<p>Hey!
I have been accepted to the Umass commonwealth program and BU. At BU, I got 10,000 in merit aid. At Umass, I got a 1,000 in merit aid. I have heard good things about the commonwealth program, but I went to the BU open house and loved it. However, money is a significant factor.
I was just wondering if it would be worth it to go to BU even though it would mean 60,000 in loans when I graduate. </p>
<p>I also got into Northeastern honors with 14,000 in merit aid, and don't know if I should consider this.</p>
<p>I'm having a tough time deciding which school to attend next year, so any advice would be greatly appreciated!!!</p>
<p>I’d visit each campus to check out the vibe at each school. That won’t tell you where you’ll want to go for 4 years (unless you are easily influenced) but it will tell you if you hate a place. NEU and BU have very similar settings. UMass is far more rural with a more obvious “college town feel”. You might like 1 way more than the other.</p>
<p>Depending on your interests, you should definitely also look into the strengths of each individual program. For instance, BU supposedly has a really strong Management program, UMass supposedly has a really strong CS program… etc.</p>
<p>Full disclosure, I picked UMass many years ago (I am an alum) and your 3 schools along with GW were my 4 realistic options. Back then, CC was in it’s infancy and wasn’t even on my radar. I sure am glad I picked it but it’s hard to say whether I’m better off now than if I had gone somewhere else. No one ever knows so anyone who tells you that “you ought to go to school x” is a little brain washed. Unless one of your options is an extraordinarily good school (Harvard/MIT), you’re kidding yourself if you think 1 school is obviously a better option than another.</p>
<p>When in doubt, get as much information as you can via visits, talking with people, researching online and then follow your gut. Discuss financial implications with your parents. If I could do it all over again, I’d tell my 17/18 year old self that having equity in a house a few years out of college sure beats having student loan debt. ;-)</p>
<p>It’s definitely NOT worth $60,000 in loans for a school that is so similar in quality and personality.</p>
<p>klinttadi, This is such a familiar situation. My D was also torn between BU/Umass. Comm/Coll and has just sent her deposit to U Mass. Her options were varied, from U MD, UVM honors, U Dellaware, etc, and truth be told, I was a bit surprised when she announced her decision - but wow have I changed my mind! She explained her reasoning, and the idea is to go and make the very best of the great opportunities U Mass has to offer - and to travel! Without the high cost of tuition (even with merrit aid) the opportunities to take part of summer programs abroad and semesters abroad are wonderful. J is the last of four children who have/are attending Bentley and Syracuse, and she sees how hard they work in the summer to earn book/spending money, and the amount of sacrifice to takes to attend. As a side note, however, Both Bentley grads have very good jobs and enjoyed the school, so I do appreciate both sides of this decision, but as the previous poster said, it is a personal decision. I think U Mass requires you to be a self starter, if you are shy, it may not work.</p>
<p>Unless you really require a completely urban environment, go to UMass!!!</p>
<p>I had the same situation as you. $70,000 of debt at BU or Umass Amherst for free. It was hard giving up living in boston, but Umass Amherst campus isn’t bad, and Amherst itself is a great college town. Boston is still in visiting distance, and you also get the opportunity to take up to 2 classes a semester at Amherst College, Smith, etc.</p>
<p>Also, the Commonwealth College gives you the benefits of a college smaller than BU, and the benefits of a university bigger than BU.</p>