<p>What would you guys prefer? Going to a state school and getting paid to go there, or going to the ivy school of your dreams and paying some $30,000+</p>
<p>most people dont pay 30k+ but obviously the school of my dreams =P i would never be happy going to an AZ state school....id cry for a long time</p>
<p>Depends on which state school and which Ivy...</p>
<p>Florida State vs. Harvard, I'd pay for Harvard.
Berkeley vs. Cornell, I'd go for Berkeley. (In fact, I'd do this even if they were the same price, but that's neither here nor there.)</p>
<p>It depends on which state school you are talking about. And it depends on which field of study. And, it depends on how "price sensitive" your family is. The Ivys are great schools but for middle class families they might not be worth $30000. However, the Ivys give a lot of financial aid. On average, about half if Ivy students get gift aid from the university and the average gift aid is nearly $20000. Harvard can be cheaper than state schools for some students. I doubt you would actually be faced with that choice. My advice is to not be tempted away from the Ivys by second tier schools giving large amounts of gift aid.</p>
<p>Say if it was the difference between going to the University of Arkansas and Cornell</p>
<p>State school, but only because I'm getting little if any financial aid. Probably less than 5,000, and I'd be lucky to get that much. If it was Brown though, I think I would do whatever it takes to go, since it's one of my 3 dream schools (along with case western and oberlin)</p>
<p>If you needed aid at Cornell you would likely get it, so Cornell in a second. Even without the aid, Cornell. Its too drastic a difference.</p>
<p>How much can you parents pay? Calculate the total of what your parents can pay, what you can pay, and what outside scholarship money you can get, then subtract this from the 40K price tag of Cornell. (You can adjust the 40K down if you EFC is significantly low, as in sub-10K). That's how much debt you'll have.</p>
<p>Are you (and/or your parents) willing to take on that amount of debt? Can you do it comfortably or will it be an unbearable stretch? If so, then I would definitely go to Cornell over Arkansas, but if not, hard choices must be made.</p>
<p>Thanx, my parents are doctors by the way, but even then, payig for undergrad is tough. Plus, when I went to some Yale MUN this winter, there was some dude who got a stipen from North carolina State and had really good grades and a good LSAT and went to Yale Law School.</p>
<p>In general go where you want. You'll earn the money back. Better yet marry rich and let the in-laws take care of it!</p>
<p>Great idea!!!!!!!!!!!!!</p>
<p>Sr6622, people go to state schools and do well all the time. But you have to understand that VERY few people from schools like Alabama make it to the top tier of grad schools, maybe 50 grads per year total end up at the top ten business, law, or med schools. Conversely a substantial portion of an Ivy league class will end up at these schools.</p>
<p>I chose UC Irvine over Brown...full ride at UCI.</p>
<p>If I could have a full scholarship and stipend at UNC-CH, UVA, or William and Mary, I'd take it over any of the Ivies.</p>
<p>If the choice is between U Arkansas and Cornell? Cornell in a heartbeat. And your parents have a good income? Absolutely Cornell. For an affluent family, Cornell would be worth an extra $100,000. (At least I hope so. Admittedly, I am a little biased on this issue.)</p>
<p>I am with you elizabeth. I loved Dartmouth and could not imagine a better experience, but objectively you can get a lot out of those schools so I would probably go there free too. But Arkansas is not UNC or UVA, not even close.</p>