<p>Right now I'm living in Mass, looking at a variety of schools, including UMass and UVM. I'm not entirely sure what I'll be studying yet, but I'm considering starting as a history major (or something like that). Both are public schools with good reputations, but being an instater, I'd most likely pay less for Umass. Regardless money's not really an issue for me. What I'm asking is, does UVM have anything better over UMass? Like better academics, social atmosphere, ect?</p>
<p>Unless UVM has a program that UMass doesn’t offer, why would you look at UVM and the MUCH higher cost? It’s one thing if you’re comparing private vs. public (privates are more expensive but give away much more fin. aid) , but I don’t get it.</p>
<p>My daughter is dual majoring in History and Political Science, with a minor in German at the University of Pittsburgh. One thing she learned when looking at colleges is that the depth and breadth of the History department is important; especially if you do not know exactly what your interests are. Hope this helps.</p>
<p>UVM costs more than double for OOS than what UMass Amherst costs. For OOS,UVM is in the mid-40’s, which is crazy.</p>
<p>Money might not be an issue for you, but how about your parents? You’d be looking at an extra $100,000 over 4 years. If that is really no object for your parents, go to UMass and ask them to give you the difference, it’ll be a great start to your house fund. Or fund graduate school - you are probably not doing much with a history degree without an advanced degree.</p>
<p>That said, UVM is half the size of UMass, and has a more earthy-crunchy vibe to it. Burlington is a nice small city, and being on the lake offers some opportunities. I think it is quite a bit snowier and colder than UMass. To me none of this is worth an extra $100K, but that is just this parent’s opinion.</p>
<p>Hi John-- My daughter is going through the same analysis between these 2 schools (although she is waiting to hear RD from a couple more private schools). The tuition for in-state at UMASS Amherst is so much cheaper than OOS for UVM, it will be hard to pass up. Ultimately, you have to be happy with where you’ll be staying for the next 4 years, so if you think UVM is a better fit for you, you’ll have to weigh whether the approx. $100,000 extra price tag is worth it. Good luck!</p>