Anonymous
Post 04/14/2025 11:15     Subject: UNC vs ucla vs full ride Rutgers vs full ride umd
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:OP here - as of right now, DC preference is UNC for its #2 ranking in global health for undergraduate and its closeness to home in east coast.

Secretly I think DC wants to go to UCLA for its weather, campus, school spirit but know the global health program isn’t as robust as UNC.

UMD full ride is the next option, not super excited about it.

Financially, we have money for out of state/private university, but it will mean if DC goes to graduate school, it will be less money from us.

I understand the appeal of UCLA -- I'm originally from SoCal and had friends there, and their kids are there now.

But, strictly from a financial perspective, if your kid is planning to go to grad school, UCLA doesn't make any sense. I would go with UMD for the full ride and save the $$ for graduate school. Your kid is 18 and while they are clearly smart, they cannot see the forest for the trees, and what loans for graduate school will mean for their future.

If they spend less on undergrad, that will mean more money not just for graduate school, but a new car, trips, shopping, etc..

My DD will have to think about this situation, too - more expensive oos means less money for graduate school, and living on the cheap. Cheaper undergrad means money for grad school, and more spending money.


Totally agree. Do a socal graduation trip to scratch the itch of socal and then go to umd?
Anonymous
Post 04/14/2025 11:11     Subject: UNC vs ucla vs full ride Rutgers vs full ride umd
Anonymous wrote:My kid has turned down UMich for full ride UMd engineering. I think the different honors college groups make the big school feel smaller. He knows a number of kids who travel into DC weekly for internships and others who have everything they need on campus. It was not his first choice but he is very excited to be going there this fall.


+100. Good move not to pay UMICH OOS $70,000
Anonymous
Post 04/14/2025 11:06     Subject: UNC vs ucla vs full ride Rutgers vs full ride umd
Anonymous wrote:OP here - as of right now, DC preference is UNC for its #2 ranking in global health for undergraduate and its closeness to home in east coast.

Secretly I think DC wants to go to UCLA for its weather, campus, school spirit but know the global health program isn’t as robust as UNC.

UMD full ride is the next option, not super excited about it.

Financially, we have money for out of state/private university, but it will mean if DC goes to graduate school, it will be less money from us.

I understand the appeal of UCLA -- I'm originally from SoCal and had friends there, and their kids are there now.

But, strictly from a financial perspective, if your kid is planning to go to grad school, UCLA doesn't make any sense. I would go with UMD for the full ride and save the $$ for graduate school. Your kid is 18 and while they are clearly smart, they cannot see the forest for the trees, and what loans for graduate school will mean for their future.

If they spend less on undergrad, that will mean more money not just for graduate school, but a new car, trips, shopping, etc..

My DD will have to think about this situation, too - more expensive oos means less money for graduate school, and living on the cheap. Cheaper undergrad means money for grad school, and more spending money.
Anonymous
Post 04/14/2025 10:58     Subject: UNC vs ucla vs full ride Rutgers vs full ride umd
UMD would be the smarter and more financially sound move but if you can swing it, UNC can’t be beat for the Chapel Hill experience. Congrats on these great options, your kid must have worked really hard!
Anonymous
Post 04/14/2025 09:24     Subject: UNC vs ucla vs full ride Rutgers vs full ride umd
OP here - as of right now, DC preference is UNC for its #2 ranking in global health for undergraduate and its closeness to home in east coast.

Secretly I think DC wants to go to UCLA for its weather, campus, school spirit but know the global health program isn’t as robust as UNC.

UMD full ride is the next option, not super excited about it.

Financially, we have money for out of state/private university, but it will mean if DC goes to graduate school, it will be less money from us.
Anonymous
Post 04/13/2025 17:08     Subject: UNC vs ucla vs full ride Rutgers vs full ride umd
Anonymous wrote:Can you do full pay OOS without it being a stretch? If so, I would go to UNC. UCLA does not appeal to me at all. If you cant swing UNC without loan then UMDCP full ride. Honestly I think UMD may have better internship availability for public health and you are closer to multiple hospital systems, pharma companies on the 270 stretch, and government agencies in DC. I would rather go to UNC undergrad than UMDCP.


Who cares if it appeals to you. How about DC?
Anonymous
Post 04/13/2025 17:06     Subject: UNC vs ucla vs full ride Rutgers vs full ride umd
Anonymous wrote:Isn't UMD super depressing? No college town, just stuck off the beltway with a few strip malls?


This is about Rutgers. Why UMD talk?
Anonymous
Post 04/13/2025 15:50     Subject: UNC vs ucla vs full ride Rutgers vs full ride umd
Take Rutgers off the table. No point in even considering it.
Anonymous
Post 04/13/2025 15:48     Subject: UNC vs ucla vs full ride Rutgers vs full ride umd
Can you do full pay OOS without it being a stretch? If so, I would go to UNC. UCLA does not appeal to me at all. If you cant swing UNC without loan then UMDCP full ride. Honestly I think UMD may have better internship availability for public health and you are closer to multiple hospital systems, pharma companies on the 270 stretch, and government agencies in DC. I would rather go to UNC undergrad than UMDCP.
Anonymous
Post 04/13/2025 15:47     Subject: UNC vs ucla vs full ride Rutgers vs full ride umd
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Seriously who the F would pay OOS UNC or UCLA over full ride UMD?????


Exactly. Insanity.


NP. Guess I'm insane. I would easily pay OOS tuition for UNC or UCLA over full ride UMD or Rutgers if that would make my kid happier.

UMD is just blah, and Rutgers has a very disjointed campus. The percentage of kids at those schools who would have liked to attend a different school seems very high.