Help! I have to decide whether to go to Penn, where I got almost no financial aid, or UVa, where I’d pay in-state tuition and be an Echols Scholar, which means I’d get preferred class registration and have no academic requirements. I am interested in Environmental Studies but am not sure that’s what I’ll do, and I like both schools a lot. Does anyone have thoughts on whether Penn is worth an extra $40,000 a year, which will mean I will end up in some debt, whereas my parents will be able to cover the in state tuition at UVa? I’m going to Quaker Days next week and hopefully that will help, but I’m pretty sure I’ll like both schools. Thanks!
I’d choose UVa Echols Scholar.
Echols Scholarship on your resume is Prestigious. Save the money for a rainy day.
if your parents could afford most of the extra money for Penn without really straining their budget I would say Penn for sure. In terms of overall quality and recruiting, research opportunities, future network, Penn is definitely ahead. Also you are still not sure that you want so going to a school with top notch offerings across most fields is a plus. All that said UVa is a great place and no school is worth going into great debt for. I key thing to consider is how much debt would you end up with if you chose Penn?
One son went to UVa and one Penn, both are great schools. I agree with Penn95 You are better off saving the money
$40,000 per year is a big difference in environmental studies. I don’t think that will be easy to make up in salary. I would investigate the extra curricular opportunities at both schools. I think you would really need to capitalize on the extra opportunities at Penn to make it worth it.