How to decide on a school?

[Kevindurant35]

I am currently holding seats at 7 schools, all of which I could realistically see myself as a student at. However, only one of these schools has given me financial aid information (full cost of tuition covered). Should I just accept this offer because the best a school could do would be to match it or should I wait it out and see what other schools offer? What other factors should I be considering beyond price? (especially if on all my interview days I felt like a good fit at these institutions)

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[SpartanWolverine]

If a school has offered you full tuition, you can always politely ask the other schools if they can match the offer. The worst they can say is "no". However, you realistically have no leverage if the schools are "above" the one that offered you a full scholarship.

 

[Kevindurant35]

If a school has offered you full tuition, you can always politely ask the other schools if they can match the offer. The worst they can say is "no". However, you realistically have no leverage if the schools are "above" the one that offered you a full scholarship.

Well the school I have full tuition is a top ten so only a few schools are above it, I guess my next question then is if I should just go ask the schools before they release financial aid information. Also is there anything else I should be taking into consideration besides money. I mean at all the schools I hold a seat research, match list, and step scores are all great. The students all seem very happy at these schools, is there anything else I should consider?

 

[SpartanWolverine]

Have you considered things like:

1. location
2. campus culture
3. student resources
4. course schedule
5. curriculum style
6. grading
7. class profile
8. class size
9. specific faculty, research projects, or institutes that are relevant to your interests

You should also consider the intangibles -- the way you "feel" about a school can mean a lot.

 

[minion1992]

Go to second looks, see what you like. Can you imagine being there for 4 years? Yes send an email to the other schools financial aid and tell them you got full tuition. There is no point rushing to make a decision you have til April 30th. Full tuition is great at a top ten school. If other top schools give you full aid as well then worry about other things. Is this merit aid or need based aid? What are the schools if we may ask? If it is need based school other school will be more likely to match. Congrats on the offer but you really should have been thinking about all of this stuff when you interviewed...

 

[Kevindurant35]

Have you considered things like:

1. location
2. campus culture
3. student resources
4. course schedule
5. curriculum style
6. grading
7. class profile
8. class size
9. specific faculty, research projects, or institutes that are relevant to your interests

You should also consider the intangibles -- the way you "feel" about a school can mean a lot.

Thanks for the list. I've made a spread sheet for the schools with all this information and it's still a difficult decision. I don't mind living in hot or cold weather. All the schools that I've been accepted to are academic power houses and like I stated students are extremely happy. All of them are P/F. The biggest difference is class size ranging from 88-150, how does that make a difference?

 

[Kevindurant35]

Go to second looks, see what you like. Can you imagine being there for 4 years? Yes send an email to the other schools financial aid and tell them you got full tuition. There is no point rushing to make a decision you have til April 30th. Full tuition is great at a top ten school. If other top schools give you full aid as well then worry about other things. Is this merit aid or need based aid? What are the schools if we may ask? If it is need based school other school will be more likely to match. Congrats on the offer but you really should have been thinking about all of this stuff when you interviewed...

The aid is merit based, that's why I am worried it may come off as pretentious to ask them to match the offer because they may not feel that I qualify for it. And you're right I should have been more alert on interview day, I was just so nervous with all my interviews.

I PM'D you the schools.

 

[NonTrad16]

The aid is merit based, that's why I am worried it may come off as pretentious to ask them to match the offer because they may not feel that I qualify for it.

You will rarely get what you don't reach for... so, if the cost of a full ride is "coming off as pretentious" so be it. If you would only go there given the extra money, you have two outcomes: 1) they "don't think you're worth it" and you go to another school that does, or 2) they do think you're worth it and you have a choice.

 

[Goro]

Excellent post. OP, to this, add you gut feeling when you interviewed. Did anything negative pop up? Anything really good catch yoru attention? How were the students there? Did they seem happy?

Have you considered things like:

1. location
2. campus culture
3. student resources
4. course schedule
5. curriculum style
6. grading
7. class profile
8. class size
9. specific faculty, research projects, or institutes that are relevant to your interests

You should also consider the intangibles -- the way you "feel" about a school can mean a lot.

 

[Sandmeezy]

But Kevin Durant, I'm sure you can pay your 4 years of tuition in full to any school without a dent in your bank account, no?