ahhh i’m like a month late to the convo, i applied early decision and got deferred so here i am, 18 days before the big day (yet again) !! also @kimtaehyung love the username
i was a frequent visitor of this thread ever since I sent in my QB app, hoping i would at least become a finalist so i wouldn’t have to redo my entire application AND pay to submit it (which thankfully i was a finalist and was able to send the same app to several of my top choice schools!) and after i got deferred i left this thread for a while and started to focus on my safety schools, but before i did i made friends with a few other hopeful yalies on this thread !! my scores aren’t as great as what i’ve seen on several threads here but they were good enough for me to score a full ride at a local uni !! now, in a few days, i get to find out whether or not i have to make the hard choice of going to my dream school or free college. if i do happen to get into yale, what do you guys think i should do? i need more than just biased opinions from my family and friends, this is a really tough decision that i may have to make
@yungturd I’m in a somewhat similar situation. If I go to any in-state schools, I have a scholarship that will pay my tuition in full. However, all of the schools that I’m really interested in are out of state…I wish everyday that I could wake up and fall in love with an in-state school lol. Currently, I’m just waiting to see where I’ve been accepted and what financial aid packages they offer so I can make a fully informed decision and evaluate all of the options thoroughly.
But here are some things that I’ve been thinking of ahead of time that I want to keep in mind when I do make my decision:
- The most important thing about choosing a college is fit.
[QUOTE=""]You need to go to a university that has a curriculum/programs you’re interested in. Every school has its own way of structuring required courses and the like, you should choose one that you think will work well for you. Furthermore, if you are interested in a certain major, you should make sure it is offered at your school, and that the department for that major is one of good quality (i.e. that there are good resources and educators there for what you want to study).
You need to choose a school that is in a geographic location that you enjoy. You’re not just choosing your school, you’re choosing your home for the next four years. If you thrive in an urban environment, choosing a school in a rural setting is a poor choice and vise-versa. You should make sure that your school has stores that you like nearby and etc. The environment you live in has a large influence on your happiness and wellbeing, so you should choose a school in an environment that you like.
You need to find a community that you feel comfortable in. The people you go to college with will ideally become some of your closest friends. You should choose a college where you’re excited to join the community and to get to know the people there.[/QUOTE]
- It is also important to keep in mind your goals for the future.
[QUOTE=""]Are you planning on getting a masters? A Ph.D.? It might be better to go to a less expensive school now and save the high tuition fees for graduate school.
Furthermore, do you have a job? Are you planning on getting a job? In the future, will you be able to eventually pay back loans & etc. or will you drown in them?
How important is the prestige for you? For some occupations/jobs, having that Ivy League name could really make the difference. For others, it doesn’t really matter.[/QUOTE]
- Some other things to consider:
[QUOTE=""]Is it close enough to travel home when you want to?
Do they have extra-curriculars you like?
Is the food good there?
What are the dorms/living situations like?
What are some opportunities/resources you may have at one school that are not offered at the other?[/QUOTE]
Overall, when you get all of your decisions, you need to take all the numbers and calculate the difference in cost. Then you need to calculate what you currently will be able to cover along with what will be harder to cover. And finally, evaluate factors like these and decide whether or not the more-expensive dream school will be worth the extra work and stress.
Sometimes it isn’t. It’s not worth it. And that’s okay. Even if they may not have prestigious names, many state schools are really good and you will still get an amazing education no matter where you go.
But sometimes, it is. And if that’s the case, you should pursue the dream school. Maybe it’ll be harder, but it will pay off in the end. It depends on the person.
The overall goal is to find a place where you can flourish, be happy, and build a strong foundation that will serve you well for the rest of your life. 
Hope that helps. Wishing you the best.
@yungturd also thanks ! and i like your profile pic
@yungturd oh hey! I don’t think we talked much but I remember you from the EA wave… I got deferred too lol.
As far as your question goes, it really depends on the cost of attending Yale (or whichever your dream school is) if admitted. If you’re a QB finalist shouldn’t you have significant aid? (I’m not fully aware of how QB works). Is it feasible without outrageous loans (some say any loan is outrageous, some say anything more than 30k is outrageous, etc, so it’s rather subjective)? If no, the decision is very simple, as sad as it may feel. If yes, then considering the fit, in the helpful way @kimtaehyung has suggested above, may be a good idea.
Congrats on your full ride btw, and all the best for RD!
Wait so I am missing financial aid documents and they didn’t tell me. I’m guessing that means I’m probably in the no pile right?
If you have given everything the FA could ever ask, then you might be in or out, and for obvious reasons, they wont contact you.
But if youre missing something thats required of them and they themselves arent telling you, thats not a good sign, but it doesnt mean youre out.
See if they respond on mailing them. Ask them this, and theyll have a soln.
@compSciLover how do you know you are missing FA documents?
@compSciLover I’m literally in the same boat. I have some missing docs for IDOC for multiple schools (Yale included) and have not been contacted by the schools to let me know that I’m missing fin aid info…truly hope that this doesn’t indicate rejection.
It doesnt indicate rejection for sure, though it may.
The only way one can find out about missing finaid info for yale is thru the IDOC portal
They emailed me asking for my W2 a couple weeks ago, due by March 1. Never really gave it any thought because the financial aid only matters if you get in, and I’m almost 100% sure I’m getting denied.
If your family income is low enough to qualify for QB, Yale would almost certainly end up covering your costs if you got in. They have enough money to throw at that problem. Their offer often comes close to or beats what you see in the Net Price Calculator, from everything I’ve heard, so run that to see what you might get.
The Net Price Calcs hosted on the official college webpages (Yale’s website has one for Yale, for example) are pretty accurate (from what they claim AND from others I know whove tried it and gotten in)
As long as the calculator exists on the colleges websites, its trustable.
It’s occasionally unreliable if your parents are divorced, or if they have unusual finances due to business or freelancing. The colleges try to make it as accurate as possible, but people have complicated financial issues and it can’t cover all the bases. Otherwise they wouldn’t need financial aid departments, they would just input everyone’s CSS + FAFSA into a computer and go with the first results it spit out.
No interview and no FA emails for missing documents. rip me
I explained the FA emails on the cornell thread @ImAwfulWithNames
Regarding the interview, idk at this pt, but im sure its been answered many times previously.
I didn’t submit one of the docs and my citizenship status is messed up
How tf? @compSciLover
I indicated on my application that I intend to apply for financial aid, but I did not send the CSS Profile.(bc Yale is need blind) and they did not contact me. If you look through last year’s thread, there are four or five people got missing FA emails and they end up getting in. Actually you can’t believe everything they say on their website. Harvard said interview is based on interviewer availability, but from the Harvard lawsuit documents, it’s clear that interview is very important and almost all the people who got in have interviews.
I agree. But for obvious reasons, there is nothing to fear if you have sent all FA docs and they havent contacted you.
Idk otherwise, as at this point all these scenarios seems hazy to me (by listening to everyone here).
But with my 1st point i can be 100% confident.