My "dilemma"

Alright guys so here's the deal, I have applied to both SMU and Harvard this year. I was accepted to SMU and was offered two really awesome scholarships. I only applied to Harvard because they sent me an application and I thought I would send it in for shits and gigs. It wasn't until recently that I realized I could possibly get in, because I was brought in for an interview by an alumni in Dallas. This is my problem though; I won't know if I'm accepted until April . If I do get in, I'll have one month to fly up there, visit the campus, decide if I like it or not, and send in the deposit. If I don't get in I'll have one month to send in my deposit and housing forms to SMU, and I probably won't have a whole bunch of dorm choices because of the lateness of the deposit. I really love SMU's campus, it's not huge and in an awesome part of town and it just felt right when I went to visit and that's really the direction I'm leaning towards right now. But if I got into Harvard I would at least have to give it a chance right? I mean it's freaking Harvard!

Sorry for the long post, but any advice would be greatly appreciated

 

Sorry if I am ignorant, but what is SMU?

Saint Mary's? Depending on the scholarships offered I would probably go there. More scholarship money = less money paying off student loans in the future.

 

It's frigging Harvard for christ sake ! I have never heard of SMU.

 

If you really want to go to Havard....Wait it out. Or throw down a deposit on SMU now...and just kiss it good by if you get into Harvard.

I don't want to pry- but will you be able to afford Harvard if you get in but don't get any scholarships?? All the little things come together to help decide if it's worth it or not.

 

I think he's talking about southern methodist u.

 

Dude, look up the avarge income of grads from both schools.....think long term....

 

Thanks for the quick replies guys and yeah it's Southern Methodist University. The scholarships I got from there is basically half of the tuition so that's a huge factor. And if I get into Harvard I probably won't know how much scholarship money I receive until even later, if I get any at all

 

I hate to be mr. negative here but my friend applied to Vanderbilt last year, which is a damn good school. He had an interview too but did not get in. I would wait to hear back from Harvard. Dude its freakin Harvard. You can't turn that down.

 

What are the scholarships for? Academic? Any particular field? What do you plan on majoring in?

Just some things to think about when deciding, but Harvard is a very prestigious school so you could probably have a good link to a career once graduated.

 

One of the scholarships was from the school of engineering at SMU, which I plan on majoring in with a minor in business (they have one of the top ranked business programs in the nation, so I might bump it up to a double major if I feel I can handle it). And the other was straight from the university, both for the same amount of 30 large and they were both merit/academic.

 

btw thanks for all the help guys it's greatly appreciated. I'll buy you all a round in a few years haha

 

Do you know what type of engineering you want to study?
Do you have an idea what you want to do for work?
(Some companies/division tend to hire from certain colleges.)
What are the rules for deferring your first year at SMU?
(Maybe you can have them hold our spot to see what Harvard offers.)

A degree from Harvard will open more doors then SMU. My guess is that you will earn more with a Harvard degree then SMU.

 

Actually I have I no idea exactly what type of engineering yet but hope to narrow it down throughout college. As for that other stuff I have no idea

 

Well, my advice would be to go to Harvard. It's one of the top schools in the world and if you aren't happy you can always transfer to another school. It's easier to go down then up.
You'll never get to experience the kind of history that has happened in at Harvard, anywhere else, except maybe William and Mary or Yale.

Boston might be a bit of an adjustment... so that might be the only sticking point.

Don't worry about not know exactly what you want to do, you'll figure it out.

And just to keep the topic relevant to the website, Harvard graduate e.e. cummings wrote what I think is the best poem about a car ;-) ever, 'she being Brand'. Check it out. (So Harvard can't be all bad.)

 

do what your heart tells you to do!

 

x2. if smu feels good then go for it before you have to rush things because harvard did not work out. Harvard would be great but if you don't get in then you get a shity room in the dorm.

 

just to notify Radix and the other few of you that have offered advice, I received another scholarship from SMU which brings the total to $70k. I've decided I'm going to go ahead and send in my deposit and housing forms and just see what Harvard has to say. Thanks for the advice guys!

 

smu

 

it's friggin harvard...do it

 

Harvard will introduce you to people that make and break policy and companies around the world. SMU won't. If you have the opportunity for Harvard, go.