<p>Both very good schools, one private one public, the questions is:</p>
<p>Can you ask for a better offer?</p>
<p>i dony know what your question is, but Villanova is a LOT more expensive. then again, they are the #1 school in the NE region (for that size)</p>
<p>villanova
-decreases a student's financial aid each year (tricky and stuble)
+has great food
-extremely religious
+very involved student body</p>
<p>*tcnj
+generous with scholarships
+small school, small classes
-complaints about social scene and lack of student involvement
-often called a "suitcase campus"
-bad dorms... problems with heating/AC, smaller ones don't have elevators!</p>
<p>*I've never visited TCNJ, but i applied</p>
<p>My nephew is going to TCNJ in the fall and his family is extremely impressed, and they looked at a LOT of schools for him. He is a finalist for a great scholarship, and recently re-visited for his interview. He loved everything about the campus, and it has become quite selective. I grew up near Villanova, spent a lot of time on campus as a high-schooler, and have followed it over the years. I think it is over-priced and not particularly outstanding. If you want to stay in the close-by mid-Atlantic area, it has some prestige, but not much outside of there (except if you are a runner).</p>
<p>My D will graduate from TCNJ in a month. She is so happy with her college experience she doesn't want to graduate. I don't know much about Villanova, but my D attended Dickinson freshman year & transferred to TCNJ. Although she didn't transfer because of finances, I was glad she did because I think the private school experience is grossly overpriced unless you receive considerable aid, which she did not.</p>
<p>Continuing, TCNJ is an outstanding school, very selective, with outstanding facilities. There are small classes taught by professors & the buildings , labs, library, ect. are new & the campus is constantly being improved & expanded. Dorms seem to me comparable to those at Dickinson & William & Mary, where my S is a junior. Juniors & seniors have townhouses available to them. She rarely comes home on weekends, although we live only 45 minutes from campus. She does belong to a sorority which provides most of her social framework, but there are also many campus sponsored activities during the week & on weekends.</p>
<p>TCNJ is remarkable and remarkably cheap!!! it favors certain majors, but in general is regarded highly. i guess the problem i hear most about is location. the main entrance is Ewing, a pretty, semi-Victorian neighborhood. i've heard the OTHER side of campus is near Trenton, and a bit unsavory. i knew someone who was turned off by the obvious lock boxes in the bathrooms, etc.
altho i have never seen Villanova, i hear it's wealthy and preppy and catholic, with good business rep. best of luck.</p>