Was anyone else equally as stupid?

[Van Chowder]

Just wondering if any of you had the option to go to decent/fairly good state schools (UCSD,UCB) but instead chose to go to a private school ( NYU ),had to take out loans to pay the $50k price tag, and wake up everyday kicking yourself? Thank god im a transfer student and am only here for 2.5 years or so...

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[armybound]

I should have weighed my options a little bit more before deciding on ONLY applying to one school, which was private and rather expensive.

I'm very happy with my education and such, but I think I paid too much for what it's worth. Could have gotten a much better value at a state school. At least I'm making up for it with my cheap state medical school.

 

[Van Chowder]

I should have weighed my options a little bit more before deciding on ONLY applying to one school, which was private and rather expensive.

I'm very happy with my education and such, but I think I paid too much for what it's worth. Could have gotten a much better value at a state school. At least I'm making up for it with my cheap state medical school.

Yea, im hoping to be able to do the same.. from cali, that would be heaven..

**dreams of UCSD**

 

[tinery]

I should have weighed my options a little bit more before deciding on ONLY applying to one school, which was private and rather expensive.

I'm very happy with my education and such, but I think I paid too much for what it's worth. Could have gotten a much better value at a state school. At least I'm making up for it with my cheap state medical school.

YES. I definitely feel like going to my school was a complete waste of money. I'm not sure what advantages I had coming here. Even though my private school is technically partially state supported it's still $40k versus probably <10K for state school. I wish I hadn't wasted my money because I probably would have gotten into the same med school regardless of what college I chose.

 

[Tatastrophy]

I went to a private school and thanks to combo of merit and need based moneys I am paying less than I would at a state school.

 

[BanditTheHusky]

I went to a private school and thanks to combo of merit and need based moneys I am paying less than I would at a state school.

Same for me. Tatastrophy, did you also go to Emory too? Just noticed the Atlanta location and top 20 school on your mdapps.

 

[Tatastrophy]

Same for me. Tatastrophy, did you also go to Emory too? Just noticed the Atlanta location and top 20 school on your mdapps.

Indeed I did. I thought I had Emory up on my MDapps.

 

[Handinhand]

I ended up getting lucky and my state school is a very large, very research oriented school and has good prestige behind it.

 

[womp]

It's not just undergrad... med school is like this too.

I had scholarships for undergrad, but med sch is going to put me in the red for about two decades.

 

[phonyreal98]

I ended up getting lucky and my state school is a very large, very research oriented school and has good prestige behind it.

Same here.

I had the option between two top 20 private schools and my state school (ranked in the 21-30 range of the USNWR rankings)...I followed the money.

 

[Morsetlis]

UCSD instead of Harvard (for undergrad) = Save $$$.

 

[specter]

Same here.

I had the option between two top 20 private schools and my state school (ranked in the 21-30 range of the USNWR rankings)...I followed the money.

to be honest though, that's not really much of a dilemma.

 

[gravitywave]

it's not worth it unless you get mad scholarships at the private school (or if you come from money and your fam doesn't mind footing the bill.) very few private schools are worth the sticker price.

we didn't have any money but after fin aid i was looking at the same cost for my state school vs the private one, so it was a no brainer.

 

[specter]

it's not worth it unless you get mad scholarships at the private school (or if you come from money and your fam doesn't mind footing the bill.) very few private schools are worth the sticker price.

we didn't have any money but after fin aid i was looking at the same cost for my state school vs the private one, so it was a no brainer.

true, if you are pre-med or probably any sort of pre-health. It's different when it comes to finance, usually because of the better opportunities and connections. Not sure about law.

 

[gravitywave]

true, if you are pre-med or probably any sort of pre-health. It's different when it comes to finance, usually because of the better opportunities and connections. Not sure about law.

ok yeah, true if you want to work on Wall St/score a 6-figure consulting job post-grad. but you'd better be magna cum laude or better while you're there. for the majority of finance jobs my point still holds.

somewhat true for law, about the same as for med. law is even more numbers-based, though (no interviews). also like med, the entrance exam (LSAT) is the great equalizer.

 

[illegallysmooth]

I was incredibly stupid.

Full ride including room and board at state school in my hometown (UB) vs. the smaller, more prestigious Univ of Rochester (with the beautiful campus). I chose UR. Now I'm in a crapload of debt and my med school decision will be heavily based off this. Furthermore, I had to work a lot all through school and if I went to UB, I could have focused on my schoolwork.

 

[morning]

For me, I'm not sure. I didn't go to college straight after HS and I kind of wish I did. I would have gotten some BS liberal arts degree 18 year old *****s love to get, and I did not realize I wanted to go into health at the time, so I would have spent a few years floundering away with that BS liberal arts degree, paying off loans working at McD's or something. On the other hand, now I would be getting a post-bac instead of toiling away at stuff I could have done years ago. On the OTHER hand, I have no idea what sort of loans my 18 year old self would have applied for that my 23-year-old self would never even consider. And, bonus, I've only got a year until I'm independent and can get better financial aid. Really looking forward to that.

I guess the only thing I can take from all this wondering is...don't wonder what you could have gone or beat yourself up for past mistakes, because it's too late now.

No matter what, you at least got into school straight away and will be an attending quicker than a non-trad. That's extra money in the bank, even if you spent extra money to get there.

 

[phonyreal98]

to be honest though, that's not really much of a dilemma.

Nope, it wasn't too hard of a choice. And I couldn't be happier with my decision to go to my state school.

 

[metallica81788]

I got paid to go to my state school and I'm very happy with my decision. Once in a blue moon, the prestige ***** in my head asks me why I didn't apply to a better school, but I don't have any undergrad debt.

I'm very glad about not being weighed down when I make my med school choice, which may come down to money (unfortunately).

 

[sassilysweet]

I went to a private school and thanks to combo of merit and need based moneys I am paying less than I would at a state school.

Same here, I had half tuition off just based on my ACT score. Also had 2-3 renewable outside scholarships, and came from a single-parent family (ie reduced lunch!).

I actually owe less for 4 years at my private college than I do for my year and a half at my state school (when I went back and finished a 2nd bachelors)

 

[MrCheetah]

UCSD instead of Harvard (for undergrad) = Save $$$.

I think that you're an idiot for passing up the opportunity to study at the best university in the world, no matter what it costs.

 

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

I think that you're an idiot for passing up the opportunity to study at the best university in the world, no matter what it costs.

I think i'd rather keep that 100k in my pocket...

 

[Morsetlis]

I think that you're an idiot for passing up the opportunity to study at the best university in the world, no matter what it costs.