He will work and contribute regardless of the school choice. But he does have a clear preference for Hamilton (he was trying and hoping to like Denison more, but going back to Hamilton only reinforced his preference).
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Great suggestions to take into account. Both schools offer $ for living expenses for unpaid summer internships, fin aid for study abroad, and even little extras like music lessons. Not sure about dorm price differences, but they both have apartment options for upperclassmen and reduce the meal requirement for the older students.
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Mentioned my original post: they are equidistant drives (5-6 hrs) and equal hassles to fly to. But Hamilton has a slight edge in being Amtrak-able.
NiceUnparticularMan, great advice, as always. Iāve come to the same conclusion. But itās very interesting to see how different people approach the question.
Iāll reiterate this - my kids easily made $6K just working summers. My son made almost $12,000 last summer. I think one should be prudent on taking on college debt. But Iāll also say, I graduated in the mid-90s with $20,000 in debt. I have zero regrets. I paid it off in less than 5 years and while I had less expensive options, I knew it was the right choice for me. This isnāt a big enough burden that I wouldnāt let my kid choose if I was in your shoes. If heās willing to do the summer work and understands the true cost of the loans and prefers Hamilton - go buy an Alex hoodie and call it good.
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Ah apologies- didnāt recall you mentioned it.
Congratulations on your decision. 
Although I was pushing the benefits of cost savings, I actually prefer Hamilton because of the open curriculum. I think that will be a real benefit for your son as he is going into college undecided.
I also love that part of the world. I think Iāve done canoe camping trips on every body of water in the Adirondacks, including the 90-mile classic from Old Forge to Saranac Lake. Youāre right about access to those 6 million acres adding to his college experience. Itās a place of endless recreational opportunities. I recently did a bike hike along the Erie Canal. While I was there, I visited the Canal Museum in Syracuse. I loved the opportunity to learn about the canal and its impact. Fascinating history.
Youāre also right about Utica being a depressing place. Discouraging to see the old boarded up factories. You know that an old city is in trouble when the biggest employer in town in a casino. There are 2 dozen casinos in Upstate New York.
I wish your son well at Hamilton. Should be a great 4 years!
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It is worth appealing fin aid packages in general, and we did, but Hamilton denied our request.
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Does the package include work study?
Also, the federal loans usually come as subsidized and unsubsidized. If he works part time starting now, could he earn the $3,500 unsubsidized by August, and thus only take the $2,500 subsidized? That amount would be very manageable.
In this article, Utica is named as the second fastest growing city in New York State:
This is an excerpt:
For rooftop dining, Iād recommend Blue Ocean Restaurant.
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Iām glad to hear Utica is rising again! Itās sad to see a downtown with empty buildings and boarded up windows. And there are, indeed, good restaurants and some things to do. (Utica greensāyumāgreat Italian food.) But we were told Hamilton students mostly take the jitney to New Hartford for shopping, movies and food.
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My daughter is a sophomore at Hamilton and LOVES it! Itās true New Hartford is super close for any shopping, movies, big box stores, chain restaurants, etc. Students regularly take the jitney or drive/car pool there. Utica has many amazing (highly rated) independent āfoodieā restaurants that are super popular with families and students alike.
Truly, there is a plethora of options for entertainment in the surrounding vicinity! I also feel itās pretty centrally located in the state for easy travel! Congrats to your son! Itās an amazing place!
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Look for signs that the college has continually invested in the subjects your child is interested in: facilities, number of permanent (non visiting/adjunct) faculty, extra programs, etc. If investments only seem to be going to some programs and extracurriculars that are marketing driven, look elsewhere. (WRT Humanities and Social Sciences, Denison clearly loses in this case.)
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The OP would have made a decision by May 1.