Most important decision of my life? Which of these three colleges?

Question

May 1st is the national decision deadline, when you have to tie yourself to a college, to your future. I am deciding between three schools and I really need some advice. I have been accepted to George Washington University, Boston University and the University of Iowa. Over Spring Break I visited GWU and BU. Here are my pros and cons. I love GWU, they have the programs and the location I want, but they are massively expensive, so I would have lots of debt. BU was nice, I liked it but not as much as GWU, it's also quite expensive. Iowa is also nice and a lot cheaper, but it's really big. Does anyone have any suggestions or recommendations for these schools. What do people think about going into debt for a school I really like or should I go to a school I kind of like but I can afford. Help would be appriciated.

Answer 1

Unless the cachet of graduating from GWU is worth the extra $$$$ that you'll shell out, I'd go for UIowa. (Actually I'd pick a smaller, private, 4-yr school if you don't want to get stuck in huge classes taught by teaching assistants, but - you didn't list any of those - ). It matters less where you go to school than what you do while you're there and what you do after you leave.

Answer 2

I would make a pro/con matrix and talk it out with someone who's opinion you respect. You're right - this is a very major decision.

You should compare based on: cost (minus scholarships or grants you might get), how much aid each will give you, proximity to home (could be a pro or con depending on what you want), like of the campus, traditional vs. city campus and what you want, strength in the field of study you want, and small vs. large in size (or your class sizes). Add anything else you think is worth comparing.

Best of luck in making your decision. Personally, I can't add much to your 3 choices. I'm in MN now, have been to Iowa for football games, and spent 2 summers in DC. I loved DC - but it is a city and personally I liked attending a traditional-style college campus (more like suburbia - in a college-town). Big classes never bothered me because they were only big for the general classes - those that I didn't need much help in anyway. By the time I got to my specialty classes, they were pretty small even though my campus was ~30,000 people.

Cost should be a huge consideration. When I was about to go to college, I just poo-pooed cost. But I am so glad I made the choice I did - no debt after college.

Answer 3

Well, according to US News Best National Universities rankings, GWU would be the best quality school, followed shortly by BU and then University of Iowa. If money is a problem, then definitely choose Iowa. It is a public university and it is not that far down in the rankings from the other two. Also, I went to University of Wisconsin- Madison, which is a HUGE university, and I did not find the size to be overwhelming. The lectures were rather large for the general courses (typically around 100-200 students) but they were usually broken up into smaller discussion sessions (about 20 students) led by a TA. Upper level courses usually are much smaller.
If money is not an issue, then go with GWU since it has what you want. DC is lots of fun too.
Remember, you can always transfer too, provided you keep your grades up. In fact, if you do keep your grades up, you can probably transfer to an even better school!
Lastly, keep in mind that public vs. private doesn't mean that much anymore when it comes to the top universities. I know a guy who applied to the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor and to Dartmouth College (ivy league) for graduate studies in bacteriology. Guess what, he was accepted to Dartmouth but not Michigan!!!
Good Luck!!

Answer 4

Iowa wins on several scorecards:

expensive schools generally serve people with lots of money (and parental income is the best predictor of future earning levels ... AND parental income is best predictor of 'how expensive' higher-education-school you can attend [no coincidence, tho these two correlates are rarely pointed out in college-researches])

If you will have to pay most of your own way, then aim for more affordable schools .. you can still achieve enormouse benefit from them .... provided that you use self-discipline and APPLY YOURSELF with that goal in mind ...

cut back on the beer / sex / party route tho a bit a relaxation might help ... don't get caught up in it.

Study, study, study ... that's job-1 ... work your butt off for the years it takes for you to graduate.

Answer 5

well, no one on the internet can tell you what is best for you, but we can all help you see why or why not any of us would or wouldnt go.
GWU and BU are awesome schools, well known and prestigious, but that doesnt mean you arn't going to get an excellent education in Iowa. Go with what you like: dont be miserable just to save yourself money, but dont spend extra for a name if you would be just as happy in Iowa.
good luck.

Answer 6

To me this would depend upon what you are thinking of studying. If it is something which would lead to a career, think of the expense as an investment in your future, and go to the best possible place (although all three of these are good schools, but I would put them in the order in which you did in many cases). If you are planning on doing something from which you will never earn a living, I would have to think harder about accumulating massive amounts of debt.

Answer 7

GWU.

Check out scholarships, grants, etc. You don't necessarily have to go into huge debt. My little sister is attending a local private university here next fall, which charges in-county, local students over $25k a year, not including housing, etc. She's only having to pull out 8k a year in student loans, versus the $22k she thought she was going to have to come up with per year. There's tons of grants, etc. out there. Good luck and go where you will be happiest! Remember, you can (almost) always transfer!

Answer 8

I read the answers that have been sent and I'd have to go with Iowa. There's a lot to be said about just plain old logic. Thank goodness that you have a foot in the door now.

Good Luck!

Answer 9

you are going to college

deciding "among" three of them

between implies only 2

If you like corn and calmness, then Iowa

BU is nice, its in a city, the kids party A LOT, they are my neighbors

maybe see which one gives you the best deal, its only for 4 years

and you can transfer to Harvard if you do really well in the first 2 years

Answer 10

Look at the quality of the education for the amount of debt; perhaps interviewing the schools to have THEM justify why you should PAY them for their education; How is their education worth more than the other competetors? AND are they willing to put it in writing? I went to a state school and work alongside people from Ivy league schools, making the same money with way less debt than they have!