Is higher prestige for undergrad worth the cost if I plan on doing a PhD?
bunnyrabbitlord
7 replies4 threadsRegistered User New Member
For more context, I have been accepted to RPI and The University of Manchester (UK). UoM is higher ranking, does better research, and I would be getting a MPhys with Theoretical Physics. However, it would cost me ~$60k total while RPI would cost me ~$0 (payment has been worked out with my parents in a way that made these the total costs for each school).
I plan on going into a physics PhD program in the USA whether I attend RPI or UoM and thus I am wondering whether the prestige of UoM is worth the extra cost?
(I am still factoring the experiences of each school as well and not looking solely at cost and ranking but these two are the leading factors)
26 replies I plan on going into a physics PhD program in the USA whether I attend RPI or UoM and thus I am wondering whether the prestige of UoM is worth the extra cost?
(I am still factoring the experiences of each school as well and not looking solely at cost and ranking but these two are the leading factors)
Replies to: Is higher prestige for undergrad worth the cost if I plan on doing a PhD?
Can your family afford the $60k cost difference? If not, then you have an easy decision to go to RPI.
RPI has a career survey at https://rpi.app.box.com/v/AnnualReport , but it does not give useful information about graduate school destinations by major.
Do your parents like RPI more so that they will pay $50k per year there versus $30k per year at Manchester? In any case, it looks like they have decided that you will go to RPI.
At Manchester they do still go over the entry level physics stuff but they do move on a bit too since part of my acceptance to Manchester was dependent on my AP Physics C scores (I needed a 5 on each one).
RPI should be able to get you where you want to go if you do your share toward getting there.
If you have 60K - or even half of that - saved up and it can come out of pocket, then choose the place you like.
Trust you worked out living costs in the UK to add into that cost.
I hope that clears the waters a bit.
If I understand correctly: hypothetically, this plan would essentially force you to choose a school that offers you a scholarship, even if the school is much more expensive and significantly less prestigious. (I'm not saying this is the case with your particular schools, I'm just describing the plan.) Ironically, your parents would then end up paying an amount that is GREATER than the full cost of the less expensive, more prestigious school. Do I have this correct... that their objective is to require you to pay 1/3 of anything, minus scholarships, even under the circumstances I've described?
I guess that's one way of doing things, but I wonder if they would see their idea as a good one if it was laid out this way. So many parents would be thrilled if their own total expense was less!
I am NOT saying that I know anything about these two schools or that the difference in prestige, quality of education, or any other factor is particularly significant. I'm just pointing out that your parents may not realize that there are two ways that you as a student can contribute to a lower COA... one is scholarships; another is choosing a school that costs much less.
As a parent, if you willingly turned down the higher-priced school for a lower-priced one, I would consider that to be similar to taking responsibility for 1/3 COA at the more expensive school. I would see that you lowered my contribution by MORE than if you chose the more expensive school. Personally, if I was willing to pay 2/3 of the COA at the more expensive school, and the entire COA at the less expensive school cost less than that, I would pay the whole thing and send you there without you needing to incur the debt. I get what your parents are trying to teach you in terms of fiscal responsibility, etc., but maybe it would help to frame it for them in this way.
Ironically, you actually WANT to go to the less expensive school. So many times, it's the other way around. I hope your parents will reconsider their plan, and appreciate that, scholarship or no, you would actually be significantly cutting family expenses (yours and theirs put together) and flat-out saving them money by choosing school #2.
Like I wrote, I **think** I understand your parents' financial plan and the comparative cost of the two schools in question. It goes without saying that if I've gotten all of this wrong, please go ahead and ignore the post.
You could also split the difference. Go to RPI undergrad and apply to UofM for the Phd. Makes it free and if you think UofM is best, then you'll gain in both respects.
Honestly I don't think the UofM degree is worth the additional 60K ( and I normally lean towards more debt for a better degree unlike some posters who always say no to debt).