<p>I have been a CC reader for 2 years and the advice and collective wisdom given here helped immeasurably in guiding my son to what has turned out to be a very successful college application outcome. So thanks from the bottom of my heart to all those devoted CC parent who stuck around to pass on what they have learned! My son, much to his and our surprise, was accepted at both Dartmouth and Brown, as well as U of Chicago. He also received a full tuition scholarship at USC. So now the dilemma- is it actually worth the $$ for him to do to D or B or C over USC? His interests and strengths are in the Humanities and Music, [musicology rather than music performance] though he is a great all around student. He is interested in eventually,somehow, making a living out of writing, perhaps in addition to composing. Prestige is not much of a factor for him. He will never be the Wall St type, nor a lawyer, Dr. or business CEO- he just isn’t the type. But a smaller college with smaller class sizes [which he has always had ] vrs USC with 16,000 students, would be better for him because of an auditory processing disorder. Being entirely unselfish, he would not feel badly if we said it had to be USC, but I don’t want to make a mistake which we will all end up regretting in the future, as he is our only child. He will be going on to graduate school, but I am anticipating that won’t cost us much, as I expect he will receive stipends or go the one of the UC’s here in Calif. I’m not looking for rah-rah advice [ USC is the best, go Green, etc]. I do remember the student who chose Vanderbilt over Yale, but those colleges have pretty much the same undergraduate size, so the situation would not quite be the same as with my son’s. Yes, we can pay for a full ride, but not without hardship, as we are both self employed and have to fund our own retirement.</p>
<p>Well, just to get this going–I’d say investigate U of C. His humanities/musicology interest would be enriched by their core curriculum and it is an amazing yet human scale university in a wonderful city. My aunt was a music librarian there all her life, after having gone their from Montana as a graduate student. The campus has it’s own gargoyle detailed charm and the kids I know who’ve gone their have been challenged and happy and down to earth. For me, it’s a place with more soul and heart than USC. It’s a couple hours closer to home (than D and B) and yet a world of difference. Great choices. If he got excited about it maybe Chicago would come up with some money too?</p>
<p>So…do a thought exercise. USC plus $130k to do whatever you want educationally - take a year off and go off and write a novel and a symphony in Greece, three summers in Europe and a trip around the world; maybe buy a summer cottage now as a writing/composing retreat, etc., v. one of the other choices without the money.</p>
<p>There are no easy answers to these questions, especially as you said you could afford it. But if he (and you) don’t choose USC, just make sure you know what it is you are buying.</p>
<p>(P.S. Personally, I LOVE Brown - I just don’t know if it is worth a $130k premium over USC. Glad I don’t have to figure that out.)</p>
<p>menlo, </p>
<p>I am a Brown alum, and I was very happy there. It is a gret place for a self-directed person with diverse interests. The freedom can be a real boon to a creative person.</p>
<p>At some schools (USC for example) you will spend two years just getting required classes out of the way. At Brown, from the first semester, you are following your bliss.</p>
<p>OTOH, are we talking COA at USC is ~10K and COA at the others of ~40K? Because, if so, that is a huge amount of money to walk away from. </p>
<p>It occurs to me he could go to USC and if not totally happy there he could transfer. </p>
<p>I would encourage you to speak to the FA office at the school he most wants to attend and make sure their package cannot be improved. I bet as a Californian your home equity sunk you for need-based. I am in the same boat.</p>
<p>If your S has not visited yet now might be the time. These 4 schools have entirely different cultures. Brown & Dartmouth are probably the most similar of the four, but one is urban & arty and the other is rural and jocky. USC totally unlike the others in hugeness, and U Chicago totally unlike the others in seriousness. USC & Dartmouth both quite sporty and clubby though; U Chicago, USC, & Brown all ‘urban’.</p>
<p>Maybe another idea would be for your and your S to split the difference in COA so that some of the loans, a reasonable amount, would be his to deal with later?</p>
<p>Good luck-- and congratulations on amazing choices!</p>
<p>Thanks for the input. I have just booked flights so he can overnight at Brown and Dartmouth in April- he has visited Chicago twice already-knows it well and loved it- it was his first choice after Stanford [ rejected with alumni dad, oh well] but didn’t visit ivy’s because we all thought- what are the chances of his getting in? We will be appealing $0 financial aid at all 3 schools- probably a result of because of Calif. home equity. Son would fit in very well at Chicago- he is the hi IQ reserved, independent learner, but is thinking he wants to expand his social horizons, and not just be surrounded by geeky “studyaholics” like him for 4 years. Hence his interest in both Dartmouth- because he thinks he would love a rural environment- [he liked Colgate when we visited last summer], and Brown, with it’s open curriculum and “Stanford like” feel.</p>
<p>From my son’s descriptions, the kids at Chicago seem to be pretty social studyaholics … but your description seems to say Brown to me. </p>
<p>OTOH, mini’s option would allow for an advanced degree in something musical. I believe it is worthwhile in presenting the situation in his terms - education does not have to take place on a campus, after all.</p>
<p>Hope the visits bring clarity to you all! (and congrats on all the wonderful choices).</p>
<p>With the music interest USC should be high on his list. The $130K should be just icing on the cake.</p>
<p>As for feel, each school is different. Coming east at the end of April you will get a distorted persective of what it is like here . . . the weather is not always as nice as it is at the end of April. He may want to keep that in mind when making his decision.</p>
<p>It is great to have the choices! Good luck.</p>