Accepted freshman to attend both schools (Fall 16). Biology major seeking a future med school in 4 years. With our aid package UCONN will be 5K more expensive a year. We’d be looking at UNH 19 vs UCONN 24K. All types of financial aid have been attempted and both schools best offers appear to be on the table. What do people think? Worth the extra $ for UCONN?
Where would the money come from - can your parents afford the difference or would they have to take loans for you?
Parents initially - pay off by working part time.
If it involves work and no loans, then UConn. 
@HASenior16 Sounds like you might be in state for UNH. I think the life-long benefits you get from stretching yourself to go out of state to fabulous UConn is worth it. $20k over 30 years is like $1.82 per day.(a cup of tea)…not that it would take 30 years. The value you get from that experience of stretching your boundaries to to UConn is worth it if it’s reasonably doable, which sounds like for you it may be. Good luck! My S is still on waitlist and we are keeping positive. we are OOS as well, Boston South Shore, and so excited about possibility that his 1st choice UConn will happen and he’ll get that call that he’s off wait list…he’d be soo ecstatic. He got accepted in the first acceptance wave to Connecticut College a couple of weeks ago, which is not easy , but his heart is with UCONN all the way. I get it, as It’s a reallly special place there in Storrs! Our fingers are crossed! Good luck to you in your decision. I’ll check back in here to see what you decide and to update you on my son as well.
OOS for both UNH and UCONN.
Hmmmm- It’s hard to give objectivity in that case because we love UConn so much. I know that brand new dorm opening in Fall for STEM would be verryyy cool to live in for you, and if you sign up for one of the science/healthcare living/learning communities for freshman, you will be in that cool new, well located dorm, and the long-term connections you make living there will last a lifetime. I think that’s invaluable for your career and worth the $5k extra… Check out pics of it online. I saw the rendering of the study areas in that new dorm, and collaboration areas for the living learning STEM Majors in there, and they are cutting edge cool. I wish my S were a STEM major just so he could live there, but he’s not. I’m feeling UCONN all the way for you! Lol! Again totally biased towards Husky nation! Only you can make your choice, but connections go a long way in life and that new dorm is prime for STEM for study groups, and long-term bonding that can help you down the line far beyond $5k
I may be a bit biased considering I go to UConn, but academically I think UConn is your best choice. UConn is in the top 20 Public Schools in the Country, and is very well known and regarded in the New England region. Should you stay in the Northeast, UConn will likely have the better connections and is more of a household name than UNH. Plus Basketball. Go Huskies!
Lots of things you need to ponder. $5K is a pittance over a lifetime as someone mentioned above. You are talking about your future here, so don’t sweat the $5K.
Having said that, you need to consider:
- Fit - which school feel better?
- Location?
- Which school do you think will help you be successful
- How were the BIO academic presentations? Are they investing in the BIO/Life Sciences program
- Facilities
- Dorms/Food/Social life
- Alumni associations
- Career centers
- retention rate
- 4-5-6 year graduation rate
- student faculty ratio.
make up a spreadsheet and score on these factors
For what it’s worth, UCONN does rank higher overall - for public schools it is ranked #19 vs #47 for UNH (US News Undergrad ranking). Ranking can and does matter so you need to at least consider that.
One final thought, in the end what REALLY matters is GRADES and “quality” EC’s over your 4 years such that you’ll have a great story to tell about yourself whether you work or continue on to graduate school. Remember you are in a good position with CHOICES - that is something you always want to have in life.
That depends on what you want. I’m a jr at UNH and I can tell you this is a FUN school, but I’m not sure about the academics. A lot of my friends blow off classes and still pull off B’s and C’s. There is always something to do. Hockey is big here. Easy to find parties most nights off campus and in dorms. Lots of clubs, and intramurals are huge with my dorm. I applied to UCONN, (first choice) but didn’t get in. I got the feeling that it was a better school overall, serious students, good opportunities etc… I go down to visit a friend when the Huskies play someone ranked - saw Kentucky a few years ago! A lot of money is being spent to build the place up. New student Rec center being built, and a new dorm is opning this year behind Gampel. If you can afford it, UCONN is the way to go. But UNH is fine too.