I’m so frustrated that I’m out-of-state when I’m not that far from UMD. It’s still too far to commute to school. Never did I imagine when I moved to VA, my kids would not like the VA colleges. I had heard so many good things about them when I grew up in Maryland. I even recently looked into moving back to Maryland to get the in-state tuition, but given the interest rates right now and future trend, and the ridiculously low interest rate I have from refinancing a few years ago, moving to get in-state tuition would be a completely wash for me and I’d break even. It’s a great school, so I’ve been telling myself to consider the out-of-state tuition my alumni donation to the school. One girl from my daughter’s school is at UMD now and loves it there.
Virginia has many great schools and when our kids were younger, I wished that we lived in VA to benefit the in-state tuition. And as I recalled, when I was in school, VT was a high reach and UMD was like a safety school for in-state kids, including myself. Now, it is much harder to gain acceptance to UMD, and they are very stingy on merit aids. My other daughter is planning to apply to UMD next year, but worry that they will not accept her, which will put more stress on us, if she is going OOS for college.
I do think VT is a great option for your daughter. She probably will get decent scholarship that may bring cost down much much lower than UMD. For Georgetown, I don’t think they give merit aids and it will cost more than OOS rate for UMD. A friend’s daughter is currently attending Georgetown as business major, and she loves it there.
It will come down to great “fit” for kids. I’m sure your daughter will make great choice and will be great in whichever school she decides to go.
I’m from Maryland but graduated from W&M so for years and years tried to talk my husband into moving to VA for the great colleges. Turns out 3 out of 4 of my sons attended private colleges for much less or slightly more than in-state UMD tuition.
VT and MD are both great options. I strongly believe that fit is important (or very important to some kids, not every kids blooms where they are planted) but only you know the financial impact.
It’s too bad we can’t predict the future and see how our kids will turn out. I moved from Maryland to Virginia because my husband was from Virginia. My daughter wouldn’t apply to W&M or University of Richmond either, which had accounting programs. She was looking for big, so it came down to UVA, VT, GMU in-state. But each had something she didn’t like, UVA (no direct admit to business), VT (not keen on Blacksburg), GMU (no campus life). She really wanted something that was a combination of UVA/GMU and that turned out to be UMD, although Georgetown really won her over. My son ended up out-of-state at different MD college, and he blossomed there.
VT is known to be stingy with merit aid. They know they don’t have to pay students to attend.
If you have a child that attends UMD or VA Tech’s accounting program or business schools, can you tell me what you find unique about their program or schools? I noticed that their programs are slightly different for eachother. UMD’s business school is having informationals that we’re planning to attend, and we haven’t seen anything from Pamplin yet, but I wanted to get some insight before the informationals.
The business core and accounting coursework should be pretty standard from college to college. Look at the online course catalogs from both schools.
I would focus on cost and fit.
Keep in mind that to become a CPA one needs 150 credits – some can reach that in four years with APs, overloading, summer classes but many go on for a one year MS in Accounting.
What’s IR?
International Relations
But reasons linked to diversity are absolutely valid, separately from academics.
I will say as Georgetown alumni - just go with the Hoyas. 
My daughter really did fall in love with that school. Our tour guide was actually an accounting major and did a really great job representing the school. The alumni that interviewed my daughter was great and an accounting major, too. She really felt a connection to the school. If she gets in, I may hit you up with some follow-up questions.
No problem. I loved the school, met my wife there and we still go down to visit occasionally (we go to the same church I attended while a student there).
To VT parents, how do your upperclassmen students feel about living off campus? I know VT has housing issues and campus housing isnt guaranteed after freshman year.
I lived on campus most of my time in college. The year and half I lived off campus, I didnt like it it. It was tiring to go to school and hang around in buildings until my next class. Whereas, when I lived at school, I could just go to my room and take a nap.
Agree that is some of it. I live close to UMD. Lots of Maryland HS kids think “it’s just UMD”. They’ve grown up going to campus etc. It may be “just” UMD, but kids are clamoring to get in 
.
They also think it is going to be like high school - everyone from their HS is going there. Well, not everyone is - they aren’t getting in and even if every single one of their senior class of say 400, did go, it will would be a very small percentage of the UMD population.
And I have encountered a couple of kids who weren’t hot on the idea of going to UMD, but once they were accepted, it changed - I think they were protecting themselves from a potential rejection.
My daughter feels like that about UVA and VT. But I’ve been reading a lot of student posts about what students hate and like about both schools, and Im realizing how important fit really is. If a kid doesnt like the enormity of both VT or UMD, they’re really going to struggle. I think my daughter would’ve done fine academically at any school, but I dont think she would be as happy at a small school like W&M.
“A prophet is without honor in his own home town.”
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