<p>I was fortunate to get accepted to UNC and I also got a likely letter to UVA (admissions offers come out tomorrow). I'd really rather go to UNC - love the big sports there and the campus. Also, a number of kids from my high school will end up at UVA and I'm ready to move on from that. But I'm a VA resident, so the cost at UNC will be about $70,000 more at UVA than at UNC. My family can afford to send me to UNC without loans, but it will be tight and that's money that can't be used for something else like grad school. What do you think - can I justify going to UNC over UVA, given the financial difference?</p>
<p>My family has been having the exact same debate! I’m from MN and applied to UNC and UVA, among other top schools across the country. So far responses have been positive, but we aren’t receiving as much money as we’d like (to be financially comfortable). A degree is probably the most expensive thing I’ll ever buy… I’m trying to examine the programs I’m interested in at each school to see which ones have exactly what I’m looking for.
For example, UNC and UVA are both ranked very highly overall on US News and other rankings, but what if UNC has a much better bio department (hypothetical you is a bio major, lol)? General listings of schools actually aren’t helpful if you’re looking at specific majors since each school will have it’s strengths and weaknesses. Even if you’re undecided on a major, looking into each of the departments that interest you and figuring out how they’re run might be a great place to start.
Let me know if you have an “ah-ha” moment to financing Carolina, I’d love to be privy to that information! haha</p>
<p>If you get accepted at UVA I would go there. Use the savings to further your education in graduate school. At a large campus, you won’t see fellow high schoolers very often. Sometimes it is even welcome to see a friendly face. This is from experience!!!</p>
<p>UVA. Save some $$! You can make all new friends in college anyway.</p>
<p>Carolina is great, but UVA wins this battle. You’ll love it there… just go to UNC for grad school :)</p>
<p>What if you had to take out loans to cover the extra $70k? Would you do it then?</p>
<p>Whatever you answer, apply that answer to whether you should ask your parents to pay.</p>
<p>keepittoyourself</p>
<p>A friend of ours who had the same situation told their child to choose, but if he chose the out of state alternative, HE had to pay for his first year there (and they would pay the other three years). That put the decision in a different perspective. You want to guess where he went? In state.</p>
<p>If you have a strong preference for one school over another and you or your parents are not having to take out loans, I say go for the school of your dreams. My dd did this with UNC 2 years ago and our family has not regretted it since her love for the school has translated into being totally engaged with all UNC has to offer. If you are a good student, there are lots of scholarship opportunities within your major and other options to help your parents out like becoming a RA, part time jobs, etc.</p>
<p>Thanks everyone - it’s so hard to say no to a great school like UNC! miyo - thanks for your perspective - does anyone else have any feedback that would help me feel better about going to the more expensive school like UNC out of state?</p>
<p>The good citizens of Virginia want to help you (at least a little bit) finance your education. You should not disappoint them. You are going to get a comparable undergraduate education at either school and the cost difference is not worth it. If you decide on graduate school, then spend the money then and go to the best possible school for your area of interest. Make the most of your time at UVA and you won’t be disappointed in your choice…OK, maybe a little disappointed during basketball season…</p>
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<p>Not from me: UNC is vastly more expensive, and a little weaker academically.</p>
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<p>Not the case at all in the hard sciences and the poster from Minn asked about biology in particular…UNC is MUCH stronger in the sciences…UVA has been horribly underfunded for scientific research through the years…go back through the CC archives to older posts about this issue…internal UVA White papers were cited.</p>
<p>^ Perhaps, but I was responding to the poster from Virginia.</p>
<p>There are varying strengths and weaknesses of course, but I don’t think it’s controversial to say that UVa is genuinely (if only slightly) stronger than UNC academically.</p>
<p>eg
UNCCH ACT composite 25th/75th percentile is 26/31,
UVa is 27/32
(Princeton is 31/35, Yale is 30/34).</p>
<p>Nothing. Give your parents a break.</p>
<p>Robinson–My D is in a similar situation–accepted to UNC, likely letter from UVa. My family has ties to both universities (and I have two graduate degrees from U.Va.). Both universities are very impressive.</p>
<p>The difference in our case is that we are in-state for UNC, and in addition UNC gives scholarships to NMFs while U.Va. does not. Much as I love U.Va., in my opinion, the two are similar enough that I would not be able to justify the cost difference of attending U.Va. OOS over UNC instate.</p>
<p>I understand that many students from your high school will go to U.Va. The freshman class will have about 3,300 students, however. I really think you can avoid those other students from your high school if you try hard enough. </p>
<p>I recommend the in-state option for undergrad.</p>
<p>I should add that it is possible that the OOS option could be a better option than the in-state one depending on the circumstances. U.Va. offers engineering; UNC does not. Each has various programs for top students; it is possible to have opportunities at one that you don’t have at the other. In that case, you would have to weigh the value to you of those opportunities against the cost difference. Good luck to you on your decision!</p>
<p>Thanks everyone for your thoughts - I know it’s a great dilemma to have. I’ll think it over for a while longer, but certainly UVA makes more sense financially and it’s a great fit for me academically as well.</p>
<p>I’m sorry but there’s not a lot of thought to be done here. If you weren’t a VA resident then it would be a decision to stew over. It is foolish and irresponsible to make your parents spend this difference in cost, especially if you’re interested in grad school. The schools are not the same but the academic reputation is virtually the same. I DO reject the idea that it’s not controversial to say that UVA is a better school. But they’re both very strong public schools with excellent alumni networks.</p>
<p>The difference in cost isn’t justified. Go to UVA and love it.</p>
<p>“Also, a number of kids from my high school will end up at UVA and I’m ready to move on from that.”</p>
<p>Take some of the $70,000 and buy a nice pair of sunglasses to hide your identity.</p>
<p>They might be just as ready to ignore you-just a thought.</p>