10-28-2007, 11:36 AM
The Horrible Esthete Wrote:IMHO....
Your decision should be based solely upon whatever best suits your goals and aspirations.
If your goal is to get the education that best prepares you for a specific career, or provides you with the best opportunities to realize your dreams (whether those 'opportunities' be increased knowledge, skills, or networking capability), then go with whichever best serves those ends.
If it is unclear which of your options best meets that goal, for god's sake, go with the free one. As far as credit rating goes, simply paying all your bills on time all the time will never leave you at a financial disadvantage. Credit building should not really be a central factor in this, imo.
If the goal is simply to live the 'college life' to its fullest as you earn a degree, and you think doing so is worth incurring $20,000 in debt, then go with that. However, in my opinion (and experience), that obective not at all prudent (not to mention shortsighted and wasteful), and is something you may very well wish you never did when the "man comes 'round". I feel that this decision should be based entirely upon what best develops marketable skills, or best enhances your ability to find sustained happiness or fulfillment for your 50 or more years of post-college life, not that which provides for the most memorable 4-year stint of your life.
I personally do not think that your enjoyment of the non-academic environment should be much of a factor in your decision, unless you loathe your current situation so much that it hampers your ability to learn and develop martketable skills. I feel that sacrificing some of the social aspects of college life, in exchange for sound adademic, development, will pay far greater dividends down the road.
At age 34, looking back on what I NOW consider to be the most satisfying social engagements of my youth, most were certainly not exclusive to the college environment, and I'd trade most of the most memorable ones that were exclusive to that environment for more knowlege, skills, and marketability in a heartbeat.
Some good points there Esthete, however I disagree with your assessment of the importance of non-academic activities. Personally, I found my experiences outside the classroom to be every bit as important as those within the classroom. Of course, I'm not referring to the ability to get drunk on weeknights and sleep in till noon (though that was certainly an added plus!). What made a difference in my development of marketable skills was my involvement in extra-curricular activities, specifically taking on leadership roles in various student organizations and clubs. It made me a much more complete, well-rounded individual compared to those that only focused on academic development. And it definitely made a difference to my job prospects when recruiting season came along in my final year. So while academic quality is still probably the most important consideration when choosing a post-secondary institution, serious consideration should also be given to the opportunities for skill development outside the classroom.
