<p>So I’ve been accepted to my two top colleges, Auburn and Troy (with Auburn being #1). The problem is that I’m starting to worry about final decision. At Auburn I’d have a minimal scholarship whereas at Troy I’m recieving a full ride. Both offer my major, elementry education, so I’m not to worried about that. It’s just that I’ve always wanted to go to Auburn. It has a great program and has many opportunites. I also plan to move out of state when I graduate and I’m worried that if I went to Troy no one would recognize it compare to Auburn. The name thing seems so important to jobs these days and I feel like Troy doesn’t sit as well as a big college does. The up to Troy is that I believe I could easily excel there compared to Auburn where it is much more competitive (don’t get me wrong Troy is to, but I feel I could do it). It’s just the money thing. I hate to go somewhere where I’ll be putting my parents ina rough spot and my younger brother to. I just want Auburn so bad and I’ve even already signed up for housing. What should I do? Save the money and go to my second choice that I’m not as into or take the risk and go to Auburn?</p>
<p>Auburn and Troy are not “top” colleges. They are safety schools. You should attend the school that is going to cost the least amount of money to attend if these are your only options. They are decent low cost schools to attend.</p>
<p>Your major is Elementary Education. You need to go where you will be well-prepared for a teaching job, and where you will spend the least money. It is not easy to get a teaching job these days, so if you can walk out of college without a cent of debt, you will be well ahead. Since you plan to move out of state, it doesn’t matter which of these universities you attend for your major. What will matter is the good letters of recommendation from the teachers who supervise your various student teaching experiences. When you do move, you will need to meet the teacher licensing requirements of the new state, which almost certainly mean more classwork. Every cent you save during your undergrad experience will be money that you will have available for paying for those eventual studies.</p>
<p>Yes, and entry-level jobs in Elementary Ed. do not pay well. You would not be in a good position to be able to pay off student loans, so take the cheapest path.
There is a separate forum for Education majors where you might find more info. Also this topic has been discussed before either in here or the Parents forum. It is a common dilemma…</p>
<p>After graduation, go to grad school immediately. These days you really need a masters degree in education in order to have the most opportunities. Go to the school that will give you the best resume, where you will be happy, where you will succeed, and where you can get out in 4 years. You don’t want to break the bank but don’t go to a school where you won’t be happy.</p>
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It is important to look into reciprocity agreements with the states where you think you might move. These are agreements between states where they recognize the courses you took as satisfying their requirements for teachers. This is important because it can be difficult to find work in your new state if you do not qualify for a teachers credential, or it can be a big headache to you if they give you a temporary credential but require you to take a bunch of classes in your new state.</p>
<p>Wow, “Informative”, that was a very condescending remark.</p>