<p>I received the presidential scholarship to alabama and auburn. I also applied to tulane and received the founders scholarship. The tuition at tulane is 46,930, but I received a 22,000 scholarship per year. I haven't decided which of the schools to pick yet, but I think I would feel a little guilty if I didn't take the full tuition. I won't be taking out loans as money is not an issue, otherwise I would have for sure taken the full tuition. I also haven't decided on a major though I am probably going to end up doing something in the medical field. Advice? (I am also applying to the paul tulane award which would grant me a full scholarship, but my chances are very slim since I don't have very competitive stats).</p>
<p>Tulane’s total COA is over $60K/year. After the scholarship, your net cost is ~$38K/year (unless you’re getting other aid). So you’re asking if Tulane is worth over $150K more than Auburn or Alabama?</p>
<p>Why are you even hesitating over this?
Do you realize how much medical school will cost?</p>
<p>You said money isn’t an issue? So does that mean your parents are paying for school? If so, I would ask them if they mind you skipping the full tuition for Tulane. If they don’t mind, why should you?</p>
<p>My dad paid for my sisters college (carnegie mellon with half tuition) and all expenses, and also supported her fully/paid tuition during law school at yale. I am not saying medical school for me, but maybe something such as dentistry or pharmacy, which I would not pay for either.</p>
<p>We also didn’t qualify for any type of financial aid, so money is no issue at all. I just don’t know if it is worth the extra money.</p>
<p>Have your parents recently changed their tune? In recent threads you’ve made it sound like they didn’t want to pay a lot of money for your undergrad. Are they now saying that they will? </p>
<p>And, just because a family doesn’t qualify for aid doesn’t mean that money isn’t an issue. </p>
<p>Get things clarified with your dad. Ask him if he’ll pay for Tulane (or someother pricey school) AND pay for Dental or Pharmacy school. The whole enchilada could be $300k-400k or more.</p>
<p>Have you taken an honors tour on Bama’s campus? It seems that you’ve bought into a lot of stereotypes on your other threads, but it didnt’ sound like you had been on an honors tour.</p>
<p>My dad is willing to pay for college and can afford anywhere. Better question: costs completely disregarded, would tulane, auburn, or alabama be a better place to attend?</p>
<p>Alabama or Tulane. Not Auburn. But given your circumstances I would choose Alabama in a heartbeat.</p>
<p>Have you toured Alabama? If not, do so. I can give you the contact info to set up a tour with the Honors College.</p>
<p>If you think you will go with Pharmacy you should seriously think about Auburn. You can get your PharmD in 6 years instead of going 8 years.</p>
<p>We had a similar decision last year…</p>
<p>Tulane at $40,000 or our instate U at $12,000. (along with some other choices)</p>
<p>Son wisely chose our instate U. Tulane would have been a stretch financially for us so that clearly impacted the decision. The answer might have been different if money was no object.</p>
<p>Nobody but you can answer whether Ala, Auburn, or Tulane is a better place because, well…it depends on who is asking and who is answering.</p>
<p>Did my family think Tulane U was worth $120,000 more than our instate U…not a chance in **** even if we had the cash.</p>
<p>never turn down full tuition scholarship, ill save you a lot of problems, and worries…but also think what college you like better and such, one your gonna feel good going too. don’t make a rash decision</p>
<p>OP, you state that your father paid CMU (half tuition) so that could mean that your family qualified for financial aid at CMU (CMU isn’t known to give out big merit scholarships). In turn if your family qualified for financial need (which can include loans) at CMU it could mean that your father isn’t as wealthy as you may think. Plus the other expenses paid at law school may have put him in debt. A frank discussion would be in order to truly get a grasp on what your family’s financial situation is at this point.</p>
<p>Can you please post a summary of your stats?</p>
<p>There is a theme going on here that I’m willing to disagree with - that the full tuition scholarship is always the better deal. Really? Full tuition to Southeast Missouri State is better than having to pay full ride at Harvard? Really? Sorry, but Harvard is worth the extra $250K. I’ll even step it up to a state flagship. Harvard is still worth $250K more than the University of North Dakota, fine institution that it is, unless you plan on living in North Dakota the rest of your life.</p>
<p>Obviously Auburn/Alabama vs. Tulane is a much closer shave and may even tip the other way, but to blanket assume that the full-ride is always the better deal is just silly.</p>
<p>I think Bama’s an under-rated school, and Tulane might be a little over-rated. I’d be inclined to tip towards Bama. But you’re the one has to spend four years at one of these places. Why are you so tempted by Tulane?</p>
<p>I don’t know about those particular schools, but I made the choice to attend the school I wanted and turned down several full-ride athletic scholarships in order to do so. The school I chose doesn’t offer merit or athletic scholarships, just need-based. </p>
<p>My mom told me up front how much she could afford ($10k/yr) and that I would have to make up the difference. I worked a couple jobs and paid the difference that wasn’t made up with need-based aid. </p>
<p>It was absolutely worth it in my opinion. I just felt “home” when at the school I chose and I can’t imagine having gone anywhere else.</p>
<p>This was back in the 90s, so perhaps feelings are different now, but my mom told me her contribution and I made an informed choice based on that.</p>
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<p>Except this isn’t a choice between a directional versus Harvard. OP have concrete choices: Alabama orAuburn versus Tulane. Alabama isn’t something to disdain or quickly reject out of hand, especially for Tulane. </p>
<p>I would check out the pre-pharmacy or pharmacy programs at all three schools (if they have them). Tour all the schools. Then make your choice. I’m not saying to take the full rides, but likewise don’t dismiss a college without checking it out.</p>
<p>Lastly, the higher ranked school or the one with the “better” name is not necessarily the best foot fit you. Always choose fit over name and/or money.</p>
<p>Roonil - there is no way a student could make up the difference in tuition by working part time now, and I wouldn’t encourage a student in taking out large loans to pay for college.</p>
<p>I agree with MrMom that full tuition is not always the best choice. I have often posted that the reason a school is willing to give someone merit scholarship is to “buy” their academic achievement. They want to attract high achieving students in order to elevate their reputation. </p>
<p>We were in this situation with D1. We decided to turn down the full scholarship because we could. I won’t say it was an easy decision to turn down close to 200K, but after getting her to that point, we wanted to give her the last push.</p>
<p>MrMom:
I’ll even step it up to a state flagship. Harvard is still worth $250K more than the University of North Dakota, fine institution that it is, unless you plan on living in North Dakota the rest of your life.</p>
<p>Really, it depends. It depends on where the $250k is coming from. IF it’s coming from the school as FA or it’s coming from parents who won’t be ransacking their retirement, then that MAY be true if the career goal requires an ivy education.</p>
<p>IF the parents will pay for undergrad, but not for dental, med, grad, etc school, then taking the large merit may mean little or no debt later on. My younger son didn’t have to take out loans for med school because we spent little on his undergrad. </p>
<p>However, there are MANY careers where it really doesnt’ matter. If the OP were to want to become a doctor, dentist, nurse, teacher, engineer, or a host of other careers, spending $250k unnecessarily may not be the wisest choice. </p>
<p>Any of those schools can get you into dental or pharm school. They all have the Pre-XXX classes needed, so that’s not an issue. </p>
<p>I believe that the student has an ACT 32 or close to it, since she something she wrote in another thread sounded like she just met the minimum req’ts for the full tuition to Alabama.</p>
<p>Anyway, the choice isn’t between Harvard and a state school.</p>
<p>* have often posted that the reason a school is willing to give someone merit scholarship is to “buy” their academic achievement. They want to attract high achieving students in order to elevate their reputation. *</p>
<p>and what’s wrong with that. One could argue that the top schools do the same with their super need-based aid. They’re providing funds to top students who otherwise couldn’t afford to attend. And, schools like HYPS are so overly generous that even those with very strong incomes are getting large awards. Those awards could be argued to be merit awards since those schools have essentially redefined “need” to justify large awards.</p>