Is a higher tuition worth the experience?

rlutker
Tue, 31 Mar 2015 04:49:20 +0000

I am deciding between two schools:

Drake University, in Des Moines, IA
Truman State University in Kirksville, MO

I really like Drake University: I think that it has slightly superior academics, it’s in a somewhat-large city, and it has higher diversity and a larger Jewish presence (I’m Jewish so that’s important to me). I also like the ‘feel’ of the campus better. However, it is approx. 6 hours away from me, whereas Truman State University is 4 hours away and cheaper. Truman has major drawbacks though: smaller reputation, rural campus with the closest city of 50,000+ 1.5 hours away, and almost no Jewish students and no Hillel.

The Big Question:
While I think that I really like Drake and prefer it to Truman State University, is the tuition worth it? I would be paying over two times as much as I would at Truman State University to attend Drake University, but I am really concerned that I will be uncomfortable there.

Additional information: I want to be a teacher (elementary/middle, haven’t decided yet) and so debt has a lot of weight and importance to my decision about where I will attend next year.