<p>I had expected Tufts to cost me around $50,000 / year, and so had written it off as being too expensive. When i checked online at my financial aid package, i found out they had given me almost $10,000 in grants and another $6000 in loans/work study. So the cost amounts to $36,000 a year for my family, alot of money but not quite as much as I had thought it would be.</p>
<p>I was offered $27,000 at both Boston University and George Washington University with the tuition exchange scholarship, and have a full ride at the University at Maryland as a banneker key scholar - so I had narrowed it down to these three schools. </p>
<p>$36000 makes sense as an expected cost for my family given our financial situation, however, my dad has refused to contribute money to pay for schools other than Maryland given my full ride there. My mom is willing to pay for Tufts, but she could only cover about $20,000 a year (and that's still alot of money for her). </p>
<p>I LOVE Tufts, but is it worth the loans that my mom and I would have to take out for the additional $16,000 (plus the $4000 in loans that the school is giving me)? I want to go to grad school, so I'll need money for that too. And also, would my grades/extracurriculars be more likely to suffer if I was doing work study (whereas at the other places I probably wouldn't be working during the school year)?</p>
<p>Any outside perspectives would be greatly appreciated!!</p>