Very torn // UGA Honors vs. Full-tuition+ at Vanderbilt

College Search & Selection
1

Essentially I have no clue what to choose come May 1st. Please note: this is a bit rushed, and I’m not completely sure if this is the most appropriate place to post this (if it isn’t, just direct me to a better location).

Context:

  • GA boy / I get Zell Miller (full tuition) at UGA, also got Presidential Scholarship (additional $3,000)
  • Lots of AP credit I could redeem at UGA
  • Honors College at UGA (small classes)
  • UGA rejected me from several scholarship programs, including one that I have been suggested to be overqualified for (for reference, this scholarship was given to people who were deciding between GA and state schools vs. I was deciding between UGA, Harvard, and Vandy at the time) (no longer considering Harvard due to cost)
  • Vanderbilt gave me the Cornelius Vanderbilt Scholarship, which is their premier merit award… full-tuition all four years plus a $6,000 stipend for study abroad
  • Also admitted to Honors Scholars program at Vanderbilt (great seminar classes / eases my work load by getting me core credit in discussion-based classes)
  • CV scholarship also gives me special programming a couple times every month (i.e. prepping me for applying to the Goldwater, Rhodes, etc)
  • CV community gives me a “family” of other ambitious and high-achieving peers to work with
  • CV also makes it very easy to do paid (or for-credit) research all four years of undergrad
  • $20k per year at Vandy before scholarships (expecting to RA / have been told I will very likely qualify, which would reduce cost to ~$8k before scholarships and is something I would genuinely want to do since I love mentoring!)
  • $11k per year at UGA before scholarships
  • Will likely have to take out ~$10k in loans to go to Vanderbilt in order to cover cost discrepancy in first year

About my education plans… I’m a neuroscience major (probably double major in psych or bio due to all the overlap) at Vandy, or a bio/psych double major at UGA (no neuro major). I plan to go to graduate school or medical school (preferably somewhere prestigious since I’m thinking I would like to be involved in academia / research).

Will Vandy give me an edge over UGA? I will be happier at Vandy, I think, except it’s further from home, and my parents aren’t very happy about the cost (they really want me to go to UGA and don’t see any value in choosing Vandy). If any of you have compelling reasons (or statistics!), I would greatly appreciate it… is there any proof that Vandy will make it easier for me to go to, say, Harvard Medical School (or any other prestigious med/grad school for that reason?).

…Thanks in advance!

2

If you prefer Vanderbilt- say yes and never look back.

3

You can only personally borrow $5,500 for your freshman year. Will your parents support your choice to attend Vanderbilt? If they can’t afford to pay out-of-pocket, are they willing to borrow for you to attend there?

4

@Hoggirl good catch. I missed the bottom line somehow. And assumed both were affordable with one being a little more of stretch.

5

Many pre-meds are kicking themselves at Vandy due to the grade deflation aspect.
Save your powder ($) for med school…
(Although, I am sure you will likely flourish anywhere you go)

6

@kiwipanda00 Take a careful look at the room and board options at Vanderbilt - there may be cheaper options, for example traditional dorm vs. suites. Depending on your eating habits, the full meal plan might be too much and fewer meals or swipes could result in savings (but don’t starve yourself!) As you progress through college, you may end up in an apartment and cooking your own meals, which can be a savings over the meal plan. Also, textbook costs can be greatly reduced by renting through Amazon or Chegg or by ordering used copies on line. There are ways to trim that estimated cost of attendance.

Of course, these cost-saving measures can also be applied at UGA.

The difference of 9K/year between the two might be met by you through the Federal student loan, work study and summer earnings if you really wanted to make it happen. But then you would have loans going into med school, if you indeed take that route, and you should think about what that would mean for you in the long term.

Congratulations on having two fine choices before you. It may not feel like it but it really is a win-win situation.