Confused about how to pick schools

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TheBoneDoctah

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So I am trying to choose which schools I want to apply to but don't even know where to start. My first "sorting" of schools was by price. I was setting my limit at 43,000 a year. However, I was watching a video on YouTube and the guy was talking about loan forgiveness programs and that you don't have to worry about your debt. Is this true? I'm so confused.

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First go by numbers if money is a constraint, then go by geographic locale.
 
How to make a list

1. LECOM
2. In-state schools
3. places you want to attend for geo and prestige
4. low tier places you are willing to settle with if 1-3 fail.

Choose until you reach 12-15.
 
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First go by numbers if money is a constraint, then go by geographic locale.
Well money is a constraint unless the loan forgiveness thing is true. I've never heard of it before until I watched that video. Apparently you pay your loans based on your income for 10 years and then your loans are forgiven?
 
How to make a list

1. LECOM
2. In-state schools
3. places you want to attend for geo and prestige
4. low tier places you are willing to settle with if 1-3 fail.

Choose until you reach 12-15.
I know LECOM is super cheap compared to the rest, but does this imply anything about the education and/or lack of anything? It just seems weird that all the other schools are so much more.
 
I know LECOM is super cheap compared to the rest, but does this imply anything about the education and/or lack of anything? It just seems weird that all the other schools are so much more.

I doubt it's lacking and if it is, it's still to a point that is tolerable. Regardless 20k less a year is enough for you to be quite content with your situation.
 
I know LECOM is super cheap compared to the rest, but does this imply anything about the education and/or lack of anything? It just seems weird that all the other schools are so much more.
They are super strict on lecture attendance and dress code. Also I think they use exclusively a PBL curriculum so that is definitely something to consider.
 
They are super strict on lecture attendance and dress code. Also I think they use exclusively a PBL curriculum so that is definitely something to consider.

Erie has LDP and DSP. Bradenton and Seton Hill are PBL only.
 
You will either get into a state school and have a varying amount of debt around $150,000; or you will get into a private school with a debt somewhere around $250,000

Apply to both, go where you get in. But remember that if you flunk out after a few years, you owe that money.
 
How to make a list

1. LECOM
2. In-state schools
3. places you want to attend for geo and prestige
4. low tier places you are willing to settle with if 1-3 fail.

Choose until you reach 12-15.

Pretty accurate list, I took #1 out though because PBL scares me haha. Otherwise, thats basically how I did it:
1) Places my wife could find work (so any school with 200K+ people within 30 minutes)
2) Places that have a super solid rotations and reputation (ironically sort of goes hand in hand with #1 except for a for schools).
3) low tier/backup
Cross check to make sure none of your schools have major cost issues (MSU for out of state) or have massive in-state bias (OSU and TCOM). Then check anything else goofy (OUCOM has 5 year contract), stuff like that.

Did this until I narrowed down 12 schools: 3 reach, 6 that I line up with their averages, 3 low tier.
 
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