Private vs. Public University/College?

Question

I am in my first year as a pre-pharm. transfer at a private university, and have not yet begun the four year Pharm D. program. It seems that if I go through the program at the school I attend now, I will have accumulated a great deal of loans compared to the cost of tuition for a public university program.

Does anyone have any advice or experience in going to a private vs. a public university? Is private school really worth it?

Any helpful feedback would be appreciated, thanks.

Answer 1

My bosses daughter attends the University of Toledo and is in pharm admin right now. She did not get into the pharm D program. She was a few points short. U of T is a public or state school. She is going to try to get in again.

There are pros and cons to both. I think the most important thing to consider regarding money is which school will give you the best scholarship/financial aid package. If you get a public and a private school and their packages are similar and what you end up paying is similar, then go with the school that you'd really like to attend.

Private school will always be more money, but you have to decide if it is worth it to you to pay that money. Especially when you can get just as good of an education at a public school.

One other thing too... I do know that attending a school within your home state has advantages regarding tax credits and such. Check into that as well. Plus, attending school in your home state gives you advantages for certain scholarships and financial aid as well.

Do some research, ask some questions of the financial aid personnel in your school and in a public school you'd like to attend. It's well worth it.

Good luck!

Answer 2

I go to public University and It's pretty good (by the way I went to the richest privat highschool in the nation). At least in my major, you only use a small part of what you learn in school when you actually wor (although that may be diff for Pharm.)