<p>Hey Everyone,
I am headed to grad school soon and have been accepted into DePaul University in Chicago and also NC State. I am going for Animation. It is hard to find much of a ranking or reputation for this field because of it relative newness. Turns out that in my case, both schools are about the same price. I love the idea of living in a city, so Chicago is appealing, but my family lives in North Carolina so that is a plus for NC State. I am having a really hard time making a decision. Any thoughts??</p>
<p>I am a current DePaul student, so I’m a little biased, but I love the University. I’ve never been to NC State, but if there’s a change you’ll be offered in-state tuition or a relatively good financial aid package, I’d side with that. Unless of course, you’re strong academically, in which case there are a number of scholarships and grants that DePaul offers. Also, take housing into consideration. There are dorms at DePaul, but they’re first come first serve in the LP campus, and many upper class students find apartment housing the best option. As apartments can be pricey, don’t forget to add that into your calculations. All that aside, I love DePaul. I’m not in the animation department (LA&S) but there are a lot of great professors and (generally) small class sizes. However – if you’re into “traditional” campus life, like frats or sororities, etc. – DePaul is not the school for you. It can be difficult to connect with other students or organizations here because it’s mainly a commuter school, and although we do have greek organizations and the like – they’re much different than other schools. Just some things to keep in mind!</p>
<p>Mary</p>
<p>Two completely different campus cultures.</p>
<p>I have a friend that taught at DePaul, and he said that many students lived at home with their parents and commuted to either Lincoln Park or Downtown. As a result, you don’t really have a feeling of community like you do at a large state school like NC State.</p>
<p>Also, rent for a 1 bedroom apartment near DePaul will cost around $1,000 per month. I would imagine that is substantially more than an apartment near NC State’s campus.</p>
<p>Basically, if you want a traditional college campus with fraternities, sororities, college football, etc., I would choose NC State.</p>