IBM Co-op in Germany or University in the US?

$250K may qualify for some, based on assets, at the highest level schools.

Even for Penn - in my opinion, yes? I’d also say, you’re not getting into Penn with the stats you put up (sorry).

If you only have a budget of $25K a year, you’d have to borrow - $275-300K to go to Penn. Total. Thank goodness the government limits you to 1/10 of that.

So how would you pay that back? Your parents can’t even borrow that month so unless they get need aid (little if any), you’d have to pay out of pocket. So I wouldn’t apply. But you’d have to pay back $4K a month for ten years - how would you do that? Answer - you wouldn’t - even going to Penn.

Does your family live in Maine currently? Otherwise I don’t think you’d qualify.

My original comments stand - for me anyway.

And you shouldn’t bother applying to Penn if you need to take significant loans.

But going to Penn assures nothing. And with a $25K budget, I wouldn’t bother applying. With your score, $25K would work, with auto merit, at a school like U of Alabama, as an example. The b school is excellent. It’s $50K but you’d get $28K based on your stats. Other schools, likely in the South, might get you similar or a bit higher costs. U of Kansas, WVU as well.

Having real world experience gives you a leg up so I’ll stick with, taking the emotion or desire of where you want to be out, Germany is the better plan.

Good luck.