SUNY ESF or Colorado College [both oos]

I was accepted to Colorado College for Environmental Studies and SUNY ESF as an undecided major (both out-of-state) and am unsure which to choose.
My concerns with ESF are that it might limit me to environmental science if I decide to change my major and does not have the best network. However, my parents would cover the full cost of attendance at ESF (which is a major pro).
Colorado College is my dream school and has a much better network + would allow me to switch my major to something non-environmental if I change my mind. However, the con of attending school there is that it’s very expensive and I would need to repay my parents 30-40k/yr with 0% interest (120k-160k over the four years) to attend the school as we did not qualify for financial aid.
An unbiased, outside perspective on which school I should attend would be so helpful; it’s hard for me to be objective and think about turning down my dream school. I’m specifically wondering which college offers better job prospects in environmental science and is more respected in the professional field. Insights or advice would be greatly appreciated!

Colorado College is one course at a time. Is that an issue ?

Network - because they ((CC) told you ? It’s a rich kids school. That’s overrated.

ESF has other majors, many minors (non environmental) and you can take SU classes.

Frankly you cannot afford to pay back $120-160k, even at 0% unless they’re giving you 20-30 years. And that might end up hard for you.

This is a no brainer.

CC is not remotely worth that, especially with the likelihood of a low paying job. Not worth a third of that.

Good luck.

But ESF is the clear winner here.

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My S18 graduated from SUNY ESF three years ago, but I do not have any insight into Colorado College other than I know it is a well-respected LAC. This is a difficult choice for you. On the one hand, I would advise against attending SUNY ESF unless you know you want to major in something related to environmental science. ESF only offers a handful of majors that are not related to that field, so you would likely end up transferring if you got there and realized that ESF’s offerings did not align with your career goals.

On the other hand, you said your parents would expect you to pay them back “30-40k/yr” for the cost differential between the two schools. Splitting the difference and calling it 35k/yr., you would be looking at monthly payments of over $2,900.00 per month even with no interest. That is likely untenable for someone just out of college, and even if they adjust the repayment term, borrowing 120k-160k for college is almost certainly not a good idea. Frankly, I am a little surprised your parents are even putting that option on the table unless they quietly are intending on forgiving some of that debt along the way.

As for job prospects, I suspect it depends upon where you intend to settle down. SUNY ESF’s reputation in the environmental science field is great in the Northeast and maybe the Mid-Atlantic region, while Colorado College probably carries more weight west of the Mississippi River.

Graduating without debt is a HUGE plus in getting started with your life – one that you probably cannot even appreciate fully yet. If you were my kid, I would probably encourage you to stay as close to debt-free as possible. Personally, I believe what field you major in matters more, in terms of your future income potential, than what school you attend.

One other thing: If you go to ESF and then decide you want to switch to a major ESF doesn’t offer, you may have the option of transferring to Syracuse University instead. You probably know that ESF’s campus is directly adjacent to SU’s, and they have similar admission standards, also. That would allow you to stay in the same area, and SU’s tuition is about 10k lower per year than Colorado College.

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Thanks for your advice! I’m also waiting on Boulder scholarships and am curious about what you think there. Without scholarships I would need to pay my parents 20k/year (80k over 4 years) and I like it as much as Colorado College.

Boulder Scholarships - meaning Cu ? Are you in state ?

You will be in a low paying fieid.

Do you know how much the feds let you borrow ?

$27k over four years. There’s a reason.

$80k. Heck no.

What would your interest be outside of environmental fields ?

What is your GPA UW and test score ?

What is the budget your parents gave with no loans.

Check out ESFs minors. They have many. Maybe if you go away from environmental, you can do something there with minors while keeping your major.

I’ll disagree with @CarPayDM - I think CC is an unknown even out West. I know several who attended. All struggled. Two became realtors and one floundered.

If you’re rich, it’s a great school - because mom and dad will find you a job. It’s a wealthy school and less than 40% get aid (to show that point).

The school data itself shows over a fifth of last years class was seeking a job still 6 months after graduation. And they show expected, not real salaries, and even they are low. So loan payback - will be hard.

I don’t mean to tarnish your choice but for the long run, I don’t think it’s a good one.

I’d rather you start the search again.

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I understand the appeal of CC but it simply is not affordable. You would graduate with a tremendous amount of debt that would limit your options for years and years.

Do you have other affordable acceptances?

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At least one

“However, my parents would cover the full cost of attendance at ESF (which is a major pro).”

Im out of state for Boulder and my parents are willing to pay 50k/year. I’m pretty sure that would leave me with 10k (ish)/ year to pay back and 40k overall.

In environmental science I’d like to do something in biotech, structural engineering, or mechanical engineering (green energy/green tech). Outside of environmental science I’d likely want to do something with engineering/math or public health.

My GPA is a 3.5 UW and my ACT is a 33. I know my gpa is not the highest but I go to a very competitive high school and it took me a long time to learn how to do school + I got a 3.95 UW last year in all APs.

One again tysm for your help in all of this, I honestly feel much more confident in not attending CC and going to a more affordable option :heart_hands:.

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Yes! I have SUNY ESF and CU Boulder. My parents would pay for SUNY 100% (got an 10k scholarship so it’s cheaper than in state) and I would have to take 7k of the 0% interest government student loans each year and pay back my parents like 3k/year. So Boulder would cost 10k/year and 40k overall for me (waiting for scholarships atm).

So you want to work in engineering - why go to CC?

Boulder has - you have to transfer in.

But why not go to a school like Alabama where you’d be less than $20k all in, UAH, Miss Syate and there’s more - and you can study engineering - and get a great job. I bring these schools up because you can still apply. You win based on autinerit of goa and test.

CU will cost you more than you think.

Why - it’s $62.6 just for tuition room and board in these schools.

But once you go into environmental design or media, it recalculates to the current rate - currently $64560 but could be higher then

Engineering or science are $66164

Business - $66564

Their fee structure is major based.

Additionally once you move off campus, housing costs are likely to go up.

Sorry - but other than ESF, your list wasn’t built for cost.

I know it’s easy to fall in love, but CC kids don’t have great prospects in general, CU is great but too pricey - pricier than you think.

Could Wyoming, New Mexico or Montana State be a sub ?

Or go south, save a boatload and then have money for grad school.

I’d find an ‘affordable’ engineering school. You didn’t even have an engineering school at CC.

What is your home state?

Seems like renewable material science at ESF could fit you or Sustainable Energy Management. They also have Environmental Health.

They have a math and many other minors.

I think you’d find a way to make ESF work.

You may want Colorado, but your future likely low paid self will be so thankful later. Nothing is worse than debt hanging over you. This is a smarter route. And because you access Syracuse, it’s like you’re part of a bigger school.

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Do your parents work in the fields you’re interested in? Can they help you with your first internship? Do they know people in companies that have Environmental lawyers/forensics/risk analysts
?
(OP could well be part of the “rich kids who get jobs thanks to parents” group at Colorado College).

Is there a reason you applied to a 1-course-at-a-time model?

Federal loans aren’t 0% and they have an originating fee. Freshmen can borrow 5.5k, 6.5k for Sophomores (bc tuition is going to increase unless you attend a college that “locks” tuition), 7.5k for each of Jr and Sr year. That’s 27k borrowed but by the time you graduate that amount will have reached 31k due to interest. That’s how much a college graduate can reasonably pay back over 10 years.

Btw a job with a LOT of potential is environmental risk assessment. All insurance companies have one and are rapidly increasing because everything is being upended by the climate crisis. (For instance, during the LA fires, insurance companies had correctly analyzed where the fires would be most difficult to manage.) All public and infrastructure projects do/will do. I don’t know how you get that job but it’s worth emailing insurance companies.

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If you are interested in building things, SUNY ESF also has a construction management major (see here: Academic Programs - Construction Management, B.S.) that focuses a lot on green building, energy efficiency, sustainability etc. It’s really an interesting major (and construction management, if that calls to you, has a very high employment rate immediately after graduation).

And as you’ve probably already seen, they’ve got a biotech major too and I’m wondering if the environmental health major might fit your interests in public health. All that to say, yes, they do not have a ton of majors at SUNY ESF, but they might have some really interesting ones for you!

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My dad works in engineering (transportation) but is likely not going to help me find internships or a job. I applied to the 1-course-a-time model because I have adhd, dyscalculia, and dyslexia which makes focusing on seven classes at once very difficult.
I didn’t know that about the federal loans! I’ll most likely just pay my parents back 10k/year rather than take the loans to avoid interest.
I’m looking at environmental risk management as well!

I’ve been thinking about construction management as well. My concern with attending suny ESF is that I would end up working for the NY state rather than private firms (they, themselves told me that most of their graduates work for the NY state or local governments in NY)

I see no reason why going to a state school would restrict your employment opportunities. State & federal government are the 2 biggest employers in the country - especially in a big state like NY, and especially in that part of upstate NY, and especially in fields like forestry and environmental science. BUT if your degree was in something aligned with the private sector or even if you sought out private sector opportunities in fields like forestry and environmental science, there’s absolutely nothing about coming out of ESF that would hinder you in pursuing those career opportunities.

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This is late, but probably not too late for these two schools, but if the one-class-at-a-time model really appealed to you, these two colleges also have that model and I suspect would still take your app and offer you merit aid, since you were a strong enough applicant to be accepted to Colorado College (congrats, by the way!).

https://www.cornellcollege.edu/

Alternatively/additionally, schools that follow a quarter or trimester system might be helpful (i.e. concentrating on 3 classes at a time rather than 4 or 5+). If you want any suggestions of these, just let us know.

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Cornell College is a great idea - more economically diverse, too. And indeed I bet they’d accept her application and may even offer a scholarship!

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Funny - I was just thinking that after I read OPs reason for one course at a time.

With a 3.5 and a 33, they will come in just under $30K a year for tuition, room and board per the NPC - this includes a $37K merit scholarship. Their website notes a minimum $33K scholarship for all. Yep, they probably have other kids who like CC but couldn’t afford it.

You can apply until May 1st.

Apply as a First-Year Student | Cornell College | Mount Vernon, Iowa

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That might be true (the most graduates work for NY state or local gov’t) for the more environmental sciencey majors, because it’s often the government that has those jobs and if a large percentage of students are from NY then they might want to stay in NY, but I don’t think that’s dispositive for construction management. My older (college age) son is a civil engineering major and my younger (current HS senior) is planning to major in construction management, so we’ve been talking about this a lot lately. As older boy was looking for CivE jobs he kept coming across so many Construction Management type positions. People are looking for those graduates, and you can apply on any big company’s website, or even look on the employment search engines. For a market with as many jobs that need to be filled as construction management, I think you would likely not have a problem finding something with a larger nationwide scope, with just a little extra research on your own.

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