So I love Dartmouth . . .

Consolation
Thu, 30 Jul 2009 17:10:31 +0000

I know someone who got a $15K Pepsi scholarship, and the parents are both lawyers. Not lawyers making NYC partner salaries, but they are not hurting for funds. Do not dismiss the possibility of some of the larger scholarships, especially if you have strong community service.

Admittedly, these are likely to be no more than $5K-$15K, a nice chunk of change, but still leaving a large part of COA to pay.

If you are worried about how Berkeley is viewed on the east coast, don’t be. It has always been a very highly regarded school. UCLA also has a good rep, but Berkeley’s is far stronger. The rest of the UCs are not well known. (Before Californians start screaming, I’m simply talking about general prestige/name recognition, which as we all know can have little to do with reality.)

BTW, I wouldn’t be as sanguine about PhDs being free as many people suggest. It depends on the field, even at excellent schools. You may also find that there are teaching assistantships to help pay for the PhD–after you pay for the master’s, IF you are accepted into the PhD program.