<p>So its about a month until May 1st, and I’m faced with a decision that is rapidly driving me insane. Before a sketch the problem, I want to note that I really don’t mean to flaunt my good fortune. I’m genuinely here for some advice, and I’m incredibly grateful to have this painful decision.</p>
<p>Now: I applied to Yale EA and was accepted. Just recently, I received a likely letter from Brown. Even more recently, I was offered a full ride scholarship (tuition, housing, everything - renewable for four years) at the University of Delaware. Yale will cost about 20,000 a year, and I haven’t yet received financial aid information from Brown (I’m not expecting miracles from them, though).
I applied to Yale more or less on a whim, without really expecting an acceptance. For that reason, I never actually visited the school. Since my acceptance, though, I’ve become really excited by all of the incredible things it has to offer (major resources, prestigious faculty, small class sizes, high quality of life, etc.) On the other hand, I visited Brown last fall and basically fell in love with the campus. The mixture of a laid back atmosphere with the usual benefits of a top notch university really appeals to me. It really is a dream come true to have the choice between these two schools.</p>
<p>UDel was more of a safety school. The campus is nice, but I was a bit underwhelmed on both of my visits. The prospect of paying absolutely nothing for college is very hard to turn down, though. Basically, I’m here wondering if anyone can offer advice on whether I should attend Brown or Yale for 20k a year or UDel for free. My family can probably afford the Ivy leagues (with some loans), but money is still a big consideration. Is a Brown or Yale education (and overall undergraduate experience) worth the $80,000 it would cost, as I keep wanting to think it is? Or should I save my money for grad school and accept Delaware’s generous offer? </p>
<p>My sincerest thanks to anyone who can offer any helpful advice. I know its a personal choice in the end, but I’m here hoping that someone can deliver some profound thought or personal experience. Thanks if you can be that person!</p>
<p>Also, I’m hoping to major in computational/quantitative/evolutionary biology, depending on which college I pick. If anyone has experience with those specific programs that would be tremendous.</p>
<p>Delaware has some really good programs; chemical engineering comes to mind. So if you are interested in doing something where it has a good program, it is an easy decision. If you plan to go to grad school, low undergraduate debt is a good thing. </p>
<p>There are folks on here with far better financial aid expertise than I, but at the time my daughter was applying, some of the Ivies offered a 10 percent cost of attendance to kids whose families made up to about $180k. Had our family been given that option, we probably would have paid it. However, we would have been full pay at two of the top colleges where my daughter was accepted, so she did follow the money. She graduates next month. She does wonder some about how it might have been, but once she gets a job, I do not think she will look back.</p>
<p>This is a really difficult dilemma. Delaware would give you a wonderful education, and a full ride is hard to turn down…but on the other hand, it’s difficult to say no to Yale or Brown. Why not wait to see what Brown gives you this week, then make a list of pros and cons for each. See if that helps organize your thinking. Then if you’re still considering Yale or Brown, go back and visit. Likewise if you’re still considering Delaware, visit again, this time with the mindset that you may be spending the next four years on that campus.</p>
<p>Yale for 20K a year is a huge bargain. If there is any way your family can swing it without placing themselves in financial insecurity, it is worth it. You should visit, though, before making your decision. </p>
<p>What kind of graduate school are you considering? For PhD programs, if you get accepted into a good program, you will be funded. Professional school (i.e. medical school) is a different matter, and you will have to pay for that. This may have some bearing on your choice.</p>
<p>I’m almost definitely planning to go on to grad school (a PhD program – my goal is to go into evolutionary biology research). Having the option to pick a graduate program without worrying too much about cost is definitely a big plus in favor of Delaware. At the same time, though, I wonder if choosing Brown or Yale might position me to have a better pick of grad schools. I just don’t really know at this point. </p>
<p>As for loans, I’m not 100% sure how things will turn on financially, but at Yale I would probably graduate with $10-20k in debt. My parents might also have to shoulder a similar or slightly smaller amount. My younger sister will enter college in two years, though, and I’m not sure how that will affect our financial situation.</p>
<p>Yale has a pretty good work program for students, right? Or are you already planning on doing that? Yale for “only” 80K more than UDelaware is tough to pass up.</p>
<p>True, if you are referring to law or med school.</p>
<p>If you go on for a PhD, then low undergraduate debt still is a good thing (how could it not be?), but chances are your graduate studies will be fully funded by the school. My oldest kid, for example, gets full tuition + $20K/year. For a field like computational biology, a degree from Yale or Brown might be worth the extra cost if it’s not too big a burden for your family.
Let’s say you can handle $10K in “self help” (student loans + employment + student savings). Could your parents manage the other $10K, or maybe a little more, from savings and current income (without big loans or dipping into retirement that is)?</p>
<p>However, be aware that biology majors do not have very good job prospects at either the bachelor’s or PhD level, due to a large supply of graduates relative to the number of jobs.</p>
<p>Yale would bring debt, which is not so good, but also potentially an escape route into finance if you emphasize quantitative/statistical/computational stuff (but you may want to ask on the appropriate forums about how competitive going that direction is).</p>
<p>Thanks. As I’m sure you can tell, I don’t know too much about this stuff.</p>
<p>I have two more specific questions that have come to mind. One is regarding grad schools again. Will applying from UDel vs. applying from Yale or Brown make a big difference in getting into a graduate program? Is the name much of a factor?</p>
<p>Also, when I visited UDel for their scholarship interviews, they really emphasized the fact that the other “distinguished scholars” and I would be at an advantage by virtue of our being the academic elite, so to speak. For instance, they explained that we would be first in line for advising help, given more personalized attention from faculty, basically without competition for research opportunities, etc. Is this really a big benefit? And is it something to consider as an advantage compared with Yale or Brown, where I would just be one smart kid among many really, really smart kids?</p>
<p>If the cost were not too much of a burden, I would go for Yale or Brown in this situation. And remember that the special perks you would get at UDel are are standard features for Brown or Harvard ;)</p>
<p>My S is in the same situation. It is truly a dilemma. Cornell/Notre Dame vs full tuition to St Johns or CCNY. The college experience is more than just academics. You have to be happy with your environment as well in order to succeed. If its not an extreme burden on your parents I would say the IVY you love would make you happy and successful. That is the advice I will give my son. 20K is manageable between you and your parents. Good Luck!</p>
<p>have you posted this in the school boards? A lot of old time posters post on there and might be able to give you some insight.</p>
<p>I’m usually anti-loans above the stafford rate, but given what you want to study, and how clearly intellectually gifted you must be, I would hesitate to send you to UDel over Yale, unless you wanted to go into education or work at a bookstore. Even then, I’m not sure I could begrudge you this education. </p>
<p>Good luck to you. What do your parents’ think?</p>
<p>the reputation and the starting salary (that goes up every year) + 80,000$ in debt from Yale would ultimately surpass that full ride to Delaware. </p>
<p>you’ll be amazed at how important reputation is in the real world.</p>