So I’m probably not going to New York University, college university of my dreams slash fantasies. I decided that as awesome as Stern is and as much as I would love to go there, paying 52k a year and going deep into debt before I ever get a real job would not be ideal nor comforting. Besides, living in Manhattan requires huge amounts of money just in itself, amazing dorm room from converted apartments/hotels or not. Whaaaa.

Yeah, so boo for only 1k of merit aid (which is essentially less than the NMSQT offers, even, and the only reason why I probably got it). Round trip tickets twice a year between here and there would essentially render that toilet paper.

So what’s the lesson here? Don’t bother going to NYU without a real game plan. Loans won’t cut it, I promise.

So now it’s down to Cal (Berkeley), UCLA, and Fordham University. Because while NYU has been wiped off my list–I shed a tear in mourning, I really do–I’m still visiting New York City during spring break!

I’m actually going to take a trip to Fordham, which is sponsoring my visit to them. At the moment, they’ve offered me a full tuition scholarship. So yeah, I’m swaying towards a school that I never seriously considered attending to in the first place. In fact, before the onslaught of mail and email, I’d never even heard of it. I only paid attention because it was in New York City (well, the LC is in Manhattan but Rose Hill & the Business school is in the Bronx) and because they have one of the most aggressive (in a good way) marketing strategies I’ve seen.

For example, they offered to waive the application fee, I got a million emails and viewbooks prior to applying (and even after) early decision, and after I got in, their alumni sent mail from their companies–of which they were presidents of–encouraging me to attend. And since I want to study marketing, this is the kind of thing that really affects my decision to the positive.

Anyway, I think my final decision will come after the visit.

Now, what about Cal and UCLA you ask? My parents definitely would prefer Berkeley, being closer to home and having the more famous Haas for undergrad business, but its definitely somewhere that I’ve seen a bit too much of. Too close to home, as I pointed out earlier. Though then again, most of my friends seem to be leaning that direction. It’s a pity no one else plans to join me if I do decide to go east.

I’ll post any lessons and advice I found in my experience applying and the like this year, since I know senior year & colleges are usually major decisions.