<p>I Graduate in 2015 (next school year) and i have been looking at colleges. I know im supposed to apply to 9 schools (3 reach, 3 match, and 3 back ups) and the two match ive found and like the best so far are UM and UGA. My grades are decent (3.7/3.5 gpa, 90-92), ive takin the psat but my school hasnt/doesnt give them to me. I know it will be easier for me to get in UGA, cheaper too. But if i get accepted to both which would you say is better overall. Is it the worth the extra 20k to attend UM.</p>
<p>Firstly, you don’t have to apply to 9 schools. You might not be able to afford to. Or you may not have 9 schools you’d like to attend. It’s just a rough guideline to hedge bets.</p>
<p>So, you like the look of Georgia and Miami. What do you think you might like to do after college? You don’t need a definite career path but if you’re considering landscape gardening, you’d be better off going to a college that offers horticulture as at least a minor. This might easily discount one, the other or both.</p>
<p>The second issue is financial. If you haven’t already, you need to look into who is paying what and how much you and/or they can afford. That 20k will be annual. Plus your extra travel costs. So maybe 85k extra over 4 years. That isn’t worth it. You’d end up with a chain of debt around your neck. If you couldn’t pay, then they’d chase up any co-signers- usually your parents and they could loose their home. At the moment, such a sum just isn’t an investment. If mum and dad can and will pay full tuition for Miami then you have a free choice.</p>
<p>Thirdly, you have to define what’s most important to you for college. Study abroad opportunities? Climate? Greek life? Juggling club? Once finances then major are sorted, be really selfish in what you want. It’s a long 4 years if you’re unhappy.</p>