Scarlet Fire's "I'm going to college!" thread!!!

[Scarlet Fire]

I've made my final choice for which college I'm going to attend (barring any unforeseen financial aid issues):



In the coming months, I'll be updating this thread and chronicling my transition from jaded high school senior to college freshman.

For starters, I attended the new student welcome day yesterday and got a tour of the major buildings and residence halls. I was extremely impressed by the campus. It's right in the middle of the Back Bay (Boston, in case you don't know), fully accessible by the T and just a few minutes away from Newbury Street. Yet, at the same time, there is an enclosed campus with grass, and trees, and fountains for those moments when you want to recede into quiet, campus life. Unfortunately, it's also deep Red Sox territory. I'm a Yankees fan. This could be a bit of a problem.

I've also found the freshman dorm that I'm going to try and get into. It's an old, stone building located on a nice quiet part of the Fenway with a view of the river and only a few minutes from the heart of campus. The building only holds about 70 students, but for some reason, it's not terribly hard to get into. The students I spoke to have no idea why it's not in higher demand, as it's one of the favorites on campus for Freshman.

Interestingly enough, it's also the building my grandmother lived in 55 years ago, and it's where my grandfather would pick her up for their first dates as college students (he was an MIT student, she was an art school student).

So, the last steps for me to take this month are matriculation, and deciding a major (technically I don't have to pick until my sophomore year, but it will be far easier for me to know going in where I'll be spending the bulk of my time). I'm going to be doing a pre-medical course (5 years), and I'll probably do a major in either behavioral neuroscience or biology.

I'm getting really, really excited. I think this is going to be the perfect place for me.

Updates will come periodically within the coming weeks.

[Deluge Of Sound]

That's awesome dude, a couple of my good friends go there, and they love it.

[IconBasser]

hm... sounds interesting. I'm currently searching for colleges, I'll check out their website.

[peterbright]

Congratulations. Forget the yanks. Root for the Sox.

[IconBasser]

well, just browsed their list of majors, they have a music technology program (not many colleges do), which seems fairly promising.

at about 50,000 dollars a year though... ouch...

[Scarlet Fire]

Originally Posted by IconBasser

at about 50,000 dollars a year though... ouch...

Welcome to higher education. Enjoy your stay.

[IconBasser]

Originally Posted by Scarlet Fire

Welcome to higher education. Enjoy your stay.

I've come across very few universities that are that expensive. Most that I've looked at cost about 30k. 40 tops.

[Scarlet Fire]

Originally Posted by IconBasser

I've come across very few universities that are that expensive. Most that I've looked at cost about 30k. 40 tops.

Most private schools are at or around the $45,000/yr mark (which is NEU's price, not $50,000). It's mostly state schools that are still under the 40k mark, but even some of those are closing in for out of state students. And by next year, the prices will probably be higher still.

[BassManPatsFan]

Originally Posted by Scarlet Fire

Welcome to higher education. Enjoy your stay.

Yeah, you'll be hard pressed to find any school in this country that's less than that other than state schools.

[BassManPatsFan]

Originally Posted by IconBasser

I've come across very few universities that are that expensive. Most that I've looked at cost about 30k. 40 tops.

Tuition maybe. Room and board, food, and other amenities will usually be another 10-15k.

[IconBasser]

Originally Posted by BassManPatsFan

Tuition maybe. Room and board, food, and other amenities will usually be another 10-15k.

my estimates included tuition and room & board

[Happynoj]

Originally Posted by IconBasser

I've come across very few universities that are that expensive. Most that I've looked at cost about 30k. 40 tops.

$30-40,000 per YEAR?

In the UK we pay £3000 per year, which is about $6000. If I was told it would cost me £15-20,000 per year to go to uni I would be doing full time at Maccy D's!

[BassManPatsFan]

Originally Posted by IconBasser

my estimates included tuition.

Right, which is about 60-75% of the total cost.

[JNowiski]

hm...I care? lol, nah, good luck

[IconBasser]

Originally Posted by BassManPatsFan

Right, which is about 60-75% of the total cost.

CRAP!!! typo. I meant to say tuition and room and board.

[Phantopeth]

Originally Posted by Scarlet Fire

Unfortunately, it's also deep Red Sox territory. I'm a Yankees fan. This could be a bit of a problem.

Didn't you grow up in Yarmouth, ME?! How the hell did this happen? Anyhow, you should be used to it by now

In all seriousness, congrats and good luck. Boston is fun as hell, I can only imagine what going to school there would be like (I spent my formative days in Portland, and that was distracting enough). Have fun with that course-load! yowzah

[JanusZarate]

Originally Posted by Happynoj

In the UK we pay £3000 per year, which is about $6000.

Grr.

The tuition in California for a state university is around $10k. Room and board, textbooks, etc. amount to another $10k or so.

I managed to borrow only what I needed for tuition; part was covered by scholarships and grants, with the rest being in loans. After four years of working my ass off, I'll be leaving Berkeley with a mere $18k in debt.

Now, law school is another matter... it's going to be about $80k in loans + $30k in scholarships total over the course of three years... and that's not considering textbooks and other unexpected expenses.

[mothmonsterman]

Word of advice, don't have too much fun, 100k in loans and 1/2 a degree to show for it isn't nice.

[Scarlet Fire]

Originally Posted by Phantopeth

Didn't you grow up in Yarmouth, ME?! How the hell did this happen? Anyhow, you should be used to it by now

In all seriousness, congrats and good luck. Boston is fun as hell, I can only imagine what going to school there would be like (I spent my formative days in Portland, and that was distracting enough). Have fun with that course-load! yowzah

Yeah, I'm in Yarmouth, but my mom is from NY, and my dad lived there for a few years once, so I've grown up in a Yankees household. It's hard enough as it is up here, I shudder to think what I'll go through right next to Fenway.

Funny story about the difference between Portland and Boston...

Portland is the biggest city I've ever walked around in before. So, during my campus tour on Saturday, we were crossing the street, and I wound up inadvertently standing on a train track while waiting for traffic to clear. Me being the witless, backwoods Maine guy that I am, had no idea that trains actually come through fairly regularly in Boston. Then, all of a sudden, this guy turns around, yells "Kid, what are you doing?", grabs my shirt collar and yanks me forward just as the green line train goes by. I almost crapped my pants.

[Happynoj]

Originally Posted by MysticBoo

Grr.

The tuition in California for a state university is around $10k. Room and board, textbooks, etc. amount to another $10k or so.

I managed to borrow only what I needed for tuition; part was covered by scholarships and grants, with the rest being in loans. After four years of working my ass off, I'll be leaving Berkeley with a mere $18k in debt.

Now, law school is another matter... it's going to be about $80k in loans + $30k in scholarships total over the course of three years... and that's not considering textbooks and other unexpected expenses.

That sucks! Go to law school in England! Save yourself $40,000!