightly so, it was super informative. It’s a great school, no doubt about it…and with the co-ops, if you are vigilent about using a good chunk of your earnings to pay down your debt, it may come out to be a wash in the end…especially once your brother starts college. I can only guess as to why my son didn’t apply (aside from the fact that it’s about a 20 minute drive from home and a little “too close for comfort” for him). It’s a small school, which wouldn’t really bother him…but he thought it was odd that there were considerably more grad students than undergrad. He didn’t get any real sense of school spirit…or “rah rah” even tho’ there are a number of sports played. Might not be true, but that was the impression. And of course there’s the bane of every tech school…the 75/25% male female ratio that was the final tack in the board.</p>
<p>There is definitely school spirit but it’s hard to describe. </p>
<p>It’s a small campus and I get the impression, through my son, that it is a very supportive atmosphere. My personal interactions with security and various departments have been very positive. </p>
<p>There are several frats and that is a big part of campus life as well: they sponsor many community service projects in the community and organize a lot of social events. My son joined a frat and it has kept him busy in a good way. </p>
<p>Many of the students he has met in the scholars program are atheletes but I agree that the school may not be as sports-oriented as other schools. Sports have a place at the school, but I don’t see the typical Steven’s student as being a huge sports fan.</p>
<p>The male/female ratio is frequently mentioned but again, I don’t think that is an overriding concern for a Steven’s student. They can socialize a block away in Hoboken and NYC and NYU are easy access. Study now date later ;)</p>