<p>I've been accepted SCEA at Yale and have received a full ride at my state school, Rutgers. I didn't end up applying anywhere else for RD so these are pretty much my options. I was just wondering if the "prestige factor" at Yale is worth it. My financial aid at Yale isn't the greatest; it's not the worst either, but I would have to take out other loans and graduate with a few thousand dollars of debt. fwiw, I'm THINKING of majoring in a STEM field (maybe med school) but am not particularly certain, and I'm privy to changing my mind. Here's what I've considered:</p>
<p>Pro-Yale:
- I think I'd be more able to pursue a liberal arts education at Yale as opposed to Rutgers. This is especially important because I don't know what I want to do in my life lol.
- The name. Obviously as one of the most prestigious schools in the world, Yale opens up a network of social and economic opportunities.
- I'd also probably be happier at Yale, with its close-knit high-spirited moderate-sized student body. Rutgers is huge and coming from a large public high school, I'd much prefer a smaller community. The residential college system at Yale is to die for. I also think I'll enjoy a more cerebral/intellectual community at Yale (not that Rutgers doesn't have that, just not to the same degree) and the "small fish in a big pond" feeling won't really bother me that much.
- Influence on grad schools/ employers. I know firms like to recruit at Yale. It just might be easier to find a job or get into grad school, especially with the opportunities to succeed.</p>
<p>Pro-Rutgers
- I also got into the Honors program, meaning guaranteed research opportunities. I don't know how difficult it is to land research opportunities at Yale.
- closer to home...? I don't know if that's really a good thing though. I mean I'll have A LOT of friends going to Rutgers.
- not graduating with debt
- 6 year pharmacy program. Again I like Chemistry and I know that pharmacy's booming right now, but I don't know if I want to do that just yet.
- not sure about this, but easier to graduate at the top of the class?</p>
<p>Any advice to help me make my decision will be very much appreciated!</p>
<p>I say go to Rutgers on a full ride. If you want to go to medical school, you want to save as much money as you can. Furthermore, you’ll have guaranteed research opportunities and it will be easier to make excellent grades (both important for med school)</p>
<p>If you don’t want to go to med school, you will always find your niche. Rutgers is a huge school. You’ll find intellectual people with the same interests and passions. And graduating with a high GPA in the Rutgers Honors program should not have you at a huge disadvantage relative to Yale graduates</p>
<p>Take the full ride at Rutgers! Medical school is very costly, and truthfully, the prestige factor of Yale (or HP, for that matter) is not worth the cost if you and your family have to take out loans. Save the money for med school and go to Rutgers – it’s a great school!</p>
<p>Agree that taking the full ride at Rutgers is a GREAT opportunity, so you can explore and figure out where your interests lie, including research with great profs via the honors program. IF you decide you want to go to grad/med school, it’s very important to graduate with no debt so you can not be crushed by debt and have that restrict your choices of grad school and profession.</p>
<p>Congrats on having these great options! Debt gets old really fast and you don’t want to be paying off loans while you’re trying to figure out if you can afford med school. Really, give yourself freedom by allowing yourself to get a paid for great education!</p>
<p>If you were not talking Yale (or Harvard, Princeton, MIT, Stanford, CIT), I would fully vote for Rutgers free ride. But there is a long term value to a connection to a Yale (or HPS) that goes far beyond getting in to medical school. You will make connections that are invaluable and you will have a diploma to hang on the wall of your office that gives patients or clients or whatever business you end up in be both impressed and comforted. Rutgers is an excellent school, but Yale will bring more benefits long beyond the stage of getting in to medical school.</p>
<p>^“What if” what? Sounds like the OP will have tremendous opportunities being in the honors program at Rutgers. If doing undergraduate research is more likely, and he/she is leaning toward a STEM major, the choice seems pretty clear.</p>
<p>To me, Yale is worth $20,000. I think the name, the degree, and the overall experience and memories that you’ll get from the four years will be invaluable. Oh, how I wish I was in your position right now.</p>
<p>I won’t even think about it. Most people wont think twice to go into 20k+ debt for a car! 20k is not going to make a meaningful difference on the amount of debt you are going incur for med school. And 20k debt is not going to cripple you if you dont go med school. Go Yale.</p>
<p>I’d vote for Yale also. It will be worth it in the long run. I also believe that Yale is great in most STEM fields and has plenty of undergraduate research opportunities.</p>
<p>There’s barely anything in the OP about med school. >.></p>
<p>You don’t know what you want to do in life, so Yale seems like the best bet. Let’s be honest. Which school will open the most doors, allow you the greatest flexibility, and provide you a stronger education?</p>
<p>It’s Yale.</p>
<p>And by the format of your post, I bet you like that school more.</p>
<p>D2 had the same “dilemma” a few years back. She was accepted to Yale SCEA and was also the recipient of the full-ride Moorehead-Cain scholarship at UNC Chapel Hill. She followed her heart and, with our blessings, chose Yale. Though I can never know what she would have accomplished at UNC, I know that she exceeded even her dreams at Yale. She was an Economics major and had perhaps the most amazing four years of her life. She made life-long friends, had her choice of great internships, and is now employed in a field she loves and in which she has a very promising future. Would things have been the same if she had gone to UNC? Quite possibly, but for us, the money we spent on Yale was well worth it. </p>
<p>This is important: don’t push yourself or your parents beyond your/their financial parameters; no school is worth crushing debt that you cannot repay. Only you know what that is. All points of view should be considered. And good luck! You have a wonderful “problem.”</p>
<p>I was in your similar situation. My parents gave me the blessing to turn down the buckets o’ money and accept Yale which included $ out of pocket. $20K is not a lot for some people. It’s a lot for others. You can plan on working a term-time job (which actually focuses your schedule and frankly, earns a lot of money) and that $20K can be diminished.</p>
<p>Frankly, speak to Yale Fin Aid and ask for a final review – telling them frankly your other opportunity (be prepared to show them Rutgers award documents). They may be inclined to give out a little more. Good luck to you.</p>
<p>^^ Rebel: be serious. Maybe you’re fortunate enough where a “few thousand” is a casual phrase. For some families, it’s an entire year’s of meager income.</p>
<p>^ Have you looked up the definition of few?? An entire years income?? Really??How are we supposed to give advice when the OP says a few thousand?? Don’t you ever get tired of ■■■■■ posts? If not ■■■■■ than the phoney drama posts? If we assume the OP isn’t trolling than it would be stupid to pick Rutgers over Yale because of a few thousand dollars.</p>