Which College should I choose? Please Help I'm Stuck!!!

College Majors Humanities Majors
1

Hey guys, I need all the help I can get before I “choose” a college and register, etc.

So basically, I got into my dream school (University of San Fran), but cannot afford it, even with a $50k a year scholarship that covers just merely my tuition, the room and board is too expensive and other expenses of city living come into play, etc. I would be in a lot of debt, sadly. So, unfortunately, much to my initial dismay, I must go to a state school. My major will be English, with a minor in writing/ journalism. The problem is, should I go to a science, rural state school (Oregon State University), or a slightly more urban, liberal arts school (University of Oregon). I DEFIANTLY plan on going to graduate school in either education or law.

My mom refuses to take out a parent plus loan, and since I live with my single mother, it will be difficult for her to contribute anyways since she is fairly low income. My dad is out of the picture, by the way. If I were to go to University of Oregon, a college that I would feel more academically comfortable at, and specializes more in my field since I am majoring in a liberal art, would cause me to go 7k a year in student loan debt, accumulating to, at the worst, 28k for all four years. The debt is all because of the dorms+food, I got my tuition covered in scholarships/ grants. I am a very strong student, however I am averse to student science and math after high school because I feel burned out, and those subjects are extremely difficult for me, I just do not like them at all. At University of Oregon I would not have to take a math or hard lab science, which will be great, and I can focus more on classes geared words my major. Also, the setting is competitive for liberal arts majors, which will be a good experience for me, and there seems to be great internship connections and opportunities for liberal arts majors. I have heard about students getting internships for Vogue, CNN, and other big corporations. Interning is SO important for my major as I would like to break into the media field, or at least do some work in it.

At Oregon State University, I would be debt free, since I would live at home ( I live 18 minutes away). I also received scholarship and grants that covered my tuition. I would have ZERO debt when I graduate. However, I would have to take THREE hard lab science classes, and one math class, which gives me tremendous anxiety. Also, there are WAY to many baccalaureate core classes, it accumulates to 58 CORE classes I need to take outside my major in order to graduate, which makes no sense to me. I feel like I would be fulfilled enough or learn enough in my field because of this. Also, liberal arts is a scarce thing at OSU, since it is a hardcore engineering University. I feel like its not as good as University of Oregon or serious enough, and the newspaper, or other writing clubs look unprofessional/ not as good compared to University of Oregon. I would also be living at home, which will be sad because I wont have the college experience. I wanted to sort of let loose and get out of my predominant comfort zone. I also am not getting along w/ my family so that would be difficult. I am worried about how internships will view my courses and college choice, and I am afraid I wont look as competitive as liberal art college students…or be as well informed.

So, my mother would need to purchase a car for me if I go to OSU because I need to drive to school every morning, where as if I go to University of Oregon, my mom wouldn’t be able to afford a car for me because she would be paying $3500 a year out of pocket to send me to University of Oregon, which would go to my room+board fee (sicne shes not borrowing a parent plus loan). I would also have to do work study at University of Oregon, which I am completely okay with, however I wonder if I will have time for academic clubs, like writing for newspaper, Her Campus Blog, etc? Academic clubs are SO important for my field of study. At OSU, I wouldn’t need a job, however I WILL get one, but it would probably be more flexible and I would have time for writing clubs, etc. I also at OSU would possibly be able to study abroad since my mom would be saving a bit more money and I would be saving all of my working money instead of it going to room and board. I could always move out second year if I go to University of Oregon, however that is not guaranteed, since I would need a roommate, and I would be basically working nonstop, possibly, since rent is around +400 with a roommate (my mom would buy me groceries, so that I wouldn’t pay for).

Basically:

OSU
*Pros:
-No debt
-Car
-Can save money for graduate school and possibly for study abroad
*Cons:
-Too close to home, A LOT of people I dislike/ never want to see again are going to OSU from my high school. I had a bad high school social experience and sort of wanted to start over. I don’t mean to sound whiny, sorry.
-Not a liberal arts school/ doesn’t have THAT strong of a liberal arts program therefore
-Internships will be iffy
-Location (Corvallis) is fairly rural and my major leans towards more urban/ metropolitan areas
-WAY to many core class/ general university requirements (51 credits out of 160) that do not correlate to my major at all (math, lab science, etc)
-Living at home would feel like high school again, I have a controlling mom and my moms live in boyfriend is insane.
Oregon State University
*Pros
-Great internship connections
-Great liberal arts program, amazing English department

  • Has a law school
    -I would live at a dorm
    -Academic clubs are amazing
    -I would be able to jump into my major more quickly because I have WAY less general university core classes that need to be fulfilled. But I wouldn’t mind taking the core classes anyway, since they are all liberal arts classes.
    -NO MATH OR SCIENCE REQUIRED

    -New friends and environment
    *Cons
    -7k a year in student loan debt
    -Would basically need to work a lot so not that much time for academic clubs most likely. However, students can manage both, so.
  • No car
    -My mom would have to pay a bit more (1500-2000 more), which will be hard on her since she doesn’t have retirement money saved
    -Will feel guilty

I need a great GPA for graduate school (at least a 3.8). Grad school will be expensive as well, but I also need stellar academics/ resources. So…please give me guidance. I am stressed out beyond belief and have no idea what to do.

2

I am just scared of being in possibly 28k of debt for a humanities degree, being debt free would be nice, but I don’t know if I would get the same amount of education if I choose that route.

3

Having a law school means nothing (as an aside). Have you included your own summer earning in your calculations? You should be able to earn a few thousand dollars per summer. However… thise internships at places like Vogue are often unpaid and in super expensive places – so don’t think you are likely to get them

How can your mom buy you a car if she would be stretched for the $1500 per year? It seems about like a wash to me from her perspective. I’d go the UOregon route, BUT… honestly, I’d major in English or journalism, and add a more practical minor.

4

The U of O dollar figures you gave aren’t including the extra for Clark Honors, is that right? And you didn’t want to consider PSU or a CC?

5

My mom is using her tax return money ($3500) to purchase a car from me that she found at a really discounted rate (from a family friend) and insurance, etc. I will be having a full time, 8-5 job this summer, if all works out, that pays 11.00 per hour. I start right after graduation so it would be a 2 1/2 month employment about, so i should gross in 3k. All of my summer earnings will be going to pay off my unsubsidized loan since it collects interest, hopefully, (2k) so my total loan debt would be in this case 5k for the first year. The rest would be paying for my books. Then, my total “out of pocket” would still be around $3500, which my mom will pay for upfront. What im worried about is second year…what will I do then? I know internships at major cities will be expensive but the money I save from working during the summer would be saved and a BIT of my moms money would be saved as well so I would have enough barely for maybe one great huge internship in a major city. There are always different housing options though and possible assistance, right? My mom said for the first year it will cost the same amount of money for me to attend UO and OSU, there is no financial difference on her part, however, there is a financial difference on my part (debt). In the long run, it will be cheaper for me to attend OSU at my cost…and slightly for my mom as well, since her income tax money wont all be going to my room and board (living at home), but instead only a bit of it would go to insurance and the rest saved.

6

I’ve just heard horror stories about debt…what if I cant find a job after graduation? Do I want to be in more debt then I need to be if I want to go to education grad school?

7

I didn’t consider PSU, unfortunately. For some reason I was told by students that go there that it isn’t a good school and they didn’t like it, so I didnt apply. I dont want to go to a community college, since OSU is essentially like a community college for me, since I would be going for free. I actually have high stats, but scholarships can only cover so much, and state schools at max give around 8k-10k, which was my scholarship, about. Grants are included in tuition, there is no coverage for my dorm unless I do a work study, which I will do if I go to UO, but its only about 1,500 a year…better then nothing I guess, anything helps. I am not attending the honors college.

8

Oregon has a very nice education school for undergrads. There are 4 majors and 1 of those- speech pathology and audiology- has had a 100% job placement record. See the description “Communication Disorders” on the UO website. It says it is BA/BS degree, so I don’t know how much “science” is required. I actually tried to get my DD interested in it. The description mentions preparing students for graduate work in that field as well.

9

You likely are not going to be able to afford an unpaid internship. You should be working for money every summer. Try to write for the school paper for sure, wherever you choose. The problem with the car is that you also have to pay for repairs, gas, and insurance. A $3500 car may be on the verge of pricey repairs.

10

Its actually a good car- a barely used Prius. My mom’s client owns the vehicle and has no use for it because she is old and cannot drive, so shes willing to give it to us at a very cheap price…if everything works out. Will working for money look bad? Internships are such a big deal in my field. I am afraid it will be hard for me to break into this business, since I do not come from a lot of money. I am an extremely hard working go-getter, and I want to become editor in chief for a school publication and work in other writing outlets on campus. What would be a more practical minor? I am not good at science and although I am good at math that is only so because I literally have to devote all of my time to it and study constantly, it really is a burden and something that I am not interested in. I plan to take technical writing classes, however. I could at least get a position/ internship in Portland, though.

11

Since students don’t declare majors at Oregon until sophomore year you could do first year (maybe even sophomore year) in Corvallis then transfer to Eugene. I know at your age that one year seems like a lifetime but it goes by quick. Again, make sure to check the requirements for the audiology program so you know what you need to take at OSU.

12

Audiology? Im majoring in English, what is that? There are so many bacc core requirements at OSU that the credits would transfer over oddly. Also, what if I do not do well in the science courses and then I will regret going to OSU in the first place.

13

Tech writing is a good backup plan – although having a tech background is pretty useful, so skipping all math/CS type classes might be an issue.

I want to address your comments on science/math courses, though. Like you, I was a lot better at English & humanities courses. I could do math & science, but they took so much work. Looking back many years later, I feel like a bit of an idiot for making some choices that I did in college just because math & science were harder work for me. I think you need to suck it up and not let that be a factor in your decision. And if you want to be a tech writer, you probably have to take some CS classes.

14

True… the reason I am so averse to science is because my school has a horrible science program (yes, I took honors). I have gone to school practically learning nothing in any of my science courses but still getting A’s in all of the courses because the tests are open book, and there are so many homework assignments/ labs that outweigh tests. I am intimated by science more then I am bad at it , I suppose, because I just have no background in it, all of the classes have been so easy, even someone who isn’t trying could get a fairly good grade. I have no science knowledge so I am going to college pretty much clueless about science, which freaks me out. My school’s English and Math classes are great and super difficult, so I am more prepared in those areas. The technical writing comes with the writing minor, so should I then have two minors? Writing is not a major at both schools.

15

I am finding your description of your ambitions, OP, confusing to say the least. Are you determined to pursue technical writing and/or journalism? Law, education, or any field that has good job prospects, so long as it is at UO? It is pretty obvious that you really want to be a Duck and not a Beaver and you want validation for that choice. I say great, UO seems like a better fit academically for you. You clearly understand your responsibilities to minimize debt and you seem committed to give it 110% effort. It doesn’t sound like your mother objects. Put down your deposit there. Stay away from drugs. Visit the beautiful Education building and inquire about the placement record for the different majors. Try to clerk at a law firm that does intellectual property and patent work first before even considering law school. Good luck!

16

I’m super confused!

You would have $7k per year debt plus your mom would have to pay 1.5-2k a year? Or is it $5500 student loan plus she pays 1.5-2 (bc she won’t do a plus loan, which equals the 7?)

If the total per year is $7, and mom pays $1.5, then you just have $5500 loans. If you work each summer, you could get it to $3k a year in loans, leaving any excess for books and such. That’s $12k for 4 years.

I would try to find pt work outside of work study so you can earn throughout Sophomore-senior year to make up the $ you won’t get in the summers.

17

Sorry about the confusion:
My tuition is payed for in scholarships and grants. I do not count personal expenses in this because I do not need to buy anything else since I live 35 minutes away from Eugene.
The room and board cost is 11,000, my loan is 7,000. Within that loan is an unsubidized loan of 2,000. If I work this summer, hopefully, I will make 3,000, which will go toward paying my unsubsidized loan so I wont have to borrow an unsubsidized loan, just a subsidized loan in the amount of 5,000. Now, I still have 1,000 left, which will go toward my books. My mom can pay 3,500. The out of pocket expense that I need, since she will not borrow a parent plus loan, is 11,000-7,000=4,000. My mom said that if this is the case she will pay an extra $500 to eliminate the extra, since 4,000-3,500= 500, but that is all she can contribute. By next year I need to move out of the dorms and rent and apartment w/ a roommate.

Yes, I do want to go to the University of Oregon because I would feel more academically comfortable there…however debt really freaks me out, and since I am majoring in a humanity, I have a perhaps shaky future. Being debt free would allow me to move to a big city after graduation without worries (with a job of course), and its just better to be debt free. Im just worried all of this wont work out, and that going to the University of Oregon is just not realistic for me and wouldnt do me any good because the whole reason why I want to go to University of Oregon is for the extracurricular activities offered and the fact that its a liberal arts school, which means my core requirements are very much writing based, etc.