<p>tough time deciding…</p>
<p>I would say no if it means taking out loans.</p>
<p>UVa is one of the best state universities in the country, and it can compete with all but the very top private schools as well.</p>
<p>ND is definitely not worth the debt.</p>
<p>Another No from me. UVA is a great school.</p>
<p>I don’t see how anyone can respond to this question without additional information, because the cost of an education is quite marginal compared to the total career earnings you will enjoy over a typical lifetime.</p>
<p>What is the OP looking for in a college? I’d say we need to start from there…</p>
<p>What, no financial aid?</p>
<p>no financial aid from either. trying to weigh the ND advantage of the long haul, it is a intangible, since the education will be the same.</p>
<p>we think ND is wonderful and as a catholic is holds a special place, but…</p>
<p>The campus culture is similar. The education is comparable. It’s impossible to guage what total career earnings you would enjoy over a typical lifetime as a graduate of either school. Only a fortune teller would be able to answer that question. I’m inclined to say they would be quite similar because both schools are of the same caliber.</p>
<p>Who pays the $55k, and what else could you buy for it?</p>
<p>i pay the 55k, and i could use it to send 2 other kids to college. i am in the classic spot of making too much for aid , but not enough to just roll off 170k for 4 years for 3 kids. i have asked the student to come up with 10k a year between cash and loans, and the rest is on me.</p>
<p>So the difference to you is $17k. It’s not massive, but it is on top of other costs. (Private college for the next kids will be $200k and up.)</p>
<p>For your kid, $40k in workstudy/summer earnings/loans is really not a very big number, provided he is prepared to work on campus for four years, etc. If my kid agreed to that, I’d probably allow her to make the choice, IF I had the money (but I don’t, so it wouldn’t be a question.)</p>
<p>I doubt one can make an “educational” argument for ND over UVA - both wonderful schools, and really not very different from each other, except in the one’s Catholicism. </p>
<p>(Funny story here - my d. – like us - is a Quaker, and actually sits on a national Friendly board. The college town she chose has an active Friends Meeting where she is a regular attender, and more importantly, the town is located in such a way so that she can fly to national meetings at least 3 times a year. But the house she lived in her first year is across the street from the Friday night kosher kitchen. She likes to cook, so she wandered over there one Friday afternoon, and was “adopted”. So now she cooks every Friday afternoon, and stays for Sabbath singing with the Jewish students every Friday night (when she can) to 11:00. The cooking led her to apply to one of the coop houses so that she can cook dinner regularly one night a week (for 18), and take charge of her own meals the rest of the time. This at a college that many students prefer because the food is superb. This term she is taking a course in Jewish studies. Go figure! You never know where college decisions might lead you, and if you are lucky, it might be to strange and wondrous places!;))</p>
<p>Great post, mini…Our last of four kids is on the waitlist for ND. Her second choice is UCLA. Luckily, we can afford ND tuition. But if your child is an involved Catholic there is no question: ND is the place to go. I’ve had kids already graduate from UCs and learned that there are many important considerations beyond academics and prestige. Having said that, if it will jeopardize the college plans for the rest of your kids, go for UVA absolutely.</p>
<p>this is somewhat silly. I’m sure a ton of people would pick uva over nd even if they cost the same. there aren’t any advantages nd has over uva - unless you want to go to a catholic school. seems like a no brainer to me unless you really like nd and arn’t too interestd in uva.</p>
<p>I guess you’re not Catholic, jags.</p>
<p>My niece chose ND over the UCs (OOS)–it was her 1st choice & yes, she’s a pretty staunch Catholic & sports fan. She’s excited because it’s her dream school Her cousin is also there & her other cousin was SUPPOSED to attend but chose a full-ride at UPittsburgh instead (go figure); his parents are heartbroken, since they convinced my niece to go to ND in the 1st place.</p>
<p>A friend’s son went to ND & had a great 4 years there; another friend’s son got very depressed there & ended up coming home to our flagship U instead.</p>
<p>UVa is a great school–large & competitive. My friend’s D went there OOS & had a great experience. It’s where her folks met & married. She feels that because it was so competitive for grades, it lowered her GPA (had only gotten As in her ubercompetitive HS). </p>
<p>Can’t go wrong with thier school, but I’m sure you must have decided already, since the deposits were due 5/1. What did you choose & why?</p>
<p>I’d go to UVA. Objectively, it’s a better deal. Subjectively, though, it may not have some of the qualities that the OP values. But things change, and people can learn to love things. I sure have. UVA was not my top choice when I was applying to colleges, but it has exceeded my expectations in nearly every way since I came. </p>
<p>maryc, I’m a catholic and I don’t necessarily think jags’ statement was wrong. Seriously, ND is full of catholicana, but it isn’t the place for a hardcore catholic.</p>
<p>I still say it’s all in the eyes of the beholder.</p>
<p>I know of someone who turned down the Harrison (complete free-ride, books and all) at Miami University (in-state for her) to attend Duke… at the net additional expense of about $150K… while I also know someone who took a free ride at a small LAC instead of paying about $40 more at a major in-state university.</p>
<p>Are these students (and their parents) happy? Yes, because they all got what they wanted - a challenging and rewarding school for their children.</p>
<p>Our daughter as well turned down many lucrative offers, both in-state and out-of-state, to attend Notre Dame. While I wince at having to pay some considerable change for her education, I am happy because our daughter is being rewarded for her hard work in school, while at the same time feeling more independent than going in-state 45 minutes away.</p>
<p>So IMHO, money can only be used as one of many determining factors in a decision such as this.</p>
<p>Are there no Catholic churches in Charlottsville? How steeped in the religion does the school have to be? I’m sure there are groups, clubs, etc. at UVA that would fulfill the OP’s need to be surrounded by people of his faith.</p>
<p>Notre Dame. </p>
<p>It’s smaller than UVa, a big state school. Academics are superb. Name recognition is instantaneous. UND’s alumni networking across the globe is truly amazing. As a mom, I like the fact that not only are all the dorms at UND single-sex, there are parietal hours when the opposite sex gets kicked out.</p>
<p>child slected UVA, it was an agonizing process, they were back and forth multiple times. I have nothing bad to say about ND, it is a wonderful place. i was fine with either choice , but had a favorite, but did not force the decision my way. child really like ND, but never could muster up the love. I think if you cant love ND, it might not be the right place. UVA and Mcintire are wonderful, rated right behind Wharton, so the end game wont be different. My only regret is they could of started a legacy for siblings and future children, which you cant put a price on.</p>