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Oh mhmm that seems to be one solution.
Do you regret going to a fancy undergrad school?
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Oh mhmm that seems to be one solution.
your avatar. omg. love it.
Instate Tuition for me at the school I go to is $6k a year.
Out of state Tuition for me at University of Washington is 40k a year.
I could not justify spending $34,000 MORE PER YEAR to go to a school 14 hours away, when I could go to a school in my HOME TOWN (free living space) that has one of the top Health-related Career departments in the state, for less than $6,500/year.
It's undergrad, I couldn't care less where I get my degree from, when my main goal is medical school. Frankly, I feel I made the right choice. I have a 4.0 and I get to stay close to all of my friends for the time being. Aannnnd I'm not buried under globs of debt. I actually work enough hours as a CPhT to save up enough money to ALMOST pay for each semester as I'm taking them. That's not something I wouldn't be able to do at a fancy or OOS school.
Out of state Tuition for me at University of Washington is 40k a year.
I could not justify spending $34,000 MORE PER YEAR to go to a school 14 hours away, when I could go to a school in my HOME TOWN (free living space) that has one of the top Health-related Career departments in the state, for less than $6,500/year.
It's undergrad, I couldn't care less where I get my degree from, when my main goal is medical school. Frankly, I feel I made the right choice. I have a 4.0 and I get to stay close to all of my friends for the time being. Aannnnd I'm not buried under globs of debt. I actually work enough hours as a CPhT to save up enough money to ALMOST pay for each semester as I'm taking them. That's not something I wouldn't be able to do at a fancy or OOS school.
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I deeply regret going to JHU for undergrad. However, I did not properly investigate college campuses, so I think the mistake is my own fault. The name of your school makes little difference unless you are gunning for Top 20, and no one should be setting their sights so high while still in high school.
My GPA would've been higher at a lower tier school (well not at GA Tech where it probably would've been lower), but the resources and experiences I've had at my Ivy would've been highly unmatched. And I'm only paying 5-6k a year. I have no regrets whatsoever.
My "fancy-schmancy" Ivy college gave me almost a full-ride. There, I said it.
I transferred out of my fancy pants undergrad after freshman year to go to a state university.
48K a year just seemed insane and I wasn't happy there.
48K a year just seemed insane and I wasn't happy there.
OMG I GOT THIS SAME MESSAGE TOO!
Now I realize it was just so that my fancy pants high school could brag about where its students went in order to convince more parents to plop down a chunk of change for high school tuition
While I agree that you could very likely end up at the same place with an "elite" undergrad or a well-regarded state school, I think that college overall is much more than just a place to prep you for med school (if you choose that route). Many people develop and mature a lot during college, and those top schools are more likely to foster a student's growth and outlook in life. I feell that there is a greater sense of community at these top private schools, and students are overall much more open-minded and receptive of one another (for the most part). I went to a pretty reputable state school, but my sibling goes to a top-5 private university (won't reveal which one, but it's top-5 non-ivy with a huge name). My parents are paying much more for his education, and he is taking out some small loans. I can honestly say that both my parents and my sibling believe that paying for that school is worth every penny, because of the experiences and the exceptional student body that he is surrounded with. He has matured and grown so much since he has gone there, that I do believe that those experiences that shaped who he is and who he will become will help tremendously for med school. I honestly do not think that he would have benefitted as much from going to a state school (at least in my state).
It may not be the same for every top-caliber school, but this school in particular is known to be both among the top in the nation AND have among the happiest students in the nation. So it really all depends on what your options are/were when deciding among colleges. If it were between a well-known mid-tier private university and a reputable state school, by all means choose the state school if money is a major factor. However, I believe that a select top schools are definitely worth the money, even if it requires student loans
i'd like to reply as someone who went to both an average state school and an ivy. i started at the state school and transferred to the ivy and it was the best decision of my life. everything, and i mean EVERYTHING, was better (except perhaps the cost, but i am lucky enough to have no loans to pay back). it was completely different and i regret not going there from the start. i do think going to the state school helped me appreciate my new school even more, but it was definitely the best decision of my life.
I attended a "little ivy" (stupid title, but a nice way to anonymously roughly identify my school) and had a fantastic experience. I'm not sure where I'd be now if I'd gone to my state school, BUT if my family hadn't been willing to pay for UG then it would've been state school all the way as the debt really doesn't seem worth it.
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