<p>Hello all!</p>
<p>I'm in quite the conundrum right now... I'm choosing between USC (full tuition), Swarthmore, Columbia and CMC (10k/year). I'm not sure what I want to do (though I like econ, biology and communications) and I really like all three schools! I'm from Oregon, so USC and CMC are very appealing because they are close by. Also, I was accepted into Thematic Option at USC which seems like a very interesting program. Thoughts?</p>
<p>Is that a full tuition scholarship?</p>
<p>If all you have to pay for is the housing, food, books, and materials, I really don’t see how you can turn it down. All of these three are terrific places, but in the end keeping your expenses low (especially if it means you can reduce or avoid student debt), is the clear winner.</p>
<p>I’m not sure what you’re saying that YOUR out of pocket costs/loans will be for each school.</p>
<p>Have you gotten aid packages from each school? Are you saying that CMC gave you $10k per year in merit? What are the other schools giving in aid?</p>
<p>what are your parents saying? Is it easy for them to pay full freight to the others? Or did you get full aid at the others?</p>
<p>Is Columbia off the table? You didn’t mention it after listing it. If so, why?</p>
<p>Prestige:
Columbia
Swat
CMC
USC</p>
<p>Financially:
CMC
Swat/USC/Columbia</p>
<p>Program:
USC? You say it is a “very interesting program”
CMC/Swat/Columbia</p>
<p>Fit??? Here’s the real issue. Swat students study HARD, and enjoy doing so. They will have the most intellectual discussions around the dorm dining tables. CMC is a very politically engaged college, and somewhat pre-professional. Pomona of the 5Cs is the most like Swat, but CMC is not Pomona. CMC is more like a great athlete who wants to go into business or politics, is very bright, outwardly oriented, and popular. Less likely to curl up with a book and more likely to be captain of an intramural sports team. USC? that’s a whole different story. Doesn’t really fit with the other three on many levels.</p>
<p>I think that Swarthmore and Columbia are now out of the picture because I received basically no need-based aid from either, while I have the full-tuition scholarship at USC and the 10k/year scholarship at CMC. I really enjoy both schools, but for entirely different reasons; I enjoy USC’s “university feel”, it’s flexibility, and it’s honors program called TO, but I also LOVE CMC and the consortium, it’s prestige/laid back combo and great connections. My question is if I’d be happy going to both schools, are the opportunities/“better” education at CMC worth the extra money?</p>
<p>Here’s a nice calculator that will let you work through the numbers and some of the other factors that might be important. [FinAid</a> | Calculators | Advanced Award Letter Comparison Tool](<a href=“Your Guide for College Financial Aid - Finaid”>Your Guide for College Financial Aid - Finaid)</p>
<p>Only you and your family can really decide whether or not one place is worth more money to you.</p>
<p>I misunderstood your original post… if USC is tuition-free, then that would be my choice. USC will then be about $16,000 for Room/Board/books/Incidentals, while CMC will be about $47,000.</p>