<p>Should I go to ASU (barrets honors college) or one of the Top 20 schools:</p>
<p>Pros/Cons Instate</p>
<p>-its just undergradute
-practically free
-close to home, friends and family
-will enter as a junior (ap credits -56 units :D)
-not as prestigious</p>
<p>Pros/Cons Top 20</p>
<p>-New experiences
-220k price tag (wont get finaid)
-Prestigious</p>
<p>I want to Phd In economics in either stanford or harvard btw. What should I do?</p>
<p>Three words: graduate school financing</p>
<p>How do you expect to pay for grad school? Is your parents’ funding going to last beyond undergrad? Maybe so – then great for you.</p>
<p>If he is going for his phd at stanford/harvard, don’t they usually get a stipend?</p>
<p>Is the top twenty going to take any of your ap credits? If so does that $220k get knocked in a bit? Fifty six is a lot of credits. I actually think being able to enter as a jr vs entering as a freshman (if this is the case) is a big deal. If not from a financial standpoint, the student may simply get frustrated/board checking off an additional two years on an undergrad toward the Phd.</p>
<p>So, is it really top twenty for $220 vs State U starting as a jr? If State U takes only half of these credits you may well have saved yourself a year and $55k. Top twenty is now $165k.</p>
<p>State WILL take those credits, I am like 99% sure. Top schools will not, sthe might take AP Calc, myabe but no more. Instate will most probably ~free, while top 20 will be ~220k.
If I went instate I could graduate w/ a PhD without any loans or debt (college fund).</p>
<p>Btw I think Arizona state/ U of Arizona are ranked around 30~35 in my undergrad major (econ/business).</p>
<p>First, wait to see where you are admitted. Top 20 might not accept you after all, or Arizona may come up with more goodies, or you might find yet another option that is even better for you. It is OK to decide at 11:59 pm on April 30.</p>
<p>The Honors Program at Arizona will be full of “Top 20 quality” students who have chosen the HP because of any number of reasons (not just for the money). You will not automatically receive a lesser education if you go there. With your AP credits, and the lower cost, if you decide to do a year abroad, or an unpaid internship in the summer, or finish a combined BA/MA degree in four years, or to double/triple/quadruple major and finish in 4 years, you would be able to do that at Arizona. At the Top 20 you will finish in the traditional four years, and you will have great experiences too. However, some of your options will be more limited because of your budget constraints.</p>
<p>If you are thinking ahead to grad school, good PhD candidates usually are fully funded. MA/MS candidates, and not so good PhD candidates usually aren’t. MBA candidates almost always have to pay the full cost of their degree programs, although sometimes an employer will help.</p>
<p>Oh, and that 220k. Is it in an account that can ONLY be used for your education, or could it be used for something else? Like say four new cars, or a decent starter home, or your parents’ retirement fund? Sit down with them and talk about what they (and maybe you) could do with that kind of money.</p>
<p>I think it will depend on what you want to do with PhD in economics. If you want to go into finance, your UG will matter. Often when people ask where you went to school, they are asking about UG, and that’s where networking is formed. If you look at legacy status for top tier schools, more often than not, it’s UG that matters.</p>
<p>You may also change your mind about getting PhD, would you be happy with your UG name? (shallow, but it matters sometimes) I personally think you could learn economics at any school, but college is more than just academic.</p>
<p>220k fund I have and it can be used for anything, it my decision on how I want to spend it. (I was kinda thinking of buying a house near campus if I went instate and keeping it as an investment [Housing market is down])</p>