Yet Another, "Where Should I Go?" Thread

Applying to College
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<p>Okay, I know the general advice is to "follow the money," but is that always the best way to go? Money is an issue for me, but there are so many other factors that are also extremely important to me. I'd say it's reasonable for me and my family to take out about 10-15k in loans a year. I'm planning to major in Communications/Journalism. I love the city and I don't really mind the "NYU Effect" or lack of a campus. I know I want to go into something with communications, so it's important to me that that department is strong. Anyway, here's the list:</p>

<p>BU -- was my top choice, but they literally gave me NO MONEY. I did everything I could, and I'm sure you can find me ranting about it on the BU forums... anyway. Point is: 50k in loans = No Thanks!</p>

<p>American U -- Only gave me half the COA, and I got into this odd program where I don't get fin aid for the first semester. Was my second choice.</p>

<p>Emerson C -- Have take 25k a year in loans. For those who don't know, it's in Boston & has a great Journalism department. Other problem is that it's really small.</p>

<p>Suffolk U -- In Boston. No name, only known for the law school. But great communications department and much cleaner & nicer than you'll read. Only problem is not that selective & no "wow" name. Have to pay 10k a year.</p>

<p>Emmanuel -- Boston... which I love if you didn't guess. Very, very small. Tiny campus and few buildings. Nice school but not sure if I can handle it that small, even if it is right on the Fenway. 10k a year as well.</p>

<p>UNH -- New Hampshire, where I live. Aka I can pretty much go there for free. Biggest issue is that it's got a party school rep and I know half the kids who go there. High school all over again. Basically last choice.</p>

<p>Got into Simmons C, & UVM too, but they're off the list</p>

<p>Any thoughts/advice/suggestions are very much appreciated! Best of luck to other HS class of '11 seniors making this huge decision!</p>

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<p>I would go with either Emerson or American…I mean, you’d still have debt but at least you seem to have gotten decent FA. Both schools have amazing locations and their conveniently located in Boston and DC respectively, where there are plently of journalism opportunities. With some of the other schools you got accepted in, you’ll have less debt but I don’t think the intellectual environment or quality of education will be as strong there.
GOOD LUCK:)</p>

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<p>Thanks GoldOwl! I know both these cities are great for journalistic oppurtunities… Still, I don’t want to get too over my head in debt if I don’t “climb up the ladder” as fast I would like to.</p>

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<p>Obnoxious bump…</p>

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<p>Well, this is what I’d do: make a pro and con list and scratch out schools one by one. </p>

<p>Ie: BU is off the list because $50,000 debt for undergraduate? If it was Harvard, I’d say consider it, but it’s not that much better than all the other wonderful places to which you’ve been accepted.</p>

<p>Some things to consider if you choose to make a list (you can even post it here so people can add to it), cost, location, size, quality of department, selectivity, graduate prospects (not sure what your plans here are)… and so on.</p>

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<p>“I’d say it’s reasonable for me and my family to take out about 10-15k in loans a year.”</p>

<p>Do you have your parents’ agreement on this? The only loans that you can qualify for on your own are the federally determined ones (Pell and Stafford). Anything more than that will require either a co-signer for a private loan for you, or for your parents to take out Plus Loans. If you are going to need a co-signer, you need to have a plan for years 2, 3, and 4 in case that co-signer is not approved by the bank in a later year.</p>

<p>BU is out - no aid at all.
AU is out - no aid for the first semester means that you have to come up with something like 25K right off the bat, not to mention the debt load for the rest of the time there.
Emerson is out - 25K x 4 = 100k which you aren’t likely to be able to borrow, and even if you could would result in life-ruining levels of debt upon graduation.</p>

<p>This leaves Suffolk, Emmanuel, and UNH. Run their numbers through this calculator: [FinAid</a> | Calculators | Award Letter Comparison Tool](<a href=“Your Guide for College Financial Aid - Finaid”>Award Letter Requirements - Finaid) and then sit down with your parents and talk about just exactly what the results mean for you and your family.</p>

<p>UNH for free looks good to me. Take a look at the statistics for four year graduation from there. Horrible, right? What that really tells you is that MANY of the kids who spend their first semester boozing it up with their HS pals and cutting classes, are gone by Thanksgiving, and there are a whole bunch more who don’t come back for the second semester. The crowd will be seriously thinned down by Sophomore year, and by the time you hit upper level classes as a Junior, the only people who are still there will be the ones who really want to be there and who are willing and able to do the work. If you end up at UNH because of the money, it won’t necessarily be a horrible experience.</p>

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<p>UNH for free, do very well, and then go into a top notch grad program or transfer after 2 years. Remember it costs more to live in the city.</p>