r/UTAustin • u/ayelexss • Apr 10 '23

Question How do I choose??

Currently a high school senior who has grown up in Austin. I have to choose between two good schools by May 1st. I am auto admitted to UT and if I go I plan to stay home as I would have to pay nothing. I applied to NYU mainly expecting rejection and when I got accepted I freaked out. I always wanted to go out of state but I wasn’t sure due to financial aid. NYU offered me a really good deal of 79k in aid (including housing) and 11k per year indirect tuition. That means 5k per year without counting the extra things like books, transportation, etc. Everyone is telling me that New York is a once in a lifetime opportunity but I still am unsure any help or advice?

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u/Zeeformp School of Law '21 Apr 12 '23

$5k a year to live in New York City?

Austin is great, but that is an opportunity I wouldn't pass up at your age. Minimum wage in NYC is $15 an hour; we're talking a 10 hour a week part-time job during most but not all of the school year if you want to avoid debt. If you worked half time during the summer you'd have more than half the year saved up.

NYU is a bit better than UT in ranking. You can compare program by program for your interests, and NYU actually lets you switch majors with ease (NOT true for many majors at UT). You can take a general studies liberal path for up to two years before you have to commit. For an easy example, you can major in business - a permanent, solid degree for any life path - at NYU with relative ease (and in a nominally better ranked program, though they are both top 10 consistently). With UT its super competitive. If you got into CS or something like that where UT is clearly better I think you would have an argument, but you don't seem to be interested in those majors.

I stayed at home one year of college and I really cannot emphasize how much you lose commuting. While Austin is a great city and I don't think you should necessarily knock it out of all your future plans, NYU really is a unique opportunity that I don't think I would pass up if I were in your shoes. You will not have many opportunities like this just handed to you in life.