<p>7 years ago, DS had a similar quandry- Full Tuition Trustees scholarship at USC, vrs the choice of going to Dartmouth, Brown and 6 other “higher ranked” colleges.
He chose USC, and had the same “you’re going WHERE???” reaction from many HS friends, but it was the best decision for him both short and long term. He got first choice on all Honors classes, the opportunity to do paid research year round, and was accepted at the top grad school in the country for his area of study- CalTech.
You will be doing both your parents AND yourself a great favor by choosing to go to college for free!</p>
<p>“Mini, I agree that Shipman will provide wonderful opportunities for the OP. However, one of the benefits of Dartmouth is strong advisors, ample research opportunities starting freshman year, and the D plan allows for great internships. Corporate recruiting is very strong there.”</p>
<p>I understand that, but as a top student at Michigan, he’ll get even more. And save a cool quarter mil in addition. Would you REALLY pay an extra $250,000 for the “advantages” that Dartmouth offers? It seems downright silly to me.</p>
<p>I just reread the OP’s original post. He said it would be a burden on his parents, so I agree, he should take the money. But each case is different. Our older D fell in love with Dartmouth, and to me, it is worth it. And no, we are not rich. My husband and I both work full time, and we realized that we could afford to let our D’s dream come true (she also passed up some great scholarships). I don’t regret it for a second, as Dartmouth is the perfect school for D. I also see the incredible benefits from being a recipient of the top scholarship at a school, as my other D gets many special opportunities. If it is a burden on the parents, he should definitely take the money.</p>
<p>If Michigan were not such a strong school, the decision might be tougher. But it’s Michigan. A no brainer. I think many students would choose Michigan over Dartmouth even without a full ride.
Congratulations, OP.</p>