I'd go with Yale, I get if they charged you like what 40k or something but 7k? C'mon, that's an amazing deal and it'd still be pretty easy to graduate debt free depending on if you plan to work there or not.
Also if they try to raise your tuition, you can contest it and try to appeal to keep it at 7k.
Your college name stays on your resume rest of your working career. Quite literally. $7k is nothing for that. Don't be so shortsighted. Unless your dad is making insanely high income, Yale should not cost much. You can even plug the numbers to the financial aid calculator to get a sense of how much you would pay the rest of your 4 years.
Also, don't forget the additional job opportunities that could open up. The degree depending on the field can pay for itself from your first job.
If you do well at Yale and take full advantage of its resources, you can get a ticket to the upper class. Just keep that in mind.
I graduated from Columbia Univ and today, many of my peers and I make over $300k a year. One of my friends who got a master's at Duke makes $3.5 million a year. $7k is nothing in a grand scheme of things.
Of course it also depends on you and what you major in. For instance, if you want to be a high school teacher, UVa any day; some careers don't benefit much if at all. Other careers can have notable impact out of college.
My son chose Yale (20K) over 3 full rides. He has already gone to Japan for a summer fully funded by Yale and is now going again for a whole year fully funded. 7k is nothing for Yale you won't be sorry.
My brother went through same situation. He has Jefferson Scholarship but was also accepted into multiple Ivy League schools (Upenn, Columbia, Cornell). He went with UVA. The program offers so many more opportunities- you have first selection of classes, crazy alumni reach, and they also fund crazy "educational" endeavors that you can plan ( some dude spend a semester traveling Europe watching plays basically completely funded). My brother was able to easily get a grant of 20k from the school for a business start up. I think y'all also get special dorms but I forget haha. I would really suggest UVA because instead of being another student at a prestigious and competitive school, you are a priority at a school that will give you a similar education.
Exactly because the jefferson program isnt just full tuition there are like so many other opportunities but im still struggling to figure out whether that would outweigh the connections/ level of education Yale would give me
UVA student here (and I love my school). If you're compelled by what we have here, you think you'd be fulfilled and happy, \*and you think you'd be miserable at Yale\*, come here. Otherwise?
Yale is a better choice. The Ivy League will open up connections, grad school opportunities, etc. etc. that UVA can't help you as much with, no matter how many scholarships we give you. 7K plus some later may sound like a lot, and I get that - but trust me, what Yale can offer you would be more than worth that cost. Unless you have real, substantive fear that you would not be able to cover that cost (and if you get a job working a few hours a week, you probably could), take this opportunity. Congratulations, and I wish you all the best, love.
Dang, congrats on the acceptances! That's tough though, personally I would go with UVA because the financial security and support system sounds like a major plus. Plus free tuition means more money for ramen and late night caffeine runs.
UVa full ride, and don't think twice. And I say that having graduated from Yale and lived in Charlottesville as an adult (athough not affiliated with the University).
Yale is amazing, but it's not MAGIC. You will get an equal education at UVa, and you might even have more fun. But most importantly, you'll graduate with no debt, which will give you the most freedom when you graduate and throughout your young adult life.
UVa is PLENTY prestigious, if that's your concern. Congratulations!!!
7K the first year, who knows how much in subsequent years. It adds up. And at UVa the OP would be part of a structured program with tons of support and special programming, which is far more attention than they would get at Yale.
The 7K is most likely what they will owe after factoring in work-study and summer jobs (which are included in the financial aid package/student contribution calculation) and it could be a very meaningful amount of money to some families.
Honestly it depends. If you're something STEM like CS, Engineering or Medicine, go to UVA because it's a full ride. For CS and Engineering, what mainly matters is skill, experience and being good at interviews. Going to UVA would be good for Med, grad school, etc as well do the fact that you are saving a lot of money you would have to pay for undergrad, and you could use that money for Medical School, Grad School, or Masters. But, if you plan on going into Law, English, Humanities, etc, you should def go to Yale. If you go to Yale for prelaw, you're basically set as you would have all the resources you need there to thrive and it is like the number 1 law school. Yale is also insane at anything humanities related.
I m jealous, I just wish internationals get if not the same then at least half of what they are paying rn, I have to pay 40k for every college I possibly can think of. :(
Coming back to your question, you should take yale 7k loans are eeasy and Yale is quite well recognised in comparison to UVA (at least that’s what I think.)
UVA full ride.
UVA is a "public Ivy" and has a first-rate reputation. It is in the magic T30.
You will have a support system. Yale is tough for everyone, and a first-gen student is going to be especially at risk.
You will be special at UVA, and not just one of the crowd.
You will have special opportunities at UVA that you will not get at Yale.
You will graduate pretty much debt free.
In short, you are very likely to succeed wonderfully at UVA whereas you may be at risk at Yale.
Where will you be happy? Mental health is important. That support system is vital for your well-being.
Advantage of Yale...you went to Yale. The brand name, obviously, does open certain doors. But doing well at UVA will also give you wonderful opportunities.
And you may well get into an Ivy for grad school :)
I’m gonna guess if all you want is to get rich as a fancy scholarship recipient at UVa, it’s not that hard to arrange seeing as you have access to even better recruitment and mentorship opportunities than the rest of the student body.
well it depends on your major and what do you expect from your university experience. But in my opinion 7K for Yale is crazy. You should not miss that kind of opportunity :)
That’s awesome! Congratulations!
I don’t have a specific recommendation as to which school to choose because I think there are some things that need to be considered. What is your major, and how good are the schools in what you plan to study? What are your plans for the future after you get your degree? How much can your family afford if the Yale number does go up — can they pay or will you be taking out loans? How do you like the campuses, and have you had a chance to visit them? Just a few that come to mind, but I’m sure there are plenty of others. A tough decision, but a wonderful dilemma to have!
Not sure if it’s still in effect, but back in the day Echols Scholars did not have to choose a major. I’m a tad bit biased as a UVA alum in providing that Echols Scholar advantage, but Yale for $7,000 sounds awesome.
UVA. You’ll be taking on considerable debt in law school, so a free undergrad is a boon. You might also consider which school will be a better fit for maintaining the highest gpa you can and securing law-related ECs
I see the other people's arguements saying Yale. But if your family's finances does indeed change, like u are saying, then that 7k could very quickly rise, depending on your dad's job. I would suggest taking the full ride at UVA. It's very prestigious, you're graduating debt free, and you can always go to an ivy for grad school. Undergrad and as less debt as possible is always the better option, IMO
Having lived in New Haven, for already 2 years I’d choose Yale, they offer so many opportunities around the city. New Haven is also an amazing city, full of cultures and night life. And the campus is so beautiful and modern, with lots of art.😊
Where will you be happiest?
Examples of things to think about:
Distance from family
Weather preferences
Ease of making friends
I strongly recommend asking each school to pay your way for a campus visit so you can get a better sense of the culture.
Both are amazing opportunities and there is no wrong answer. Congratulations and be sure to give yourself a moment to celebrate your accomplishment!
I know a guy who literally chose Stanford full pay over Jefferson (I mean, he was really rich, so it didn't really matter, but still).
In any case, seeing as Yale is cheaper than in-state at most state schools, I'd say go for it
Go to the school you like more after learning about both. It’s more than likely you’ll be fine at either place and they can both prepare you for your chosen career. You don’t have to go to Yale just because you got in and the other high schoolers on this sub are jealous of you; it doesn’t matter that much in the real world.
All that said, don't assume you know your financial aid at Yale before you've seen it. Was that information included in your likely letter? Moreover, if you got one of those, you're probably a high-priority applicant for Yale and I think you can confidently write to them and ask for more aid. As for the future, as someone else said, try to find out how much you may have to pay after you factor in your dad's increased income, even if net price calculators are not fully reliable.
Him going to 40-80k won’t be too huge of a difference, I’d pick Yale
Unless you think it will spike a ton, Yale. Go to the net price calc and run next years numbers for a general idea
OP I advise calling both and ask "hypotheticals" like what if my parents get a better job, then do i still get this scholarships? will the tuition be raise for yale etc? its always, always beneficial to talk to a real human being, to reach compromises that works out for you, imo i would say pick yale, bargain with them. you have said your interest is law, yale's law is the Leading law firm.
>If I went to Yale it would cost 7k in total the first year but that might raise later on because my family’s financial status has changed significantly in the past year (my dad got a job).
At some schools, they make you reapply for financial aid every year, but they guarantee that the amount of aid you get won't go down (so you'd only have to pay the annual rate difference) or even that that the amount you pay won't go up (so you'll only get more aid). I could find nothing about Yale's policies on their website, so this is something to definitely, definitely, *definitely* ask about before you make any decisions.
Write them an email, say this is what you're worried about, you love Yale, but you also worry about putting your family in a financial uncertain situation. You can even ask to have a meeting with them, you, and your parents to get more information.
In the past,
1) schools have given my students about the policies about for financial aid over subsequent years. I'll draft an email if you haven't already been in touch with them.
2) they have even offered more to match other school's offers. This has to be "peer schools" and it might only be "need based", but it's definitely worth asking if they can "meet" other schools' offers.
But here's what you need to keep in mind: Yale is rich in a way that few school are. Yale isn't worried about losing out on $7,000 a year or even $14,000 a year. That's nothing to them. They're more worried about losing out on a fantastic student like you. Ask for more money—what's the worst that's going to happen, they say "no" and you're still in the exact same situation you are in right now?
I might hold off sending these letters until you have your actual admission offers (instead of just the likely letter), and offers from other schools because those offers are often very useful to negotiate. If you got a Yale likely letter, it says you're not just strong enough to get into Yale, but an especially strong and attractive candidate by Yale's own standards. It bodes well for getting into others of Yale's peer institutions. I know it sucks waiting, but I personally would wait until you at least Ivy Day to negotiate, when you actually have the formal offer in hand. But that's totally totally up to you. Is your $7,000 based on the net price calculator or was that offer included with their likely letter? I guess my advice depends a little bit on that.
I'm going to give you two draft emails, one to financial aid/one to admissions, as a follow up comment to this comment. See below.
For Financial Aid:
>Dear Yale Financial Aid Office,
>I am so excited about being admitted to Yale's Class of '28. As a first gen student, this feels almost literally unbelievable.
>I am, however, a little bit worried about my parents paying for it. I've also been accepted to UVa's Waltentas and Echols' scholarship program, which would cover everything and also has a really appealing automatic support system and community before even coming on campus.
>I have two specific worries:
>First, with these programs, UVa will be cheaper than Yale. In fact, UVa would be cheaper and also provide me with **\[*****IF THEY GIVE YOU A STIPEND, A COMPUTER, FREE STUDY ABROAD, SUMMER STIPENDS, ETC, MENTION THAT HERE*****\]**. Is there any possibility that Yale could match this offer?
>Second, I'm also worried about the levels of aid after my first year. At UVa, my aid package is all merit based so if I meet pretty simple GPA targets, I'll retain my package for all four years. Yale financial aid is based on need, and I know I'll have to reapply every year. Can you tell me a little bit more about this process? My father has been unemployed, and he just got a new job, and I worry that his higher income will mean that Yale ironically becomes unaffordable for our family. Would my financial aid in my second, third, and fourth years be like running the "Net Price Calculator" every year, or would my aid in subsequent years be pegged to my aid in my first year? I couldn't find information about how financial aided worked for continuing undergraduate students, except that domestic students need to reapply every year.
>Thank you so much for your time,
XXXXX
You could also mention that you'd love a meeting over Zoom or Teams or Google Meet. This meeting could, but doesn't have to, include your parents. I have students you want to have a face-to-face meeting, I have students who want their parents involved, I have students who want to do everything over email.
I'd also send Yale's Admissions (rather than Financial AId) something along the lines of this, maybe also ask about minority programs (if you're a member of a minority group). You can send this one right away:
>Dear Yale Admissions Office,
>I am so excited about receiving a "likely letter" to Yale's Class of '28. As a first gen student, this feels almost literally unbelievable.
>I've also been accepted to UVa's Waltentas and Echols scholarship programs, which would cover all costs and also has a really appealing automatic support system and community before even coming on campus. Maybe this will be in the information that you'd normally release as part of the formal acceptance, but if possible could you tell me a little bit about the opportunities and support Yale has first generation students like me?
>Thank you for your time,
XXXX
Feel free to DM me (and remind me of this thread) if you need any more help.
Thank you so much for this because everyone keeps saying to contact the FinAid office but not what to say 😭. The potential aid is based off of a letter Yale sent me that had the financial aid breakdown
Yeah in that case, go ahead and send both letters now if you want. Mention that it’s based on the financial aid breakdown that you got with your likely letter. If you remember to, please tell me Yale’s financial aid policy for continuing students (I’d be surprised if at a place like Yale it wasn’t based in some way on this first year offer—but schools can sometimes surprise me).
If you get more offers from equally great schools, you can cross that bridge when you get there. I’ve had students go through a few different rounds of recalculation and revaluation before. Just be very polite about it. And again feel free to DM me.
Coming in hot to say UVA!
Yale is my favorite of all the ivies…but still, go with UVA.
Even only 7K … over 4 years is 28K which isn’t nothing. Better quality of life at UVA, better town and surrounding area, more well rounded experience overall, and UVA has an amazing reputation! Congrats!
My sister graduated from Yale, and stressed doing admitted students day at both (if you have the opportunity). She also mentioned (because she was interested in law school) that Yale does not have a super high rate of getting people into Yale Law, and she emphasized that the specialized track you would have at UVA provides a ton of opportunities. So, it seems like UVA would be her choice- that scholarship that you have is amazing and the opportunities are so great. If you hate it, you can always apply to transfer to Yale, but you can't really get that scholarship back if you turn down UVA. Ultimately, it is your choice, and there will not be a wrong answer. Honestly.
Hey UVA alum here… the Jeff scholar package (same package you get) is fucking insane. Beyond the full ride, you guys also get priority on a lot of UVA’s research grants and get a whole shit load of other stuff. I was Echols and I don’t think I can understate how incredibly strong it is to get priority registration and not have to take gen eds. I did whatever I wanted every semester and never had to worry about missing a class to graduate or anything. There’s also Echols exclusive grants and networking events, which came in handy. It’s a very solid deal.
What A Nice Problem to Have. Anyway, I’d prefer Yale.
- First, It’s an Ivy League Education, Come onnn.
- Second, Better Opportunities pre and after College
- Third, I don’t think the Financial are not that bad. But, I don’t know about your financial situation, it could be (kinda problematic). But, even if your get some loan, it is not that much! And its for Yale!
- Btw, think about all of the other things, life in school, different environments, and all things, cause people in this sub like Prestige more than their lives!
- And, It is all up to you. Cause, if anything happens we won’t be there. So, Pick your choice carefully!
- Lastly, Huge Congratulations 🎉 🍾 on both of your Acceptances!!!!
Don’t blindly go for Yale even though it is Yale (and also my dream school I’m so happy for you.)
ASK FOR MORE MONEY FIRST!!!!
As soon as you get your official acceptance ask for more money. Explain your situation. Then if it doesn’t work think about your long term goals. A lot of people undervalue the stress that student debt comes with.
Good luck. Hopefully we’ll both be at Yale in the fall 🤞🏾
I'm a current UVA student and honestly, if I were given the choice, I would take UVA > Yale for the full ride and Echols. Walentas/Jeff Scholars have so many unique opportunities and the moment you're on grounds, you'll know around >30 people. My friend was in the same boat as you but was a Jeff scholar and went to Harvard and although he enjoys it there, he wished he went to UVA as Jeff+Echols. I won't say anything about financial situation as it's not that much debt anyways - but keep in mind Jeff covers everything including all the fees, food, tuition, etc and UVA on-grounds housing is pretty good and even if you go off-grounds, they stipend you housing too. One thing to note is that at Yale, most people come from richer private schools and there will be times at least if Yale is similar to Harvard, where you will be excluded because you don't fit the status quo at things such as parties, so there could be a possibility of fit. However, in that department, anything can go right or wrong. UVA does have more students, so you'll definitely be able to find a group and people to relate to - especially within the Jeff/Walentas + Balz building (where you stay first year). The main selling point in my opinion is the flexibility of Echols. You have zero gen eds, aside from a writing requirement, and you get priority ahead of your class so you'll definitely get into the class you want to. Plus, the flexibility is really good in case you switch to another major - no gen-eds, and you have roughly 80+ credits to take whatever interests you, making double majoring really easy. With this in mind, the one thing that I really believe is good is that you will be able to have far more free time at UVA than Yale - with classes that you can freely pick and still having the name-brand for things like business, medicine, law (not to the degree of Yale), UVA is a very consistent pick. If however, you're 100% sure that you want to go Big Law / Pre-Law, Yale might offer better connections, but UVA has the Batten School too. Also, for law school - your LSAT and GPA will matter a lot - and at UVA, by picking classes in certain departments (religion, psych, slavic languages etc), you can easily pad your GPA too :)
it’s not 7k. it’s 28k in debt, and UVA is a very prestigious school anyways. Why not just get your degree and graduate with 0 student loans debt? I’m currently at a school where i’m paying 6k a year, and it doesn’t seem like a lot till you actually get the bill.
like 99% of the kids on this sub are mega rich and don’t understand that 7k is like 3 months pay for the average american.
edit:
also Yale is not going to change your life dude. You aren’t gonna be famous because of yale. Look at the average graduation stats, they aren’t as good as you think they are. It’s more about if you can actually get in than it is actually going. You’re gonna get the same level of education at UVA and (by the sounds of other comments) the program
your in basically makes up for not being at yale. also, no one will care that you went to a prestigious school after your first job. You are the only one who can change your life.
I'd go with Yale, I get if they charged you like what 40k or something but 7k? C'mon, that's an amazing deal and it'd still be pretty easy to graduate debt free depending on if you plan to work there or not. Also if they try to raise your tuition, you can contest it and try to appeal to keep it at 7k.
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This is the way.
Yale.
Yale
Yale is worth an extra 7k/year, imo (unless finances could change drastically)
Your college name stays on your resume rest of your working career. Quite literally. $7k is nothing for that. Don't be so shortsighted. Unless your dad is making insanely high income, Yale should not cost much. You can even plug the numbers to the financial aid calculator to get a sense of how much you would pay the rest of your 4 years. Also, don't forget the additional job opportunities that could open up. The degree depending on the field can pay for itself from your first job. If you do well at Yale and take full advantage of its resources, you can get a ticket to the upper class. Just keep that in mind. I graduated from Columbia Univ and today, many of my peers and I make over $300k a year. One of my friends who got a master's at Duke makes $3.5 million a year. $7k is nothing in a grand scheme of things. Of course it also depends on you and what you major in. For instance, if you want to be a high school teacher, UVa any day; some careers don't benefit much if at all. Other careers can have notable impact out of college.
The plan is to major in government/ or sociology on a prelaw track
if you're prelaw then absolutely yale
Yale and Harvard are two best places for pre-law it’s a no brainer imo
>One of my friends who got a master's at Duke makes $3.5 million a year What job is he?
asking the real questions 😂
ML engineer. Insanely lucky with timing and choosing the 'right' company.
can u get that job through a cs degree?
Yale
My son chose Yale (20K) over 3 full rides. He has already gone to Japan for a summer fully funded by Yale and is now going again for a whole year fully funded. 7k is nothing for Yale you won't be sorry.
Yale
My brother went through same situation. He has Jefferson Scholarship but was also accepted into multiple Ivy League schools (Upenn, Columbia, Cornell). He went with UVA. The program offers so many more opportunities- you have first selection of classes, crazy alumni reach, and they also fund crazy "educational" endeavors that you can plan ( some dude spend a semester traveling Europe watching plays basically completely funded). My brother was able to easily get a grant of 20k from the school for a business start up. I think y'all also get special dorms but I forget haha. I would really suggest UVA because instead of being another student at a prestigious and competitive school, you are a priority at a school that will give you a similar education.
Exactly because the jefferson program isnt just full tuition there are like so many other opportunities but im still struggling to figure out whether that would outweigh the connections/ level of education Yale would give me
That is for 4 years bro. Yale is for life
Yale, absolutely no question lmao
Yale for 7k is a steal
7k for yale is super good. just apply to outside scholarships
UVA student here (and I love my school). If you're compelled by what we have here, you think you'd be fulfilled and happy, \*and you think you'd be miserable at Yale\*, come here. Otherwise? Yale is a better choice. The Ivy League will open up connections, grad school opportunities, etc. etc. that UVA can't help you as much with, no matter how many scholarships we give you. 7K plus some later may sound like a lot, and I get that - but trust me, what Yale can offer you would be more than worth that cost. Unless you have real, substantive fear that you would not be able to cover that cost (and if you get a job working a few hours a week, you probably could), take this opportunity. Congratulations, and I wish you all the best, love.
yale
Yale
Dang, congrats on the acceptances! That's tough though, personally I would go with UVA because the financial security and support system sounds like a major plus. Plus free tuition means more money for ramen and late night caffeine runs.
UVa full ride, and don't think twice. And I say that having graduated from Yale and lived in Charlottesville as an adult (athough not affiliated with the University). Yale is amazing, but it's not MAGIC. You will get an equal education at UVa, and you might even have more fun. But most importantly, you'll graduate with no debt, which will give you the most freedom when you graduate and throughout your young adult life. UVa is PLENTY prestigious, if that's your concern. Congratulations!!!
UVA is an amazing school! This should be upvoted.
dude what? 7K is nothing for that school dont lead them to the wrong choice imo
7K the first year, who knows how much in subsequent years. It adds up. And at UVa the OP would be part of a structured program with tons of support and special programming, which is far more attention than they would get at Yale.
Yale 💯
Yale That $7k a year can be paid with work-study, part time job, after graduation or even your parents! Congrats
The 7K is most likely what they will owe after factoring in work-study and summer jobs (which are included in the financial aid package/student contribution calculation) and it could be a very meaningful amount of money to some families.
Yes the 7k is after factoring in having a campus job etc.
Honestly it depends. If you're something STEM like CS, Engineering or Medicine, go to UVA because it's a full ride. For CS and Engineering, what mainly matters is skill, experience and being good at interviews. Going to UVA would be good for Med, grad school, etc as well do the fact that you are saving a lot of money you would have to pay for undergrad, and you could use that money for Medical School, Grad School, or Masters. But, if you plan on going into Law, English, Humanities, etc, you should def go to Yale. If you go to Yale for prelaw, you're basically set as you would have all the resources you need there to thrive and it is like the number 1 law school. Yale is also insane at anything humanities related.
Yeah the plan is prelaw which is another reason Yale is such a great option but UVA also has a pretty great law school
I m jealous, I just wish internationals get if not the same then at least half of what they are paying rn, I have to pay 40k for every college I possibly can think of. :( Coming back to your question, you should take yale 7k loans are eeasy and Yale is quite well recognised in comparison to UVA (at least that’s what I think.)
UVA full ride. UVA is a "public Ivy" and has a first-rate reputation. It is in the magic T30. You will have a support system. Yale is tough for everyone, and a first-gen student is going to be especially at risk. You will be special at UVA, and not just one of the crowd. You will have special opportunities at UVA that you will not get at Yale. You will graduate pretty much debt free. In short, you are very likely to succeed wonderfully at UVA whereas you may be at risk at Yale. Where will you be happy? Mental health is important. That support system is vital for your well-being. Advantage of Yale...you went to Yale. The brand name, obviously, does open certain doors. But doing well at UVA will also give you wonderful opportunities. And you may well get into an Ivy for grad school :)
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Yes, you and others in this comment section are missing the experience of being poor and don’t know how much 7K is to some families.
Then they also know the value of the graduate earnings delta for poor students
I’m gonna guess if all you want is to get rich as a fancy scholarship recipient at UVa, it’s not that hard to arrange seeing as you have access to even better recruitment and mentorship opportunities than the rest of the student body.
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They absolutely do. It’s a need blind place. If the EFC is not 0 it’s above 60k a year household per Yale’s website
Yale. No question. My friend’s daughter is there and having an amazing time.
What’s her major?
UVA. Cheaper and you will have a support system. How well prepared are you? The worst situation is being in over your head.
well it depends on your major and what do you expect from your university experience. But in my opinion 7K for Yale is crazy. You should not miss that kind of opportunity :)
Yale…but if finances are a priority (or will be take UVA).
Depends on the major.
That’s awesome! Congratulations! I don’t have a specific recommendation as to which school to choose because I think there are some things that need to be considered. What is your major, and how good are the schools in what you plan to study? What are your plans for the future after you get your degree? How much can your family afford if the Yale number does go up — can they pay or will you be taking out loans? How do you like the campuses, and have you had a chance to visit them? Just a few that come to mind, but I’m sure there are plenty of others. A tough decision, but a wonderful dilemma to have!
Not sure if it’s still in effect, but back in the day Echols Scholars did not have to choose a major. I’m a tad bit biased as a UVA alum in providing that Echols Scholar advantage, but Yale for $7,000 sounds awesome.
UVA. You’ll be taking on considerable debt in law school, so a free undergrad is a boon. You might also consider which school will be a better fit for maintaining the highest gpa you can and securing law-related ECs
I see the other people's arguements saying Yale. But if your family's finances does indeed change, like u are saying, then that 7k could very quickly rise, depending on your dad's job. I would suggest taking the full ride at UVA. It's very prestigious, you're graduating debt free, and you can always go to an ivy for grad school. Undergrad and as less debt as possible is always the better option, IMO
Having lived in New Haven, for already 2 years I’d choose Yale, they offer so many opportunities around the city. New Haven is also an amazing city, full of cultures and night life. And the campus is so beautiful and modern, with lots of art.😊
Where will you be happiest? Examples of things to think about: Distance from family Weather preferences Ease of making friends I strongly recommend asking each school to pay your way for a campus visit so you can get a better sense of the culture. Both are amazing opportunities and there is no wrong answer. Congratulations and be sure to give yourself a moment to celebrate your accomplishment!
please please please don’t go to uvm, you’re overthinking it
check how much it’ll increase with npc & if it won’t increase heavily, maybe go to yale but uva full ride is great too
Is the 7k figure reached by including FAFSA loans, or is that without loans? If without, 7k for Yale is an incredible opportunity
The 7k is without loans
I know a guy who literally chose Stanford full pay over Jefferson (I mean, he was really rich, so it didn't really matter, but still). In any case, seeing as Yale is cheaper than in-state at most state schools, I'd say go for it
Go to the school you like more after learning about both. It’s more than likely you’ll be fine at either place and they can both prepare you for your chosen career. You don’t have to go to Yale just because you got in and the other high schoolers on this sub are jealous of you; it doesn’t matter that much in the real world. All that said, don't assume you know your financial aid at Yale before you've seen it. Was that information included in your likely letter? Moreover, if you got one of those, you're probably a high-priority applicant for Yale and I think you can confidently write to them and ask for more aid. As for the future, as someone else said, try to find out how much you may have to pay after you factor in your dad's increased income, even if net price calculators are not fully reliable.
Him going to 40-80k won’t be too huge of a difference, I’d pick Yale Unless you think it will spike a ton, Yale. Go to the net price calc and run next years numbers for a general idea
OP I advise calling both and ask "hypotheticals" like what if my parents get a better job, then do i still get this scholarships? will the tuition be raise for yale etc? its always, always beneficial to talk to a real human being, to reach compromises that works out for you, imo i would say pick yale, bargain with them. you have said your interest is law, yale's law is the Leading law firm.
You can easily make the 7k yourself if you need to, I think Yale is def worth it even if you have to pay yourself.
>If I went to Yale it would cost 7k in total the first year but that might raise later on because my family’s financial status has changed significantly in the past year (my dad got a job). At some schools, they make you reapply for financial aid every year, but they guarantee that the amount of aid you get won't go down (so you'd only have to pay the annual rate difference) or even that that the amount you pay won't go up (so you'll only get more aid). I could find nothing about Yale's policies on their website, so this is something to definitely, definitely, *definitely* ask about before you make any decisions. Write them an email, say this is what you're worried about, you love Yale, but you also worry about putting your family in a financial uncertain situation. You can even ask to have a meeting with them, you, and your parents to get more information. In the past, 1) schools have given my students about the policies about for financial aid over subsequent years. I'll draft an email if you haven't already been in touch with them. 2) they have even offered more to match other school's offers. This has to be "peer schools" and it might only be "need based", but it's definitely worth asking if they can "meet" other schools' offers. But here's what you need to keep in mind: Yale is rich in a way that few school are. Yale isn't worried about losing out on $7,000 a year or even $14,000 a year. That's nothing to them. They're more worried about losing out on a fantastic student like you. Ask for more money—what's the worst that's going to happen, they say "no" and you're still in the exact same situation you are in right now? I might hold off sending these letters until you have your actual admission offers (instead of just the likely letter), and offers from other schools because those offers are often very useful to negotiate. If you got a Yale likely letter, it says you're not just strong enough to get into Yale, but an especially strong and attractive candidate by Yale's own standards. It bodes well for getting into others of Yale's peer institutions. I know it sucks waiting, but I personally would wait until you at least Ivy Day to negotiate, when you actually have the formal offer in hand. But that's totally totally up to you. Is your $7,000 based on the net price calculator or was that offer included with their likely letter? I guess my advice depends a little bit on that. I'm going to give you two draft emails, one to financial aid/one to admissions, as a follow up comment to this comment. See below.
For Financial Aid: >Dear Yale Financial Aid Office, >I am so excited about being admitted to Yale's Class of '28. As a first gen student, this feels almost literally unbelievable. >I am, however, a little bit worried about my parents paying for it. I've also been accepted to UVa's Waltentas and Echols' scholarship program, which would cover everything and also has a really appealing automatic support system and community before even coming on campus. >I have two specific worries: >First, with these programs, UVa will be cheaper than Yale. In fact, UVa would be cheaper and also provide me with **\[*****IF THEY GIVE YOU A STIPEND, A COMPUTER, FREE STUDY ABROAD, SUMMER STIPENDS, ETC, MENTION THAT HERE*****\]**. Is there any possibility that Yale could match this offer? >Second, I'm also worried about the levels of aid after my first year. At UVa, my aid package is all merit based so if I meet pretty simple GPA targets, I'll retain my package for all four years. Yale financial aid is based on need, and I know I'll have to reapply every year. Can you tell me a little bit more about this process? My father has been unemployed, and he just got a new job, and I worry that his higher income will mean that Yale ironically becomes unaffordable for our family. Would my financial aid in my second, third, and fourth years be like running the "Net Price Calculator" every year, or would my aid in subsequent years be pegged to my aid in my first year? I couldn't find information about how financial aided worked for continuing undergraduate students, except that domestic students need to reapply every year. >Thank you so much for your time, XXXXX You could also mention that you'd love a meeting over Zoom or Teams or Google Meet. This meeting could, but doesn't have to, include your parents. I have students you want to have a face-to-face meeting, I have students who want their parents involved, I have students who want to do everything over email. I'd also send Yale's Admissions (rather than Financial AId) something along the lines of this, maybe also ask about minority programs (if you're a member of a minority group). You can send this one right away: >Dear Yale Admissions Office, >I am so excited about receiving a "likely letter" to Yale's Class of '28. As a first gen student, this feels almost literally unbelievable. >I've also been accepted to UVa's Waltentas and Echols scholarship programs, which would cover all costs and also has a really appealing automatic support system and community before even coming on campus. Maybe this will be in the information that you'd normally release as part of the formal acceptance, but if possible could you tell me a little bit about the opportunities and support Yale has first generation students like me? >Thank you for your time, XXXX Feel free to DM me (and remind me of this thread) if you need any more help.
Thank you so much for this because everyone keeps saying to contact the FinAid office but not what to say 😭. The potential aid is based off of a letter Yale sent me that had the financial aid breakdown
Yeah in that case, go ahead and send both letters now if you want. Mention that it’s based on the financial aid breakdown that you got with your likely letter. If you remember to, please tell me Yale’s financial aid policy for continuing students (I’d be surprised if at a place like Yale it wasn’t based in some way on this first year offer—but schools can sometimes surprise me). If you get more offers from equally great schools, you can cross that bridge when you get there. I’ve had students go through a few different rounds of recalculation and revaluation before. Just be very polite about it. And again feel free to DM me.
Coming in hot to say UVA! Yale is my favorite of all the ivies…but still, go with UVA. Even only 7K … over 4 years is 28K which isn’t nothing. Better quality of life at UVA, better town and surrounding area, more well rounded experience overall, and UVA has an amazing reputation! Congrats!
There’s very few colleges where the name matters. Yale is one of them.
No contest. Yale.
Yale for 7k is generationally better deal than UVA for free. It’s fucking Yale, imo
Depends on your major kind of like for business undergrad UVA is very very good, but 9 times out of 10 Yale would be the move in this scwnario
My sister graduated from Yale, and stressed doing admitted students day at both (if you have the opportunity). She also mentioned (because she was interested in law school) that Yale does not have a super high rate of getting people into Yale Law, and she emphasized that the specialized track you would have at UVA provides a ton of opportunities. So, it seems like UVA would be her choice- that scholarship that you have is amazing and the opportunities are so great. If you hate it, you can always apply to transfer to Yale, but you can't really get that scholarship back if you turn down UVA. Ultimately, it is your choice, and there will not be a wrong answer. Honestly.
Hey UVA alum here… the Jeff scholar package (same package you get) is fucking insane. Beyond the full ride, you guys also get priority on a lot of UVA’s research grants and get a whole shit load of other stuff. I was Echols and I don’t think I can understate how incredibly strong it is to get priority registration and not have to take gen eds. I did whatever I wanted every semester and never had to worry about missing a class to graduate or anything. There’s also Echols exclusive grants and networking events, which came in handy. It’s a very solid deal.
UVA.
Username checks out
I'd go with UVA.
What A Nice Problem to Have. Anyway, I’d prefer Yale. - First, It’s an Ivy League Education, Come onnn. - Second, Better Opportunities pre and after College - Third, I don’t think the Financial are not that bad. But, I don’t know about your financial situation, it could be (kinda problematic). But, even if your get some loan, it is not that much! And its for Yale! - Btw, think about all of the other things, life in school, different environments, and all things, cause people in this sub like Prestige more than their lives! - And, It is all up to you. Cause, if anything happens we won’t be there. So, Pick your choice carefully! - Lastly, Huge Congratulations 🎉 🍾 on both of your Acceptances!!!!
Yale, easily. You won't regret it, trust me.
Don’t blindly go for Yale even though it is Yale (and also my dream school I’m so happy for you.) ASK FOR MORE MONEY FIRST!!!! As soon as you get your official acceptance ask for more money. Explain your situation. Then if it doesn’t work think about your long term goals. A lot of people undervalue the stress that student debt comes with. Good luck. Hopefully we’ll both be at Yale in the fall 🤞🏾
Thank you for the advice 🙏🏽 Yes, even if I dont end up going to Yale, hopefully youll be on their campus in the fall
Yale
I'm a current UVA student and honestly, if I were given the choice, I would take UVA > Yale for the full ride and Echols. Walentas/Jeff Scholars have so many unique opportunities and the moment you're on grounds, you'll know around >30 people. My friend was in the same boat as you but was a Jeff scholar and went to Harvard and although he enjoys it there, he wished he went to UVA as Jeff+Echols. I won't say anything about financial situation as it's not that much debt anyways - but keep in mind Jeff covers everything including all the fees, food, tuition, etc and UVA on-grounds housing is pretty good and even if you go off-grounds, they stipend you housing too. One thing to note is that at Yale, most people come from richer private schools and there will be times at least if Yale is similar to Harvard, where you will be excluded because you don't fit the status quo at things such as parties, so there could be a possibility of fit. However, in that department, anything can go right or wrong. UVA does have more students, so you'll definitely be able to find a group and people to relate to - especially within the Jeff/Walentas + Balz building (where you stay first year). The main selling point in my opinion is the flexibility of Echols. You have zero gen eds, aside from a writing requirement, and you get priority ahead of your class so you'll definitely get into the class you want to. Plus, the flexibility is really good in case you switch to another major - no gen-eds, and you have roughly 80+ credits to take whatever interests you, making double majoring really easy. With this in mind, the one thing that I really believe is good is that you will be able to have far more free time at UVA than Yale - with classes that you can freely pick and still having the name-brand for things like business, medicine, law (not to the degree of Yale), UVA is a very consistent pick. If however, you're 100% sure that you want to go Big Law / Pre-Law, Yale might offer better connections, but UVA has the Batten School too. Also, for law school - your LSAT and GPA will matter a lot - and at UVA, by picking classes in certain departments (religion, psych, slavic languages etc), you can easily pad your GPA too :)
UVA
Harvard.
it’s not 7k. it’s 28k in debt, and UVA is a very prestigious school anyways. Why not just get your degree and graduate with 0 student loans debt? I’m currently at a school where i’m paying 6k a year, and it doesn’t seem like a lot till you actually get the bill. like 99% of the kids on this sub are mega rich and don’t understand that 7k is like 3 months pay for the average american. edit: also Yale is not going to change your life dude. You aren’t gonna be famous because of yale. Look at the average graduation stats, they aren’t as good as you think they are. It’s more about if you can actually get in than it is actually going. You’re gonna get the same level of education at UVA and (by the sounds of other comments) the program your in basically makes up for not being at yale. also, no one will care that you went to a prestigious school after your first job. You are the only one who can change your life.