Brown vs UNC Robertson

Colleges and Universities A-Z Brown University
#1

<p>UNC Robertson is a merit-based scholarship in which I am qualified for full tuition, free summers abroad, free study abroad, and ALL resources at both Duke and UNC. </p>

<p>Sounds pretty wonderful, but I am reluctant to jump into a ‘southern’ atmosphere and honestly into a school where a majority of students may not be as intellectual as those at Brown.</p>

<p>I love Brown but I recieved no financial aid. My parents are reluctant but willing to pay full tuition. They are agreeing however, to help me with graduate tuition if I took the full scholarship.</p>

<p>I am interested in pursuing a degree in
Public Health or an
MD/MPH program in
the distant future.</p>

<p>So my question is: Can I get some reassurance that Brown is worth it? Without any financial aid can Brown give me similar opportunities? Is an ivy league education and the ideal atmosphere worth 55k?</p>

<p>Sorry if I sort of asked this in a separate thread but this is more specific.</p>

#2

<p>Questions you'd have to decide for yourself - sorry!</p>

<p>That said, I love Brown and consider it a great place - Still, the Robertson is worth a good, hard look too. I think it comes down to - would you rather be a lobster in a smaller pond (UNC)? or, a minnow in a larger river (Brown)? </p>

<p>I'd suggest going to both places and seeing how much of a difference in comfort you encounter - and, look at the students too. Which of them would you like to be more like in a few years? Whose lives, values etc are more in sync with who you'd like to be?</p>

<p>Again though, Robertson is a big award, Congrats!</p>

#3

<p>Thank you so much!</p>

<p>The only person I'm hurting by not taking the scholarship is myself (my parents are willing to shell out the same amount of money for grad school and as for their opinions my dad doesn't want me to go to school anywhere outside of California & mom, Brown alum, completely understands either decision and is 100% supportive.</p>

<p>You're right, it IS all up to me. I am visiting both back to back and will weigh fit and opportunities.</p>

<p>Thanks again.</p>

#4

<p>It's up to you...but UNC is an AMAZING school. is it really worth the 150k+ difference over 4 years? even if you pay for it. I will say UNC isn't THAT southern...</p>

<p>From UNC you can get into the same med schools as you can from Brown. I think Brown might be slightly more intellectual...but at UNC all in state kids were top 15% of their HS classes and out of state kids are obviously really smart</p>

<p>I know a girl last year who took UNC robertson over the likes of Columbia, brown etc.</p>

#5

<p>idk.... Brown does an amazing job getting people into med school.... I took down a full ride + an extra 10,000 dollar scholarship (for personal use) from FSU to go to Brown. idk much about UNC Robertson, tbh, but i think that the pros and cons need to be compared before making a decision.</p>

#6

<p>
[quote]
Is an ivy league education and the ideal atmosphere worth 55k?

[/quote]

Bluntly put, no. No elite school is worth full pay over a free ride at UNC, and one would be an absolute fool to think otherwise.</p>

<p>Incidentally, only Harvard and Hopkins match UNC in public health, and no university exceeds it.</p>

#7

<p>Just FYI, UNC's Masters in Public Health program is one of the best in the nation. I'm pretty sure (but you'll have to check me on this) UNC undergrads get an advantage when they apply to their grad programs.</p>

<p>If you're worried about prestige, Robertson Scholars program is very well-known. Then again, I'm from NC so that recognition might be regional; not sure.</p>

<p>Brown is a great school and it was my #1 choice for several months while I was applying, but I'd personally take UNC Robertsons over Brown. Btw, I go to Duke now and was accepted into all 3 (but not Robertsons).</p>

<p>Finally:

[quote]
where a majority of students may not be as intellectual as those at Brown.

[/quote]

That's actually a very valid point, and in the end, a big reason why I personally turned down UNC. It's not snobbishness, and don't let anyone make you think that. It is a great feeling to have friends who are as interested in the class material as you are. There still are many of them at UNC, but they're not as universal as they are at Brown. I guess it just depends on what kinds of interactions you see yourself having with friends (because, while both student bodies are very friendly, the types of interactions between the 2 will be very different).</p>

<p>When you consider money, don't think of it as "is Brown worth $55K?" It is. Instead, you have to question whether the difference between the two is worth that amount. Personally, I don't think it is.</p>

<p>This is slightly irrelevant, but it's tax season, so I'm in the retirement-fund mood right now (even at age 18...). Think about this: if you were to invest that $220K (55K x 4) in a retirement mutual fund that averaged 8% interest (8% is the example that is usually given in WSJ/Money Mag articles), then in 50 years (if you retire at age 57), that money will = $10,318,354.75. College education's an investment, so we should treat it as such.</p>

#8

<p>Ok let's clear up some facts</p>

<p>UNC is pretty distinctly southern. I think nearly 84% from NC by school charter and, I think there is a significant difference between Brown and UNC.</p>

#9

<p>Knat - how much is being in a welcoming community you feel connected to worth?</p>

#10

<p>
[quote]
how much is being in a welcoming community you feel connected to worth?

[/quote]

Well, seeing how there's all that talk about finding the school that "fits," then I guess it's worth quite a bit to some. I would take the Robertson, but it's still a legitimate reason nonetheless.</p>

<p>
[quote]
UNC is pretty distinctly southern. I think nearly 84% from NC by school charter and, I think there is a significant difference between Brown and UNC.

[/quote]

Yes, ~85% of UNC's undergraduate student body is from NC. However, if you're talking about the political atmosphere, it's not much less liberal than Brown--both socially and politically. UNC is very, very liberal.</p>

#11

<p>Thanks all. Yeah I'm not too interested in UNC for grad school if I do undergrad honestly.</p>

<p>I haven't won the scholarship yet so I'm unsure.</p>

<p>This is on a different note, but I guess I am mortified that I won't like either college. I wake up sobbing every morning at the thought of A) Leaving my familyin the Midwest for a school that may be far and kind of isolated, & B) Possibly giving up $ in a selfish act for my own self-comfort .. and then ending up transferring or something</p>

#12

<p>Also, I should add that the Brown U School of Public Health is considered one of the best in the nation for epidemiology and is probably the fastest growing area of high prominence at Brown right now.</p>

#13

<p>If you get the scholarship it might be the way to go, and most likely would I would have done. I know someone who went from UNC CH to Brown for grad school.</p>

#14

<p>Hey, Knat, where are you getting 8% on your investments? Count me in :).</p>

#15