<p>I've been trying to decide between UChi and Tufts for a while now, until recently my parents told me Tufts just really is not affordable (they don't give merit based aid and as the 3rd college bound child of a middle class family their aid policies leaves me victim). After a lengthy financial discussion I am faced with a very tough choice.</p>
<p>UChicago, WashU, or the UW (Wisconsin)</p>
<p>UChicago is the most expensive prolly around $5-10k/year more than WashU. With me coming out with relatively the same personal debt ($20-25k). However my parents see this education as truly worth the investment.</p>
<p>WashU is slightly less money and a lot nicer with finaid. However both my brother and sister attended washu already. They had very different experiences one good one bad, and my parents have seen many students from my high school be unhappy there. They have a somewhat negative view on the school, education, and student body after seeing it for 8 years. But I've never gone and I'm sure my experience will be different too...</p>
<p>UW I would come out with no debt and still a somewhat reputable diploma. Yet the UW is about 2 miles from my house and I cant imagine going to school in madison for 4 more years. I didn't really want a big school and all that comes along with the UW when I set out. Yet in these economic times my parents really want me to consider the U.</p>
<p>So there. I want college to be fun and I have no doubt I will at each place. Mostly I want to get my money's worth out of such an expensive endeavor. I want a great education and I want a college that can open doors and create opportunities for hugh success. I am not sure what I will major in and I do not see what my job might be in the future(maybe something in science, chemistry, or business). I just want to be extremely successful haha. Please let me know how you feel about these schools and their value?</p>
<p>P.s. colleges suck this year. Acceptance rates are gonna be crazy and now all us freshman are gonna have to pay for their poor endowment investments</p>
<p>Let me add something about this case also. Since you have a lot of experience with Wash U in your family, and it is apparently mixed, it is important to identify what they loved/liked and disliked/hated about Wash U and decide how that applies to you. The things they found as negatives may be extremely pertinent factors as they apply to you or meaningless, and same with the positives. Example: Maybe a big part of the thing one of your siblings loved was being in their a capella groups, but you don’t sing. You get the idea. You have more of an opportunity than most to do some in-depth analysis.</p>
<p>I actually spent a year at UW in grad school and didn’t care for it much, transferred out. Maybe it was the extreme change after being in New Orleans 4 years, LOL (it was a brutal winter, even by Madison standards). Actually I mostly didn’t care for the huge size, the campus itself, all sorts of things. I really saw the difference between Big State U and school’s like Chicago and Wash U. Definitely preferred the latter. Also since you live in Madison now, you really should get away to go to school. That is so very very important, I cannot emphasize enough. It is worth the money, I think. $25K debt after 4 years is what I consider borderline acceptable, but when the alternative is a home town school I think it swings it to taking the debt. It will make a huge difference in your life.</p>
<p>So Chicago/Wash U. I personally think both schools are great, and the students going to both are really very bright and serious and engaged. One of the things I talk about a little in the posting referenced above is the semester system at Wash U vs. the trimester system at Chicago. Look into that trimester system some more and see if you think that is for you. In short, the positives are that you get more courses in during your 4 years, you miss less time at your school during study abroad (if you do that) making it a little easier to double major (although most Wash U students seem to have no trouble with this from what I hear), and during the breaks, especially spring break, there are no papers, tests, etc. to worry about, you are just done with the term and start fresh when you get back. The negatives are that it is intense while you are doing it with papers due and exams to take all the time, and it makes your schedule really different than the rest of the country (you start later in the fall and finish much later at the end, like June something instead of early May). Maybe that will help a little.</p>
<p>But from what you have said, I would eliminate UW and then factor in what you know about Wash U from your siblings, and think about the other factors I and others mentioned. Good luck!! Post on here when you decide.</p>