Unsure of Which To Pick

College Search & Selection
1

<p>Hi,
I got a 28k scholarship to go to Wake Forest, meaning I will have to pay 29k out of pocket (5k in loans are being offered)
Or
I could choose to go to University of Binghamton, paying only 20k out of pocket(NYS Resident)</p>

<p>I want to go to medical school so going to Binghamton will be easier to stand out and get a high GPA. Binghamton is also known for its pre-med.</p>

<p>But I like Wake Forest too, but its more expensive, and a lot farther away from home than Binghamton.I visited the campus and thought it was fairly nice.
I also have been hearing that Wake Forest is "Work Forest." </p>

<p>I also have the option of going to U of Vermont for 30k out of pocket, give 20k in scholarships.</p>

<p>So What is the best option if I want to go to medical school?
Cheap Binghamton or Expensive Wake Forest???</p>

2

<p>Sounds like you don’t like Wake Forest enough to pay an extra $40k over Binghamton. Med schools don’t care where you go to college - they care about GPA and MCAT scores. And Med school is $180k-$300k depending on whether you go in-state, or attend a private school. No scholarships. So minimize your debt and pick the place that is likely to enable you to do your best.</p>

3

<p>Wake is a great school and might be worth the extra $ but have you factored in travel costs? If it was within 5K i would say Wake, but Binghamton is a solid choice. Tough tough call.</p>

4

<p>Tough Choice but I say Binghamton because it’s Cheaper.</p>

5

<p>Should I try to call Wake Forest financial aid and see if they can give me 9000 dollars more per year?</p>

<p>How would I go about asking them on the phone, so as to be polite and not too greedy?</p>

6

<p>yeah it couldn’t hurt. Just don’t tell them it’s Binghamton haha tell them it’s a “comparable” institution.</p>

7

<p>Make your request in writing, not over the phone. Tell them Wake Forest is your top choice but the cost is a concern. They will definitely want to know who they are competing against and are highly likely to request a copy of the financial aid offer from Binghamton. But it doesn’t hurt to ask if Wake Forest really is your top choice. All they can say is ‘no.’</p>

8

<p>Should I attach the financial aid offer from Binghamton in a email from the beginning or wait for them to reply back to me?
Also, should I state reasons why? Like say my overall GPA got higher since I applied and my class ranking improved. And I got a medal in Science Olympiad States…</p>

<p>Should I state reason’s why I like Wake Forest?
How much or how far should I go in terms of sucking up to them?</p>

9

<p>All you need to say is that Wake Forest is your top choice and if you can afford it, you will definitely attend. You don’t need to attach the offer from Binghamton with your request - just state the terms of Binghamton’s offer in your letter. If Wake Forest is seriously considering giving your more, they will ask for a copy of the letter at that point. (At least this is how the negotiation process worked at the two other LACs I’ve seen). Take the opportunity to update them with a ‘by the way, my GPA is now X, my class rank is now y, and I received x award’ IF that these stats put you in the top 25% of their class. It’s a reminder that you are a very attractive candidate whom they want to recruit. If your stats put you firmly in the middle of the pack, you may want to leave it out.</p>