<p>I got into a very good NY public university and a private LAC. </p>
<p>I’ve gotten merit aid from both and I’ve appealed for more but I think I’ll be afford to go anyway, thankfully. </p>
<p>My question is, is it risky to go to a public university in this economy? State funding is just not the same, is it? I’ve heard scary stuff about classes being crowded, not being able to graduate on time, etc. etc. </p>
<p>I absolutely * need * to graduate in 4 years, we can’t really afford another year, especially without the merit aid for the fifth year. </p>
<p>So I was wondering if it’d be better to go to the private LAC simply because it’d be safer. Give me your input please, I’d love it.</p>
<p>“I absolutely need to graduate in 4 years, we can’t really afford another year, especially without the merit aid for the fifth year.”</p>
<p>Are you positive that you will be able to do that with your major at the LAC? There are lots of cases of students who need five years to graduate from LACs because they change their major, or do a double major, or whatever. </p>
<p>With aid, how much of a difference will there be between the two institutions? How much of your aid will be in loans?</p>
<p>If you do end up needing a 5th year, or an extra semester, or summer school, how will you pay for it?</p>
<p>Happymom, It’s a good question to ask about the cost per year at each school. However, I think Gapyear is right in there being more support at a LAC (and thus better effectiveness) for students to graduate in 4 years. For an example, I looked at the CDS for the local state college and a local LAC. The number who completed school in 4 years was very similar, but the class size at the state school was almost 4 times larger.</p>
~64% in 4 years, 78% in 6. You can make yourself part of that 64% if you try.
Correlation does not imply causation. I’m not saying that your overall conclusion is wrong, but that single datapoint doesn’t indicate much at all.</p>
<p>Nothing is a guarantee anywhere. Merit aid is per awarded per year and you can lose it if your grade point is too low or for a reason you can’t even forsee.</p>
<p>Case in point, every year the State of Washington awards merit scholarships to some of its students. These scholarships can be used at any institution in the state of Washington, public or private. Due to the current state of the economy these awards might be discontinued effective now, including for the students who are still in school, they will not be grandfathered in.</p>
<p>It’s hard to predict the future. You’re just going to have to make your choice and hope for the best.</p>
<p>Don’t let the media spook you. Anyone can graduate from anywhere in 4 years if they don’t switch majors and study a little bit. People don’t get shut out of classes. The people who do are bums who don’t register for classes in their time slot and wait until weeks later.</p>
<p>Transferring also comes into play as a potential problem, so try to predict problems. For example, how sure are you at each school that your financial aid package is going to remain the same or similar? Additionally, which one do you feel fits you more - so that you don’t get uncomfortable and unhappy, thus losing sight of the goal? Which has fewer general education requirements, so that you can spend less time fulfilling required courses and more times either exploring what you’d like to study or taking courses in your major? I don’t think this is as much a public vs. private issue as it may appear - especially given that private and public schools are BOTH struggling.</p>
<p>SUNY or CUNY for sure. Much more cost effective. IF you shose the LAC be sure it is worth the extra $$$. Also, many SUNYs are in such remote/rural areas that off campus housing is very inexpensive.</p>
<p>No reason you can’t graduate in 4 yrs. Your academic courses are listed on line as are all your electives. Make a plan. Also, my son (at Buffalo) has so many academic courses for his engineering major, he is taking some courses locally and online over the summer to get them out of the way. You can too.</p>
<p>SUNY Geneseo and Rollins College. Wow, I just checked and Geneseo and Rollins actually have a similar 4-year graduation rate and Geneseo actually has a ** higher ** 6-year graduation rate. I guess my worries have been for naught. </p>
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<p>About 5-6,000/year. None are in loans, they were merit scholarships. I hope I can graduate in 4 years, although I am considering a double major. </p>
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<p>True. But that doesn’t stop me from worrying. I just wanted to be educated on the risks. The GPA requirement for my scholarship at Rollins is a 3.2</p>
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<p>The same. They’re merit scholarships, and continued as long as I have a satisfactory GPA.</p>
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<p>Wow, I never even thought of that, thanks. I believe both have about the same number of required gen ed courses. </p>
<p>This might all be for nothing. I’ve applied to some elite institutions because we qualify for significant need-based aid (3 in college at a time). I should just start worrying in April perhaps. I just wanted to get people’s opinion on public vs. private for both myself and others. Thanks and feel free to follow up with your comments.</p>
<p>One thing to remember when looking at 4 and 6 year graduation rates at large public universities, is that many students simply don’t survive the first year. They arrive marginally prepared on an academic level and flunk out. Or, they really only want to party, and flunk out. Or, they realize that they don’t like school, and drop out. Or any number of other things. Students who enter completely committed to graduating in 4 years (the way most students enter a private college/university are likely to complete there degrees in the same amount of time that they would have at a private institution.</p>
<p>Truly, it is as much about self-discipline and persistence as it is about smarts.</p>
I just wanted to be educated on the risks. The GPA requirement for my scholarship at Rollins is a 3.2</p>