Best Undergraduate Universities in PA?

MYOS1634
Sun, 06 Jul 2014 22:05:56 +0000

What is your EFC? Have you run Net Price calculators already and can you pay what the colleges say you’ll have to pay?
Please understand that Pennsylvania has a very bad record when it comes to university costs (Penn State in-state tuition costs have doubled in 10 years, for example!!!) It’s both one of the most expensive public universities for state residents AND one of the lousiest when it comes to giving financial aid (both need-based and merit, BTW.)
On the other hand, there are about 100 colleges in PA, including some of the highly selective colleges that meet 100% need (some without any loan at all!); if you have a high EFC, some privates have excellent merit aid, too.
Therefore, you must absolutely look into costs to determine what your strategy should be, then apply accordingly.
First, run the Net Price Calculators on a few options that seem accessible. Second, bring the results to your parents: do these numbers seem affordable or not? Will they be able to help you in any way? Third, come back here and we’ll help you craft a strategy.

Please note that typically in-state universities are cheaper for the state’s residents when they’re public, but this doesn’t affect private universities’ costs, and for PA residents SUNYs may be cheaper. Conversely, if you apply 400+ miles from home, you bring geographical diversity to the college, which may help with admissions and, for many colleges, results in preferential packaging (ie., better financial aid). For you it’d mean colleges in the Midwest, South, Southwest, Pacific Northwest, and perhaps NH, Maine, Vermont. (California; most of New England, and adjacent States don’t count).

What makes a university “the best” varies.
I’d rank Bryn Mawr (for girls) and Haverford very high, with Penn and Swarthmore slightly above them, for instance.
Someone may rank Penn State the highest because of football, or because of Shreyer. Others may rank Bucknell, Lehigh, and Gettysburg very high due to the predominence and power of the Greeks. People in theater would rank Muhlenberg well ahead of Lehigh, while those in engineering would do the opposite (in fact Muhlenberg doesn’t even have engineering, and Lehigh’s theater program… not sure about it). People looking for a rigorously evangelical, conservative college would rank Grove City quite high, and someone interested in med school would choose Juniata, while students with eclectic academic interests would choose Allegheny. Students interested in strong business programs would look at Villanova and Susquehanna, not to forget Dickinson’s international management program. Writers could pick Ursinus. Students with ACT 34 needing merit would look at Pitt’s Honors College, while those looking for full rides for lesser scores would look at Temple. Etc, etc, etc…