<p>I agree that Pitt isn’t going to give a discount. However, it is one of the less expensive schools since it’s state related and not totally private.</p>
<p>I agree that it’s not as expensive as a private, but as publics go, it’s on the high side for OOS costs. There are a number of big publics that charge much lower OOS costs.</p>
<p>As for larger classes: even many of the smaller privates have large classes for the 100/200 level classes. That fact has been revealed here on CC countless times. My older son is in grad school at an elite private. Every semester he takes one 100/200 level class just for fun and interest. Those classes are quite large. There’s a myth out there that small private equals small classes. Not true at all. And, as you somewhat implied, even the larger publics have smaller classes for upper-division courses.</p>
<p>Pitt, Penn St, and Temple are NOT Pennsylvania state/public schools. They are state-related schools getting a small part of their funding from the state. Therefore, they are mostly private and are priced accordingly. (Some in the state talk about the prospects of the schools going totally private in the future, but right now it’s just talk.) Since they do get some tax dollars, their tuition is lower for in-state students, but they are not state schools.</p>
<p>PA has 14 state schools. Their website is here:</p>
<p>Comparing the cost of Pitt, Penn St, and Temple to true state colleges is not comparing apples to apples.</p>
<p>As for size of classes, we’ve seen LACs have larger classes, but also have seen some who do not. They keep all of their classes small. It depends upon the college. I’ve yet to see a larger U (> 10,000) have all small classes, though some will offer smaller classes through Honors programs.</p>
<p>I had a look at some of the colleges you guys have been suggesting. Alabama seems good but the universities in Pennsylvania are pretty appealing. I found a few that really got my eye. UPitt (as suggested, and I did like it, thanks for suggesting :)), PennState, and UPenn (but this one seems really hard to get into). </p>
<p>I also heard quite a bit of Stony Brooks. Any opinions? It seems pretty affordable</p>
<p>By the way, I’d like to ask you guys something about the personal statement. Do colleges want some extremely unique story? I can write something interesting on this… How my family went from having a factory with an annual revenue of millions to bankrupt to almost being killed (the term bankrupt doesn’t really hold much value in Pakistan, or at least it didn’t 10 years ago in certain cities). </p>
<p>Or do they want me to write something about my surrounding? I can think one of here too… something not uniquely interesting but still not too bad. In this I can write about how most people, where I grew up, never earned an education. And those who could afford one simply never bothered and started working at early ages. I can continue to write how when I moved to UAE, people were more interested in education but most people, at least in my school, didn’t want to go very far (literally and figuratively). Most of them intended to go to the same university. And while I almost got absorbed into the trend of receiving little or no higher education, I just had a look at some universities in America and I honestly realized the difference in the level between local colleges and those in America. And now many of my friends are also looking at American colleges and are thinking of attending them. </p>
<p>Or lastly, do they want something unique, something that describes me in an implied way but contains nothing boastful and nothing from the previous two topics? Currently, this is the topic my writing is based. Can any of you have a look at it and tell me if I’m on the right track? I’d reaaaaally appreciate it.</p>
<p>You won’t get into UPenn with an 1810 SAT. You’d need a 2200+ to be competitive.</p>
<p>UPitt and PSU are low reaches for your SAT. What are your safety schools?</p>
<p>*Barrk123, I can afford up to like 45k a year, *</p>
<p>Is that what your parents are saying or are you guessing? Since your family has been near bankrupt, it seems unlikely that they can spend $200k on your education.</p>
<p>*Or lastly, do they want something unique, something that describes me in an implied way but contains nothing boastful and nothing from the previous two topics? Currently, this is the topic my writing is based. Can any of you have a look at it and tell me if I’m on the right track? *</p>
<p>Your Personal Statement is your opportunity to “sell yourself”…to make a convincing argument that you would be a positive addition to their school.</p>
<p>*REMEMBER, ADMISSIONS COMMITTEE MEMBERS HAVE TO READ HUNDREDS OF ESSAYS. YOURS NEEDS TO STAND OUT, ENGAGE THEM, AND MAKE THEM WANT TO KNOW YOU.</p>
<p>I already told you I’ll be taking loans. But anyways, my essay is about me, not directly but it describes me thoughout the essay with a bit of humor here and there. But while the Common App limit is 500 words, my essay is 660 words. I checked and many universities said they’re fine with 600 words even. But I don’t know about 660.</p>
<p>^^^ I agree that high debt is certainly not recommended by me to ANY student I talk with (US or otherwise). Try to get higher scores and look for less expensive schools. Have you posted on the international board?</p>
<p>Up to 200k? Who said that? Tops 40 - 50k loans total. Plus, as I said earlier, I’ll try to take loans from local banks. They can offer good rates sometimes. </p>
<p>Maybe I misunderstood, but after the following exchange, it sounded like you’d be borrowing a lot…</p>
<p>*Barrk123, I can afford up to like 45k a year, </p>
<p>Is that what your parents are saying or are you guessing? Since your family has been near bankrupt, it seems unlikely that they can spend $200k on your education.</p>
<p>I already told you I’ll be taking loans.
*</p>
<p>Ok…so now you’ve said this:</p>
<p>*Up to 200k? Who said that? Tops 40 - 50k loans total. Plus, as I said earlier, I’ll try to take loans from local banks. They can offer good rates sometimes. *</p>
<p>So, your parents have SAID that they are willing to pay $35k per year and you’ll borrow $10k per year? With such financial problems, it just didn’t seem likely that they would be able to pay that much, but maybe I misunderstood. BTW…do your local banks give loans without co-signers? If not, will your parents’ credit history be a problem?</p>