Hi, I’m a High School senior currently struggling to decide on where to go next year. I’ve been accepted by a lot of great universities, and my choice has basically narrowed down to Vanderbilt and Tulane. I’m interested in studying engineering and plan on going to grad school or med school after my undergrad studies, and it seems pretty clear that, at least in engineering, Vanderbilt offers the better opportunity. The real problem I’m facing in this decision is financial: Tulane offered me the Deans’ Honor Scholarship, and, since I live in New Orleans, I expect to receive the Valedictorian Scholarship and TOPS as well. In the end, Tulane will come down to just a few thousand a year compared to Vanderbilt’s price tag of around 23k every year. Paying for Vanderbilt is doable for my family but will not be easy. My parents and I will have to go into debt, and that will hurt me later on, especially if I continue to grad or medical school. On the other hand, I would graduate from Tulane completely debt free and also have plenty of money to participate in other great experiences (ie Study Abroad or service trips). It ultimately comes down to the question of whether it’s worth it to pay to go to a more prestigious, higher ranked university, especially considering the fact that Tulane’s engineering programs are not held in the highest esteem. I’d like to thank everyone in advance for all help and input into this matter.
Tulane. Since you are planning to go to grad school or medical school, save the money for G school. Believe me, when you are working in a few years and your co-workers are complaining about student debt, you will be relieved.
Save your $. My s was a DHS, majored in ChemE and is doing very well. Had a job lined up by fall of his sr. year and is now working in Silicon Valley. He originally considered med school so wanted to save the college funds, but ended up redirecting to engineering. They have a new engineering building at Tulane. Go visit, sit in on classes, meet with faculty, etc. What kind of engineering do you plan to pursue? You can always do the 3/2 program with Vandy http://tulane.edu/sse/pep/academics/undergraduate/physics-dual-degree-engineering-program/
^@jym626, that sounds like a great program. @ss2318, you can have the best of both Us.
Tulane is a great school. Save that money and use it to go to Vandy for med school if you end up going that route.
Although my D chose Vandy over Tulane, grad school was not a liklihood for her. In your situation, I would go with Tulane. You’ll have a great experience there, and you will be so much better off in the long run coming out debt-free.
23 a year at Vandy including room and board is a great pricepoint worthy of full consideration against Tulane’s offer. Do you know the price of a graduate school path at Tulane or at your state flagships? look it up and write it down. As a Vandy grad, will you receive some advantages at graduate schools in your home state? Example of this not working out well…sons did not go to UVA undergrad and their Law School is over 60 a year…and their MBA 2 year program is also expensive…so in this case…state undergrad program would have been a smart pathway. (in this instance, saving on undergrad is smart). Price out three graduate programs in engineering that might appeal to you. Look at the numbers. Vanderbilt professors do a lot of personal work sponsoring students for grad school opportunities. How badly do you want to change towns and move to Nashville? How happy are you staying put? Are you mentally prepared to run your own race at a school of all high achievers? Vandy’s engineering school is no picnic but it does have camraderie. Do super honest pencil to paper budgets. If you take out a couple of 7000 dollar Stafford loans at Vandy…do you plan to work for 2-5 years like MBA applicants do? they often retire undergrad debt before doing their MBAs. Find out if engineering grads also work a few years. You would not forfeit Study Abroad at Vandy…many programs are less expensive than Vandy tuition although airfare will ding your budget. Admittedly, you would have to come up with your own cash for things like Alternative Spring Break weeks and leisure money. Also keep in mind that more than half of Vandy students are getting significant need grants. you would not be the only one on a budget although there will be kids with deep resources around campus as well.
Lastly, if you got admitted to Vandy, you have the goods to succeed anywhere, including from Tulane. This also follows: you will make informed and smart choices for your professional post grad training.
good luck and congrats on your generous offer from Tulane and on your admission to Vandy.
Did you also ask this on the Tulane forum?
In general I don’t like debt and upper middle class students get the short stick when if comes to top private universities. They can’t afford it and don’t receive enough aid.
-I would select Vandy IF your family can afford it without debt. Go with Tulane if you can not.
-As a parent I would work some OT to make this work for my child but understand that may not be an option for others.
-A 3/2 program would cost an extra year of school and a lost year of income ($60,000++)…avoid this if possible.
-Do you want to stay at home or leave home? Much of what you learn during college if about living on your own.
-If med school is the plan then save your money and avoid engineering as it produces lower GPA’s.
This student has a strong scholarship from Tulane. They might want to talk to the head of the DHS to discuss how the scholarship might possibly assist in a 3/2 program. .Since it covers the 5 year architecture program and has been extended in other circumstances, it might do so in this one as well. I would suggest you PM fallenchemist and ask about his experience for his daughter, whose DHS cover her for an extra year when she did a semster or year (I forget) in China.
My friend’s daughter took the Tulane presidential scholarship and is now in Columbia Dental. My son turned down the same scholarship $25k/yr at Tulane) and is a Engineering Jr at Vanderbilt. Paying for college is a very personal family decision. To be able to graduate debt free is amazing. I will add that a study abroad semester does not cost much more then a semester at Vandy. You have 2 really nice choices. Good Luck with your decision
As a college counselor, I strongly recommend Tulane. Vanderbilt is, of course, a great University, but knowing you can escape four years debt free AND knowing you’re looking at grad school, the answer is clear. Congratulations on your acceptances to two (and probably more) great schools, and on your scholarship to Tulane!
post another vote for keeping costs as low as possible: Tulane is a very good School.
Anyone seriously debating VU vs Tulane should just go to Tulane. Likely to miss the whole point of universities like Vanderbilt.
anyway.
Although my D chose Vanderbilt over Tulane (with a 20k/year scholarship), we could afford to get her through without debt. In your circumstance, with a DHS, I also vote for Tulane, which is a great school and getting better all the time.
And, as others have said, my D’s study abroad semester cost significantly less than her semesters on-campus at Vanderbilt, even incliding the airfare. Vanderbilt is super expensive!
oliver007 has a point. Vandy offers things that only 25 or 30 schools in the US offer, but I still don’t know if its worth the $$. One thing to consider is having your parents call Vandy financial aid and see if they can offer more money. Play the Tulane for free card. Vandy fin aid is all grants so if they do lower it you may be able to graduate debt free.
Whatever you do,do NOT call Vanderbilt and play the whole “Tulane has given me a free ride” deal. I was at an accepted students’ day this weekend when a parent tried to pull that for Wash U. The Financial Aid woman answering question shut him down and said that Vanderbilt does not negotiate on aid and does not match other offers.
As far as Tulane vs. Vanderbilt, it gets tricky. I just know that Tulane, while everyone considers it to be a good school, is having some issues. Being from NOLA (from BR here), you probably have heard about the student deaths and their poor student mental health system. Also, I think that Tulane is getting the reputation that Vanderbilt used to have: if you can pay the money, you can go. Is there any other university, perhaps a large state school, from which you have received a good offer?
One thing that people never seem to talk about in situations like this is the value of having true peers. Many gifted young people find their tribe in college and really gain a sense of belonging for the first time. What is it worth to be in an environment where there are lots of people of a similar intellectual level vs. attending a lower tier school where SAT scores are more mediocre? I don’t know much about Tulane but most often schools that offer full tuition for top scholars are fighting to raise the bar. Vanderbilt’s average SAT scores are quite high and suggest a very bright student body.