I’ve been accepted to all of the above schools and I’m freaking out because I don’t know which to choose! I should note that I’m from nyc, and I’m very used to nyc.
Yale has given me enough aid to make it affordable for me, but that aid will likely decrease come my junior year of college, when my older brother graduates from medical school and lessens costs for my parents.
Macaulay is completely free, including study abroad. I should note that I am an intended history major, but I don’t have much of an idea of what I want to do for a living. Should I go here, I could probably use the money I save for graduate school at an ivy. All signs are pointing to Macaulay, but I’m just feeling a bit hesitant about turning down such a big offer. I’m also extremely aware of how great my classmates’ commitments are, and questioning whether I should commit to an elite institution as well.
I’ve spoken to a graduate from my high school who attends Macaulay. She has said she enjoys it, but her advisors are disorganized and her classes aren’t very challenging. She has also mentioned that diversity is an issue at the school. I guess that is an issue at every institution.
Another option would be Columbia/Barnard, to which I have received decent enough aid, and get to have the prestige of Yale while staying in nyc and being close to my mother, who has recently been diagnosed with stage 4 metastatic breast cancer. Problem is, those are both more expensive than Yale.
If anyone stayed to read this, thank you! I could really use some advice
I’m so sorry about your mother. Our family is very close, so I would absolutely choose one close to home. Yale is actually a pretty easy ride to NYC, so I wouldn’t rule it out based solely on distance. How much would it cost once your brother graduates? Would you be able to cover the higher cost with minimal loans?
I don’t know much, but I read your post earlier today and keep thinking about you! Your mother must be so proud of your accomplishments, and I do hope she gets the treatment she needs and does well.
Is there a chance to appeal to Barnard explaining your current circumstances?
First, I hope your mother is receiving excellent care and has many happy years ahead of her. Second, have you had any time to speak with Yale’s financial aid office about the scenario that you mentioned - what potentially might happen to the financial aid after your sibling is no longer in medical school? I cannot tell if what you posted is what you surmise might happen, or if you spoke with Yale and that is what Yale has told you. While finances are a hugely important factor, it’s also important to make this decision with the best information that you can get, and that means going right to the source. The Macaulay program is amazing, but Yale could open doors for you in ways that Macaulay simply cannot. And Yale is not far at all from NYC - you could be home in 2 hrs on the Metro North. Whatever you decide, all options are excellent. Best of luck to you.
As for Yale costing more when your older brother graduates from medical school, you should definitely call their financial aid office to confirm that, because I think it is unlikely that you are getting more money now because of his medical school. Most schools only give additional aid when a sibling is an undergraduate, not when he/she is in graduate school or medical school or law school. So it is very likely that the financial aid package you have now will continue for four years, regardless of your brother, unless your parent’s income or assets change drastically (unrelated to your brother’s education).
Without any other considerations, Barnard would be my recommendation. My reason is that you are an intended History major with no idea what you will do with such a degree.
What does one do with a degree in History? Many things, but one of the most common things to do with it is to teach. Barnard offers a program for teacher certification, something unheard of at the other Ivies. Not something you have to do, but nice to have as an option - especially since you would not only be guaranteed a job but could have your pick of jobs with an Ivy League degree. At Yale, you will be ruling that out as an undergrad option while you’re still undecided about your future.
Macaulay sounds appealing, but hearing your friend’s feedback tells you what the risks are in taking that option.
I strongly encourage you to appeal your financial aid award to Barnard. It’s important that you speak to someone directly either by phone or in person, so they experience the fact that it’s a real, live human being that they’re affecting, not a number. Start with an admissions. Your appeal can be based on the better offer from Yale, which is certainly a peer institution, and on your mother’s health, which is certainly an extenuating circumstance.
As a husband and father of 3 daughters, I feel just awful about your mother’s health crisis. Barnard would be my recommendation anyway, but it certainly has the added benefit of you being close to home with the added possibility that she might be able to visit you. As someone who is a native New Yorker and now lives not far from Yale, I can tell you that Yale is not 2 hours from home by public transit. First, you have to get from your dorm to the train station, which is not right next to campus. Then it’s 2 hours to Grand Central. And then you have to get from Grand Central to wherever you live in the city, which can easily mean at least 3 hours if not more.
