My dream school is UW Madison and I was a direct admit for the civil engineering program. I love everything about the school other than that it will cost $40,000 after financial aid for next year? Would I be better off attending UMN where it will cost $25,000? Both are great schools, I am just very drawn to the environment that madison has to offer with the smaller city feel and being close to multiple lakes. I also really love the traditions and school spirit.
Everyone I know who went to UW loved it. They have an amazing alumni network, especially for engineering and their school spirit is insane. It is a wonderful school. But, if finances are a problem for your family, it might be better to go to UMN. However, it is super important to consider other things in a college, like campus size, greek life, possible minors, internship opportunities, weather, etc. good luck!!
As a UW alum, take the lower tuition.
Where, exactly, do you propose to find the additional $15,000 each year?
Go to UMN. When you feel a need to see the lakes in Madison,make a road-trip over there for the day.
This is going to depend upon your family’s finances. I wouldn’t take on debt to attend UW Madison rather than UMN. However, if your family can afford it without debt or any significant hardship then UW Madison is a very good university. Being a direct admit to the civil engineering program is a plus also.
“Both are great schools,”
I agree with this. I don’t think that you can go wrong as long as you pick a choice that is affordable for you.
Yes, you need to rethink your options. Students can’t borrow 40k/year on their own, nor should they if they could. That debt is far too large and will cripple you in post-college adulthood.
Do you have a cosigner for those huge loans?
$160,000 in loans? Think about close to $2000 a month in loan payments when you graduate. Really?
My older sister accumulated over 200,000 in graduate debt from two degrees.
It. is. not. worth. it. It might seem like nothing to you, but the financial impacts will not go away for a long time.
Even with a major like civil engineering, nothing is guaranteed in terms of career and being able to pay off loans in a timely fashion (especially with the killer interest).
Look at your other options.
Things happen you can’t predict. Sister in law borrowed 200K for dental school. She got married shortly after graduating, had two kids, moved around a bit, had some challenges. At 56 she is still paying off debt. Find a better way.
No, that’s ridiculous. Rethink your options.
You can’t afford that level of debt. Even if you could take out that amount of debt, graduating with $160,000 or so in student loans would handcuff your life decisions for 20+ years after graduation. The large payments you would have to make to cover the payments of your undergraduate loans would interfere with every adult decision you make – it would mean you probably couldn’t take that amazing job at a start-up for less pay, get that new car, take a nice vacation, get the home you want etc. You need to find an affordable option.
FWIW you have two posts with the same question and nobody thinks that level of debt is a good idea. Rarely is there such unanimity of opinion on CC.
There has to be a state school you can attend for much less than that.
I know someone that graduated with that much debt from Kettering a few years ago (engineering degree). He says he would never make that choice again. He is living in a bad area because that is the only way he an afford a house for his family. He is drowning in that debt, even with a wife that works too. Don’t do it.
I saw in another thread that your other option is paying $25K a year. You shouldn’t borrow $100K either. Do you have any other options?
In another post you ask about having $160,000 in student loans upon graduation. If that would be the case you can’t afford a college that will be $40.000 a year.
Can you afford $25,000 a year? Will that all be in loans?
Go to UW for a grad program. Friend’s son is there for $0, through his grad grants.
Not possible… you won’t be allowed to. Borrow more than. $5,500 for freshman year (and that will be split by semester or quarter.)
It doesn’t sound either of your two top schools will be affordable.
What are your stats? What is your EFC?
Did you get into any affordable schools??
Civil engineering is a great field, but it has one of the lowest starting salaries compared to other fields of engineering. What are your other options?
Civil engineering is low paying. Couldn’t you go to your instate ND option for really cheap. That is what you should do. That is a nightmare to take out 160k or 100k for that degree.