I have the opportunity to attend a private, regionally accredited university. This is entirely covered through various grants and/or scholarships, excluding room and board costs.
I’m considering rather attending a community college’s online program. However, a few people have advised me to “definitely” attend the private institution.
In terms of the private university’s program, it is very accommodating to those who may have learning difficulties, using an interactive iPad style of teaching, which I like.
That being said, I believe I’m able to thrive in a more common style of online learning as well.
My reason for considering community college is that I may be able to use leftover grant and scholarship funds to live off of, rather than having the full amount go towards tuition and books. I would plan to transfer to a 4-year school later on.
However, I’m not sure I would receive the same funds attending the CC, as it doesn’t participate in some of the grants/scholarships I’ve been awarded through the private.
Thank you for your input.
I am not sure I could easily recommend that someone pay more to attend a community college. I would be interested in knowing the name of the four year institution, as I have a kid that could benefit from the accommodations of learning differences.
Do you mean pay less?
The university is called Lynn University, located in Boca Raton, FL.
Your title here is confusing. Most places do not have different tuition and fees for online courses and for live classes. They usually are exactly the same. On campus students may pay additional fees for parking, etc.
Usually it is better to attend a four year institution because there aren’t a lot of scholarships available when you transfer after two years at a CC. That is probably why people are recommending Lynn over the CC.
Would you commute or live on campus if you stuyd at Lynn? How would you cover your living expenses? Likewise, if you attend the CC, where will you live and how will you pay those costs?
If you cn’t decide what to do, can you take a gap year or semester to figure everything out?
You also need to figure out what the net cost will actually be at each school, after figuring out how applicable the scholarships are. Also, for the community college, you need to figure out what the net cost will be at four year schools you are likely to transfer to.
Otherwise, you will be making the decision with incomplete information that could result in an unpleasant surprise later.
It doesn’t matter what the prices are for the various schools. It’s the bottom line cost to YOU that counts.
If Private Online College has a sticker price of $40k a year but gives you grants, scholarships, discounts as well as federal PELL, Direct Loans, State grant to come up with a net cost of $10k, you have to borrow, earn, get someone to pay, or pay (if you have the money)$10k
If Community College costs $5k in tuition, but you can get federal PELL, Direct Loan, State, grant money to pay for $5k of it, your cost is Zero with this option. No, you are not going to get Funds that Private Online College is offering you as a sweetener to their $10k. You cannot apply one college’s grants and discounts to another.
So what does it cost you bottom line out of pocket to take your courses at Private Online college AFTER all the money that the school and government is applied to the tab?
How much does it cost you bottom line out of pocket to take your courses at Community College AFTER all funding is applied to the costs?
Then look at how much in loans each option is going to have you borrowing. THAT is cost too.
If you have disabilities or issues better met by taking courses at home, that should weigh heavily in the decision. Do bear in mind that, it’s difficult to take purely on line courses. It takes a discipline to do so. It’s particularly difficult to take all courses on line rather than an occasional one here and there.
Appears I have the schools reversed as to what’s on line and what is not.
The bottom line is still the bottom regardless in terms of cost. Which school costs the least out of pocket and in outstanding loans you will occur.
Then weigh that final cost against what you get. Will you do better o. Line or in class? There advantages and disadvantages to either option. You have to see how it weighs out for you and whether the cost is affordable for the pricier option if that is favored.
It’s not “entirely covered” if you have to come up with room and board. That can run ~$12k/year. If you already have need based aid (Pell and the federal student loan) in your aid package how will you pay the remaining costs? Are the people telling you to “definitely attend” paying your bill? If not, their opinion doesn’t matter.
How much can your parents afford to pay per year without borrowing? If they can’t afford $12k/year the private school isn’t affordable.