D24 has narrowed down her schools to three options (Pitt, St. Joseph’s University and Ursinus). She will be a bio major on the pre-med track. She got into the honors program at SJU, but I feel like that is a regional school that is mostly known for business in our area (45 min away). Pitt is 5 hours away and known for STEM majors, but she didn’t get honors because she applied too late. Ursinus is 45 min away and also probably not known for STEM, but is one of the “Colleges That Change Lives”. She’s also on the waitlist for Lehigh, which would be her first choice. I feel like Pitt is probably best considering her major, but am curious what others think. Ursinus is $6k less a year than SJU and we are waiting on financials from Pitt but are in-state so should be comparable to the two private schools that gave merit/aid.
They are hugely different schools in terms of size, location, religious affiliation, Greek life, big time sports, to name just a few things. It is hard to believe that your D does not have a preference. Students tend to do to their best when they are happy and comfortable.
Also, are all options affordable (no loans, no hardship)?
I would remove premed from the picture- many students change their mind for a variety of reasons. She can get to medical school from all 3 schools…if she decides to apply.
Out of the 3, which school does she like the best? Assuming all of these schools are affordable, I would focus on fit.
Very different.
I wouldn’t worry about Pitt Honors - and wouldn’t be so sure she didn’t get in because of lateness. It’s not an easy admit - and all kids can take Honors classes - if she really wants them. Many top notch kids don’t get in but since they allow you to take classes, yes you might miss a few things but not everything - not the academics.
You have tiny; religious small and in the city and bigger in the city with a full complement of sports, etc. Yes, SJU has a lot of business majors but a lot of arts and science students as well.
Where can you afford?
Then where do they feel most comfortable.
I’d choose based on that - without pre med.
Where you are most comfortable, you’ll do best and then can do what you need pre med wise to be set up for in four years if that’s what the student desires.
Forget the WL - remove it from the equation and fall in love with another - besides Lehigh is need aware on the WL and you can be assured they’ll reach out, if needed, to students willing to pay full boat.
Good luck.
Yes, totally agree these are very different options. She is so indifferent when it comes to campus size. In terms of affordability, all will eventually require loans but should all be within the range of costing $28-37k a year.
Student loans? Parent loans?
Are any of these schools affordable without parent loans?
I think she is leaning Pitt because of their STEM focus and name recognition, but agree she needs to think more about fit.
So a large public university is ok…as is a school with under 2000 students?
Medical/graduate school is costly. I would keep that in mind.
Thank you, all of this is helpful. I meant she couldn’t apply to honors because she applied late. I think we need to go visit the two local options again, she needs to really think about what type of campus she wants. All are within $28-37k a year, unless Pitt surprises us with their package (which I’m not expecting). I also went to SJU where I was a business major and I think there’s a little hesitation about going “where mom went”.
If she’s majoring in bio, her likely outcomes are low paying job or grad school - medical or otherwise.
Pitt name recognition or not - won’t change that.
btw - sometimes the smaller schools, via their contacts - there’s less competition for companies coming to that school for hires.
Seems - unless she wants jesuit, you can remove SJU.
Then you have suburbia (Ursinus) with urban - plus the large, sports, etc.
Seems there would be a preference.
Also, take note the requirements for keeping merit at the other two schools - is it reasonable or onerous?
Here’s how St. Joes places with bio majors - some of the jobs could be “pre med application” jobs - i.e. kids building resumes.
If it doesn’t populate for you, just go to major and click on bio.
For Ursinus, go way down and you’ll see the jobs/outcomes. the biology students got by job title.
Undergraduate Data | Saint Joseph’s University (sju.edu)
Class of 2022 POST-GRADUATION DESTINATION REPORT (ursinus.edu)
She’ll take out student loans and we likely will need to take some parent loans junior/senior years.
Is there a more affordable option - like a Millersville, W Chester, E Stroudsburg - still available?
None of these three is a good choice then - especially for a bio major.
Student debt is not good.
Parent debt is criminal, unfair to you and your future financial flexibility.
Which school requires the least amount of parent loans (Ursinus?)? Can you afford to pay them back without hardship? You do not have to answer here, but it is something to think about.
Are there younger siblings who will be attending college down the road, and if so, will this require additional parent loans?
Are there any acceptances that do not require parent loans?
My D was a biology major, so I am very familiar with the jobs that are out there for biology students.
We are oos, Saint Joseph’s would’ve been $20,000 a year all in, Pitt offered $8000 a year in merit making it much more expensive.
I would forget about Lehigh.
Getting off the WL is unlikely. Also- unless you qualify for significant FA, and that aid is given to students coming off the WL….it is going to be too expensive.
We think we might be able swing Ursinus without parent loans, if Pitt comes in around the same price that could also be an option. We’d still take the student-only loans. We do have three younger kids, one who graduates a year later but he will go to community college (likely will be free except books) for the first two years.
That’s great!
I would choose between Pitt (if affordable) and Ursinus. Given the size difference between these two schools, I would focus on which she prefers. Some students would not like the small size of Ursinus…at all. Other students would find Pitt to be way too big and would love a smaller environment. It’s up to her.
She can go to medical school or any type of grad school from either.
I checked the COA for West Chester and it is similar to Ursinus where she got $50k in scholarships. Millersville is about $4k cheaper per year.
What do you mean if Pitt comes around the same price.
Don’t you already know the price?
I would do anything and everything to avoid parent loans - and this might be the student always eats in the dining hall (not outside) and doesn’t join greek life, etc.
With even more siblings going in the future - even if they start in CC, they might eventually go to a four year school.
Is there a commuting option avail?
I just don’t like debt - and above the $27K is crazy - given either more expense (grad school) or a low paying job are the likely outcomes.
Pitts COA is on the website, so you should know. You can reduce costs a bit depending on travel expenses, books etc.
Did your D come off the WL? If so- I would not count on merit.
It seems that Ursinus is the lower cost school.