The Classic Question... full ride ok school vs $0 ivy league school

roblan · 03-13-2009, 08:20 PM

Would you rather attend a top tier school on no scholarship or a good school on a full scholarship.

I'm sure all of you have been asked this question. I've been asked tons of times and I always said I would rather go to the top tier Ivy League school....but then again it was just a hypothetical question for me back then. Now that I know that I've received a full scholarship to a good school (don't know why they told me so early; decisions aren't mailed until April) I am having trouble answering the question.

I've applied to a few very good schools like Cornell, Columbia, JHU, & Duke but I don't know what to do if I am accepted to one of them.

I plan to go into engineering and the school that I got a full scholarship to has one of the best undergraduate engineering schools where the highest degree is a bachelor’s or master’s to let you know how good 'good' is.

I am just curious, which school would you guys pick and why?...And you are from a middle class family

Duper · 03-13-2009, 08:21 PM

Full ride. Doesn't make sense to pay 200k+ for undergrad.

chaserz · 03-13-2009, 08:21 PM

what is considered a "good" school

higgins · 03-13-2009, 08:28 PM

I believe a study was done comparing kids who had been accepted to Ivys, but chose for whatever reason to go to their state school, with a comparable Ivy student.
Outcome was the same. If you can get into an Ivy, you results will be the same in the long run.

I have a son at princeton, and the ONLY advantage to our state school might be an easier path the Wall Street (whoopie!!). I see no advantage for a pre-professional.

ruskie · 03-13-2009, 08:29 PM

depends on your financial situation. IF you can afford to pay for the Ivies, go there, if you can't go to the other school. Being in debt is not worth it for basically the same education, especially since the ok school has a great engineering program.

roblan · 03-13-2009, 08:33 PM

A school with like
SAT 50% range:
M:610-720
CR:580-680

about 35% acceptance rate

And I would say I am middle class

Anon_Person_1 · 03-13-2009, 08:45 PM

I always used to say the "ivy league school". Personally, now that I'm a senior, I've pretty much decided on a school with a similar SAT range (as you mentioned, OP) with a really good honors college w/full tuition. A lot of people in this economy will be taking the free ride, so the peer group will be stronger.

airanderson · 03-13-2009, 08:49 PM

Well since you mention the "really good honors college", which schools would you say have really good honors colleges?

Anon_Person_1 · 03-13-2009, 08:53 PM

^ Assuming you're asking me, well, the honors college @ UPitt has a lot of honors courses (50-60 a term) from introductory to advanced in the subjects I'm interested in. Plus, there are a lot of activities (free book clubs, speakers, events, specifically for honors students), and opportunities. Summer research, study abroad programs specifically for honors kids. Also, people aren't "forced" to do anything in the honors college-it's all what you want to do. A lot of rhodes scholars and marshall scholars are produced with all the mentoring, etc. Idk, I was impressed.

I've also heard UMaryland's honors college is good, but I don't know too much.

rogracer · 03-13-2009, 08:56 PM

Engineering is really not a prestige-driven profession. Ivy doesn't mean much in the engineering world...and if you are going to have career beyond the most menial, you will need an advanced degree, so you will need to continue on anyway. Take the full ride.

If you think you ultimately want investment banking, or something similar, the Ivy path may be beneficial...but for engineering, not really.

SingDanceRunLife · 03-13-2009, 09:23 PM

Full ride, not doubt. (Upper middle class here).

This is, of course, assuming that I actually liked the full ride school and would be happy going there.

For example, I could have applied to Cornell, probably would have gotten in, and would have a full ride (mom's worked there forever). However, Cornell doesn't have nursing so I wouldn't be happy there since I would have to find another field of study.

OldOldMan · 03-13-2009, 10:15 PM

You said you still haven't heard from the other colleges that you applied to. So you don't know the cards you've been dealt. If you are truly "Middle Class", you should receive financial aid. JHU for one does offer some merit aid.
In any case, Good Luck! I am 100% sure the right answer will become easily apparent when you have all the information.

ginab591 · 03-13-2009, 10:19 PM

That's a good question. I hope I'm in the same position as you...I don't know what the answer is, but I hope I'm in the same position.

And OldMan, the middle class rarely gets financial aid.

khsstitches · 03-13-2009, 10:41 PM

D is in this situation. We are not pushing her to the full ride school but I admit,it isn't easy. The cost of the other colleges even with decent fin aid will still be huge for us. We need to think retirement, and she needs to think about how much debt she is willing to assume.....she wants med school or something similar afterwards. Seems to me the full ride school, which she likes, doesn't love, is the best plan financially.....especially if the economy continues to do poorly. Unfortunately she see's it as a safety school and that she is dumbing down....!!!!!

Hope2getrice · 03-13-2009, 10:52 PM

unless it's Harvard, Yale, Princeton, stanford, or MIT, i don't see the need.
even then, you have to ask yourself what exactly you want to do for the future. Spending $200k on pre-med would be kinda unnecessary, but if you are looking at doing I-Banking (shudders) in the future, maybe the Ivies and other top schools like Duke, NYU, JHU, etc would serve you better.