Hi I am wanting to get some views as a high school student from India looking to join undergraduate studies in Fall 2017. I have received offers from following US colleges - UCLA, Univ of Washington, USC and Northeastern. Have received scholarship of 100K and enrollment to Univ Honors program in Northeastern while will have to go for full expenses studies in UCLA. (62000 USD per annum)
I am looking to major in sciences (preferably Biological sciences) and UCLA is considered higher ranked than Northeastern. However UCLA is a big university and would be helpful to get some views on experience as an undergrad student there. I am essentially debating between getting a selective experience as part of univ honors program in a good university like Northeastern versus a top ranked large university like UCLA>
Also please share any views or experience with Northeastern, UCLA
Also if you can help with any views on UW vs UCLA (biological sciences) . I am also looking for flexibility in major as well. I am really conflicted in making my decision Out of UW, UCLA (full expenses) vs Northeastern with scholarship. Please help with any views
Sorry for the late reply. It will be a stretch for my family. I am planning to take some amount as student loan. Yes I am planning on Graduate school later but not immediately after undergrad. hence better opportunities for internship and employability options/is an important criteria. I also had offers from USC but its cost is higher at 70K while UW is approx. 44K cheaper (over 4 years) but am not sure how does it stack in ranking, employability and experience as compared to UCLA
Are the scholarships dependent on grades or income? If dependent on what grades you get, what grades are they I think my daughter’s scholarship offer at Northeastern was dependent on a 3.5 GPA which might have been difficult to maintain.
Well yes the Northeastern scholarship is dependent on GPA, She has been also put on the University Honors program in Northeastern which does give special privileges and experiences - separate residence hall, dedicated faculty, undergrad research opportunities etc. In contrast UCLA is higher ranked but doesn’t give scholarships and while she can apply to honors program , I don’t know UCLA honors program really gives any special privileges.
@MonMan The GPA required is important to determine the student potentially losing the scholarship. If so, would the family be able to pay the full price? Special privileges etc are definitely pluses. My daughter’s scholarship also offered all those. For us, Northeastern would have been more expensive since we are in state for California.
A lot of it depends on what kind of graduate school this student wants to do. If it’s medical school, then you want to have the lowest-possible undergraduate debt, since med school is expensive.
If he wants to go into research, prestige of the school will matter – so UCLA has the upper hand there – but also research, which will be easier to do through Northeastern’s coop program. But keep in mind, however, that to maximize Northeastern’s co-op opportunities, your son will likely take 5 years to get his degree. That’s an additional year of very high living expenses.
In the end, I’d go the route that’s less expensive, since OP’s child is clearly a talented student and likely to succeed in either school.
We are also looking at UW as that is almost comparable in costs (Northeastern with scholarship) but has higher repute than Northeastern. However still debating considering UCLA is higher ranked and may offer more research opportunities
I’m not sure I would agree that Washington has a higher repute than Northeastern. Using one ranking, US News, Northeastern is 39th while University of Washington is 52nd. I would consider them peers. For reference, UCLA is ranked 24th.
I think one important piece of this puzzle is the city of Boston. It is one of the two main biotech, pharma, medical hubs in the country (with SF). Northeastern is more undergraduate focused than UW or UCLA - which can lead to better undergraduate research opportunities than at a school that needs to reserve those opportunities for loads of graduate students. Also Northeastern is down the road from Harvard Medical School and all of the Harvard-affiliated teaching hospitals. Many students intern or co-ops in research labs there.