Tulane vs SMU vs TCU

I have narrowed it down to these three schools. I’m from the northeast and I like that Tulane and SMU have more students from that area and are ranked higher. TCU has my favorite campus, seems to have the most school spirit with big time football games, and they gave me the largest scholarships. SMU or Tulane will be about $100,000 more than TCU. My parents can afford to pay the difference, but it is a sizable amount and I don’t know if it is worth it. I like TCU the best, but I’m nervous that it will be harder to get a job in the northeast after graduating. I think I will eventually want to move back to Boston/New York/Philadelphia. My parents said I can always go to grad school in the northeast if that is a problem idk what to do.

TCU with a doubt. Most jobs don’t care where you got your degree, just that you have one. What is your major by the way?

Talked with a recent TCU grad today. Most jobs will be in Dallas area. Some friends got jobs in Chicago/Midwest. Few Californians went straight back due to cost of living. Like you, they’d probably work in Texas a few years and either transfer back to home state (if still desired) or go to grad school. For $100k difference and preferring TCU anyway, the decision is clear.

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Agree with @tristatecoog.

FWIW, my sister went TCU 20+ years ago, moved on to grad school in the Northeast and has lived in Boston pretty much ever since. A few of her friends ended up settling outside Texas as well. It’s not the most common path, but it can definitely be done. There’s nothing at SMU or Tulane that is even remotely worth $100k more than TCU.

Join the Frog Fam! It seems especially in the past few years that more and more students come from the Northeast. Getting a job anywhere will require experience and a skillset, and I think TCU and the metroplex can easily help you achieve those. Grad school could be a good option, though it’s hard to say without knowing what type of field you are looking to go into. Feel free to PM and Go Frogs! :frog:

If you still have time to make the deposit, then I would ask Tulane to see if they can help out a bit more with FA.