UConn vs. Providence College vs. Northeastern University

<p>I have selected my top three choices for colleges I will be able to attend but I am in a predicament. I live in, the recently flooded, southeastern Connecticut and I plan to major in Biochemistry/Biological Sciences. Upon completion of undergrad, I will aim for dental school. Posted below is my financial aid for each school, and I would like you guys to consider the best option for me, so I can take your advice into consideration. Please compare the schools' prestige, education, my major, value, financial aid... everything overall. Also list any PROs and CONs you might want me to know. Here we go...</p>

<p>UConn-
$6,500 in grants for 2010-2011 which means...
I would have to borrow $18,604 in loans/year (~$74,416 in four years)</p>

<p>Providence College-
I received a scholarship for full-tuition four years of attendance.
I would have to borrow $12,620 in loans/year (~$50,480 in four years)</p>

<p>Northeastern University-
I got admitted into their Jan-Start program (I wanted to attend in the Fall) which is basically a spring admit.
$8,000 in grants only for the Spring semester.
I would have to borrow $36,644 in loans/year (~$146,576 in four years)</p>

<p>The Providence schoalrship was very generous, one of my daughters didn’t fare as well.
Are you getting help at all from your parents? If someone else was helping, with even half, PC would be a great deal.</p>

<p>Hi Debruns,</p>

<p>Yes, my parents would be able to contribute most of the debt I might accumulate, but my current problem is comparison of the schools overall. Providence College is a great school and I am grateful for their generosity, but it is not as prestigious as UConn or Northeastern. The positive about PC is their financial aid, considering my future in dental school.</p>

<p>I see, I didn’t think N.Eastern and Providence were that different, they both are respected and in different rankings. UConn, is well respected but much larger and more isolated, it depends on what type of environment you want.
Do they have numbers for grad school or pre-dental programs?</p>

<p>Compared to PC, Northeastern is gigantic, and is big on their co-op program.</p>

<p>Tommylee – I don’t think the prestige is that different among the three schools. The environments however are vastly different. Do you want to be in or very near a city (PC or Northeastern)? Do you want a rural atmosphere (UCONN)? Do you want smaller class sizes and close faculty relationships all the way through (PC)?<br>
The coop program at Northeastern is great, but I’ve heard this mainly from people I know who are going directly into the work force, I’m not sure how much of a difference it makes if you’re going right on to dental school.
Check out the dental school acceptance rates from each school and see how they compare.
Bottom line is you have three excellent choices here, it ultimately should come down to where you feel the most comfortable with the students, way curriculum works, campus environment, and of course how the finances will work out for you and your family.</p>

<p>Tommy–I second everything freecycle says. </p>

<p>That said, you have lower loans coming out if you go to PC and you want to go to dental school, which will not be free either. If you go to PC and make yourself shine, you will not look bad to dental schools either. The prestige thing does not count quite as much if you are one of the shining stars of wherever you are. </p>

<p>On the cost of room & board, there are also things you can do to mitigate them, and also of things like books. Been there, done that! You can shave that 12k down a bit. </p>

<p>Save as much as you can from your summer job, and consider working two of them if possible!</p>

<p>TommyLee - I think PC is probably your best choice. Not only will your out of pocket cost be lower, but you will not be lost on a huge campus like UConn. My son visited both schools and was not crazy about the housing at UConn either. I think PC probably has the best campus housing of the 3 schools. </p>

<p>That said, it really comes down to which school you like best.</p>

<p>Good Luck!</p>