3 answers
Jonathon
Student
Pingree Grove, IL
2
Questions
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Does cost or experience matter more when choosing a college?
Right now I have hard choice between two colleges. One college is more prestigious in the area I am studying in, and I've been accepted into multiple honors programs, but it's not offering me any scholarships. The second college gave me a large scholarship, it's a private university. Overall, attending the first college would be almost 2x more expensive, but I also like the feel of the campus a lot more and it's more accredited in my area of study. I'm not sure what or how to decide.
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3 answers
Orna Khan
5
Answers
Updated
Orna’s Answer
Your college journey is important, and it can be tough to make choices in situations like this. It's helpful to consider if you want to continue your education after getting your bachelor's degree. If you're thinking about a second degree, a master's, or even a Ph.D., it might be wise to save money during your undergrad years. This way, you'll have more resources for your future studies. Remember, every step you take now can open doors for exciting opportunities ahead!
Micah Puccio-Ball
DevOps
6
Answers
Orlando, Florida
Updated
Micah’s Answer
HI Jonathon.
I've asked and been asked this question many times. I'm going to try to answer this question in separate chunks.
If both schools are accredited, then neither will block your career progression. You can always do your undergrad at one university, and then go to a different one for your masters or doctorate. I find the experience of college more important than the specific university. In the majority of cases, a bachelor's degree is a bachelor's degree. Companies can see you completed your course work for a good institution. The environmental conditions outside of school can affect your passion or apathy for your education. That's why I think the surrounding area and experiences available in the surrounding area is more important than just the name of the school.
As far as costs go, that's a difficult one to answer. Even more so in your case as you seem to like everything about the more expensive option more than the one giving you a scholarship.
What I would do, and it sounds boring and not very helpful, take a few hours one day and physically write down pros and cons of each option. Put it away in a drawer for a week, and try not to think about it. Pull it back out of the drawer after a week and see if the pros and cons still feel the same. Take another week, this time thinking about it. At the end, make a new pros and cons list, and then compare the new list to the original list.
Whatever you choose, do it with passion and direction. You'll be great!
Good luck!
I've asked and been asked this question many times. I'm going to try to answer this question in separate chunks.
If both schools are accredited, then neither will block your career progression. You can always do your undergrad at one university, and then go to a different one for your masters or doctorate. I find the experience of college more important than the specific university. In the majority of cases, a bachelor's degree is a bachelor's degree. Companies can see you completed your course work for a good institution. The environmental conditions outside of school can affect your passion or apathy for your education. That's why I think the surrounding area and experiences available in the surrounding area is more important than just the name of the school.
As far as costs go, that's a difficult one to answer. Even more so in your case as you seem to like everything about the more expensive option more than the one giving you a scholarship.
What I would do, and it sounds boring and not very helpful, take a few hours one day and physically write down pros and cons of each option. Put it away in a drawer for a week, and try not to think about it. Pull it back out of the drawer after a week and see if the pros and cons still feel the same. Take another week, this time thinking about it. At the end, make a new pros and cons list, and then compare the new list to the original list.
Whatever you choose, do it with passion and direction. You'll be great!
Good luck!
Justin O'Connor
Consultant
2
Answers
Saint Paul, Minnesota
Updated
Justin’s Answer
That's a tough question, and unfortunately my TLDR response is: It depends!
First things first, you used the term "accredited" to describe one school versus another, and I doubt you are talking about either school being literally unaccredited. If you are, then your answer is always go to the literally accredited school.
Beyond that, I think you need to really consider how much "better" you think the prestigious university is and if it will really mean anything in the long run. It's easy to get sucked into the hype train, but ultimately getting a degree is the important step. In some cases the degree itself coming from a specific school is important especially when thinking about professional types of degrees that set you up for medical school or becoming a lawyer, and in those cases the more prestigious university may be worth it. But think about it as an adult after having come out of school. Start to analyze how much you are actually expected to make as you start your career, and try to understand how much money you could make as you grow in your career. Some careers have ceilings that are much higher than others, and that is absolutely worth considering. It's absolutely no fun paying back college loans for years to come, so if that prestigious school is more perceived than real then it may be very smart to consider the more financially amenable route instead.
I suggest this: create a list of pros and cons and try to weigh them one against another. Writing it down really helps out, and potentially going over it with someone else can really bring out another perspective that is valuable.
I wish you luck in your decision knowing it's not an easy or straightforward decision to make. Remember this, I have always found solace in the idea that our experiences shape who we are, no matter what decision was made. Ultimately your experience will be derived from what you put into it and strive to get out of it, and the decision to go to one school versus another is just a single step in that experience. Both are likely great options, and the one that you feel will leave a better lasting effect may be the right choice.
First things first, you used the term "accredited" to describe one school versus another, and I doubt you are talking about either school being literally unaccredited. If you are, then your answer is always go to the literally accredited school.
Beyond that, I think you need to really consider how much "better" you think the prestigious university is and if it will really mean anything in the long run. It's easy to get sucked into the hype train, but ultimately getting a degree is the important step. In some cases the degree itself coming from a specific school is important especially when thinking about professional types of degrees that set you up for medical school or becoming a lawyer, and in those cases the more prestigious university may be worth it. But think about it as an adult after having come out of school. Start to analyze how much you are actually expected to make as you start your career, and try to understand how much money you could make as you grow in your career. Some careers have ceilings that are much higher than others, and that is absolutely worth considering. It's absolutely no fun paying back college loans for years to come, so if that prestigious school is more perceived than real then it may be very smart to consider the more financially amenable route instead.
I suggest this: create a list of pros and cons and try to weigh them one against another. Writing it down really helps out, and potentially going over it with someone else can really bring out another perspective that is valuable.
I wish you luck in your decision knowing it's not an easy or straightforward decision to make. Remember this, I have always found solace in the idea that our experiences shape who we are, no matter what decision was made. Ultimately your experience will be derived from what you put into it and strive to get out of it, and the decision to go to one school versus another is just a single step in that experience. Both are likely great options, and the one that you feel will leave a better lasting effect may be the right choice.