I am currently a University of Nebraska- Lincoln Freshman. I live in the dorms and am a finance major. I choose this university because it offered instate tuition since my parents live in Omaha. I had planned to do all four year here and graduate and move to a location I like more but now that finals are around the corner and I am taking a look at how college is playing out I’m finding myself not happy. I feel like I am being pushed into the Greek life here because the culture is so fraternity and sorority oriented I feel left out nearly every weekend. Though I feel like I choose not to join a fraternity in the first place because it didn’t seem like it was the right chose for me. Now I am going away for the summer to the east coast to internship and might not be able to rush one in the summer. I’m not finding many people that are like minded about school and have some close friends but don’t seem to really have much quality time with them (Nearly all of them are in Greek life). The Greek life seems to be really taking a dip over all and it seems like the university is cracking down on them. I think the classes are all right but haven’t particularly like any professors. We have a brand new business building next year but not sure if that should influence my decision. The whole fall is taken up with football games that are a big part of here (but I don’t particularly like sports). Lincoln doesn’t seem like a town I particularly like and I already feel like moving on.
Anyways, I have always wanted to move away from Nebraska. I always said i want to move to California, Texas, or Colorado. The only place that accepts most of my credits is Colorado. The school I found that I would enjoy would be CU Boulder. Though now I have to pay an unbelievable amount of tuition more if I was to move. The comparison with estimated scholarship/financial aid and help from my parents would let me come out of UNL with no debt but going to Colorado would be close to 70k in debt. I know that in my career I will make lots of money and really don’t want that to be a real deciding factor but when we are talking about numbers that big I feel like it definitely influences my decision. They make it hard to establish residency there and it doesn’t look like a good option. I have a 3.75 currently at UNL so that helps. As students from CU Boulder is it worth taking on that debt?
I just want some input into if I’m being crazy or if any of my reasons make sense. Anything would help thank you!
I have loved every moment I have been at the University of Colorado. It has been a great education and has provided me great networking opportunities, which placed me in a very prestigious internship this summer, and which will likely lead to a job in investment banking upon graduation. Most of my professors in A&S’s have been top public or Ivy league educated. They are sincerely interested in your success as a student and person. Moreover, I have been able to find a really strong community which has made the experience that much more enjoyable. Boulder is pretty awesome. The people are very friendly. There is an exceptional diversity in thought and interests. You could find a conservative group or liberal group that is thriving. What I’m trying to say is that there are so many opportunities to get involved here.
I think the Leeds school of business is superior to what your getting in Nebraska. If you work hard here, you could land yourself in a top investment bank, can’t say that for many places. 70k is a lot though, have you visited campus?
There are some CU Boulder scholarships for OOS freshman. Check if transfer students can win them by calling or writing to the financial aid office. Have you gotten accepted to Leeds already, or going to wait one more year?
Arizona State in Tempe (near Phoenix) may be another business program to look at. It has a very good rank in business. It also offers OOS students some good scholarship money. I think UT Dallas might at well. California is expensive for OOS students.
I would agree with @Coloradomama. Colorado has a decent business program but the cost relative to ROI is low, given other options. UT and Texas A&M are also high for OOS but in-state residency after the first year is more achievable than other states. California schools have outstanding programs in business, but no state funding, high OOS tuition, and have the highest application numbers of any schools in the country (Chinese and Asia-Pacific).
Coloradomama mentioned Arizona State. The WP Carey Business School is by far one of the best in the Pac-12 and US (top 25 or 30 business schools), particularly the Supply Chain Mgt program (#3 or so in the US) in which undergraduate students graduate with multiple job offers at $60k+, many at high-tech companies in Silicon Valley. Most innovative school in the country. Good scholarships for good students. Probably the best return on investment in the Western United States.