I am a current community college student in Maryland. I have one more year to finish my associate degree then I will transfer to either UMD or UVA. Currently, I am MD resident and if I go to my current community college for another year, I will get in-state tuition for UMD (They offer full-scholarship for transfer students so there’s a chance that I can get that). We are also low-income family so I can continue to go to this community college at cheap price.
The thing is, my family is moving to Virginia next month because of family issue. If I choose to move with them, I will attend community college in Virginia. (and will pay out of state tuition because I did not reside in Virginia for one year). However, if I aim high and try my best to go to UVA, I can get in-state tuition (because by that time I enter UVA as a Junior, I will be a Virginia resident)
I have two options:
- Stay at current cc & pay cheap price, save money to go to UMD
Pay UMD in-state tuition (or get full scholarships)
- Move to Virginia with my family. Attend cc in Virginia (pay out-of state tuition for 1 year to get associate degree). Go to UVA (pay in-state tuition
I really like studying, care about my education, and my future job and career. I plan to work at really good companies after I graduate from 4yr uni and then go to graduate school to get my MBA degree. This is really important decision to make.
Will going to UVA by spending more money really worth it after 2-3 years after I graduate?
Would it be more easier to get good jobs and internships?
How will it be different from going to UMD instead?
I plan to go to graduate school, so will going to UVA give a little advantage to go to graduate school?
Please, I welcome any comments and suggestions.
I do not really know a lot of people who can advice me so I ask here! Feel free to write down your opinions. I would appreciate all of them.
Alright. That’s a lot to soak in, haha.
Let me start off by saying that I’m going to college this year, so I have no experience with this kind of stuff. These are just my opinions, and I’m open to debate if you find something funky with what I say.
For me, choice 1 seems logical. When you’re pursuing higher education (ex. graduate, PhD) where you went for your undergraduate degree doesn’t really matter in the long run. All you have to do is prove that you’re a good student dedicated to the subject you’re interested in. When people are interviewing you for your job, they look at the university you went last and consider that (but I’ve heard that they don’t even look at where you went, they depend on how much you know material relevant to your job and how your interview went). So in this case, it doesn’t really matter where you go for your undergraduate studies. You should be more concerned where you can save the most money; therefore choice 1 is the better option.
At first, family seemed like a big sacrifice for you if you stayed in MD, but I realized you’ll probably stay in the university’s dorms or in off-campus housing at UMD. And if you go to UVA, you’ll have the same living options. So it doesn’t really matter where your family is because you’ll have live away from your family (I don’t think commuting is an option for you right?).
Hope this helps!
I suggest carefully reading the fine print about the process of transferring from a Va. Community College to UVa to determine your future eligibility. For instance, I don’t know if there is a minimum time you must spend at a Va. Community College to be eligible for the special transfer program. Large numbers of Va. Community College students are accepted each year to UVa after doing very well during their first 2 years.
Where you attend undergrad can influence many things, but U. Md. is also a great university with many opportunities. Also, U. Md. has a whole system of campuses, and you may find a campus other than College Park that you like better.
If you want to study business as an undergrad, recognize that entry to UVa’s undergrad business program is highly competitive. I don’t know about the difficulty of admittance to U Md.'s business program.
If you would plan to graduate from U. Md. you will probably eventually get hit with their OOS tution for a year or two. I do not believe U. Md. provides much financial aid for OOS students. I think that may end up being a determining factor for you.
Va. has many excellent universities, so please look widely at your choices…
whatever you decide both schools require certain pre-reqs for entrance to the business school so make sure you take those classes. My son applied to both and classes are similiar