Elysian Shadows

EccentricDuck wrote:Man, tuition in the US is crazy. It's expensive here when compared to many European countries, but 4-10k/year for undergrad programs pales in comparison to 40k. It's not like we don't have any programs like that - but they're primarily private vocational institutes since most of the big research universities, mid-size universities/colleges, and several technical institutes are publicly funded.

You paint those numbers into a pretty clear picture. Going back to school, I chose a place that's just over 4k for 1st year and my largest classes are 40 people (including the engineering students who were let into physics courses over-capacity, the regular limit is 35). The staff are also incredibly friendly and willing to make time for students.

Co-op programs are your friend. I'm definitely realizing this now. I have several friends who've paid for most/all of their tuition by doing co-op programs and some who've had money left over for other things. That may not be true in the US with higher tuition rates, but co-op programs will also net you work experience and higher likelihood of having a job as soon as you graduate (plus you'll be making more on average, sometimes quite a bit more, than other grads since you have hands-on experience and often will have already worked with the company that's hiring you). Some programs obviously lend themselves more to co-op than others. Engineering and comp sci are both great for this (some schools here actually makes co-op a mandatory part of their engineering programs).

You can do it - but avansc makes a good point. You have to be realistic about your finances. There ARE solutions, but it's takes you thinking and doing something about it.

Tuition  	$34,989
Student Fees 	1,293 	 
Room (contract price) 	6,441
Board (5 days/week) 	4,956
Additional Meal Allowance (est.) 	1,413
Books and Supplies (est.) 	1,323
Personal Expenses (est.) 	1,974
Total   $52,389 	

avansc wrote:yea, well you just described every major college campus in america.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1000142 ... 73060.html

Probably one of the best and cheapest schools you can go to would be Virginia Tech or Georgia Tech.

avansc wrote:Look dude, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but you are more likely to get hit by lightning than getting into cal tech or MIT, and thats fine. Shit, I knew a kid who got 1600 on the SAT, had like a 5+ GPA and all these crazy things in HS. and he did not get into one of those.

Trust me when I tell you, your life wont miraculously be better if you get into cal tech or the like. You can get the job at JPL if you go to any decent college. Shit, people with nobel prizes went to "mediocre" schools. The dude who started SAS, Jim Goodnight, worth like 9 billion dollars, went to the red neck school which i go to, NCSU.

So dont get lured in by this ivey league bull shit..

avansc wrote:Look dude, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but you are more likely to get hit by lightning than getting into cal tech or MIT, and thats fine. Shit, I knew a kid who got 1600 on the SAT, had like a 5+ GPA and all these crazy things in HS. and he did not get into one of those.

Trust me when I tell you, your life wont miraculously be better if you get into cal tech or the like. You can get the job at JPL if you go to any decent college. Shit, people with nobel prizes went to "mediocre" schools. The dude who started SAS, Jim Goodnight, worth like 9 billion dollars, went to the red neck school which i go to, NCSU.

So dont get lured in by this ivey league bull shit..

eatcomics wrote:

avansc wrote:Look dude, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but you are more likely to get hit by lightning than getting into cal tech or MIT, and thats fine. Shit, I knew a kid who got 1600 on the SAT, had like a 5+ GPA and all these crazy things in HS. and he did not get into one of those.

Trust me when I tell you, your life wont miraculously be better if you get into cal tech or the like. You can get the job at JPL if you go to any decent college. Shit, people with nobel prizes went to "mediocre" schools. The dude who started SAS, Jim Goodnight, worth like 9 billion dollars, went to the red neck school which i go to, NCSU.

So dont get lured in by this ivey league bull shit..

amen

eatcomics wrote:We're not saying you can't do it, we're saying if you don't, don't beat yourself up.

Arce wrote:It's disheartening to read this topic. This is because I feel you are

1) Going to college for the absolute wrong reasons
2) Extremely ignorant when it comes to college acceptance policies
3) Unreasonable with your list of applications
4) Under the impression your senior year will have any impact at all on your college entrance decisions

I would be absolutely more than happy to share my opinions on the matter if asked...However, my intention is not to belittle you, nor your school intentions, so I think I'll stick this one out unless I'm positive my opinion will have beneficial effects rather than negative, and are wanted. ;p

As for what qualifies me to give my opinion?

I am currently close friends with two gentlemen at MIT (and had the fortune of actually teaching them to code when they were younger) as well as several at Georgia Tech, and happen to know exactly what it took for each to get in. I just recently went through all of that application bullshit, and am now enrolled in college making more money just by showing up for class than I've made in my whole life working. I had the fortune of attending one of the top high-schools in the US, so students making it into MIT, Vanderbilt, Duke, Harvard, West Point etc. aren't uncommon at all in my graduating class. Also, I'm one of those bullshit students with a 5+ GPA, and an Academic Resume that would make a deer shit ice-cream.