Where should I go?

[monkbear]

So basically my dilemma is that I don't know which colleges to go for my undergraduate studies. I live in Saskatchewan, Canada and the closest university here is the University of Saskatchewan and if I go there it's around $10,000 yearly but I would rather move out then live at home because frankly I want to see the world. However, I want to go to universities in Texas because I have family living there, and I'm thinking of applying to universities such as UT of D, UT at Austin, SMU and Rice university. I'm hoping I can get into Rice because they offer good financial aid but I need to raise my SAT score to do that. Anyway the problem is that universities in Texas are really expensive ($40,000 average) and I might be able to get financial aid and scholarships with my IB scores but even then it would cost a lot. Finally, the University of Toronto is my other choice and the tuition there is remarkably cheap for a good university, but I would rather go to Texas. Any ideas? Sorry for the huge blurb.

[Vanderlyle]

Going to a university in the US would be considerably more expensive than one in Canada. There are lots of quality universities in Canada, and UofT is no exception. There are loads of things to do in Toronto and the city is influenced by loads of worldwide cultures. I'm pretty sure some universities allow students to study abroad for a certain amount of time as well.

Of course, if you're set on going to Texas, search for scholarships! There are scholarships in just about anything, not just academics. If you feel that Texas would be best for you, go for it.

[Guest]

Well if you could mention your grades and SAT scores we could give you a clearer picture. Oh and Rice University is really tough to get into.

[notenoughsleep]

I think money is the biggest issue here. I mean, if you had unlimited cash, you could go to U of Texas, live like a king, eat lobster everyday, hey why even go to college? I too was considering the states for university (I'm Canadian too), but then decided not to because of the price. Technically speaking, my parents could finance my studies in the states (my brother is going to NYU), but I found it that I'd live a lot more comfortable by studying in Canada than in the states--I'd have more money to spend on things that I enjoy and not be broke from my studies.

I like the idea that you want to go to Texas because you want to get away from home, but will that experience really be that enjoyable if you're broke all the time? I would recommend just going to Toronto--it's a big city and has a lot to offer. If you're from a small town in Saskatchewan (not saying you are, but just generally speaking), Toronto may not seem so foreign or inspiring, but it really is quite an urban centre. If you want to see the world and really enjoy life, go with Toronto. You're still young and you'll have a great time. Remember, you're not an American citizen so you won't be as comfortable in the US as in Canada (you can't work, and you get free health care in Canada). You're still young, go with Toronto and you can travel to Europe or Asia over the summer--maybe through an exchange. You can drive down to NYC on a long weekend, really going to U of T will let you have much more money to spend on traveling. Quality of education shouldn't even be a question, U of T is a great university.

You did mention scholarships, but that depends on your grades. If you can share them it can probably help us help you better. You need some VERY high grades to get scholarships for universities in the states.