College/Loan “quick” decision.. feeling lost

[hopelesss]

Hi all
I hope you don’t mind me pouring my chaotic thoughts on this forum again, I’m trying my best not to freak out but.. I should make an important decision about college in 3 days :s.. Here are my options:

1- Enter an amazing prestigious one of the top Arts/Design University (in my country) that would provide me with a great experience

2- Enter a not so amazing engineering university (yes don't be surprised that i'm interested in engineering/arts and design.. my variety of interests kills me.. but what can I do I was born this way lol)

Why not decision 1:
- This univ is full of snobs and fake people, I don’t know if I can handle such ambiance
- I’m gonna have to take a loan because of the very high tuition fees
Mostly I’m afraid of the loan, because If I ever change my mind about the major or university (possibly this is going to happen) then this means I have wasted another year of my life and my parents are in so much debt that they might kill me or something (I’m exaggerating here sorry)

Why not decision 2:
- The experience in this univ is not so great (lack of activities-clubs) and the campus is in bad shape
- It’s very competitive and harsh on their students

Why "yes to" decision 1:
- It’s mostly because of the experience that I’m going to get, plus I might get a scholarship in my 2nd year (so I won't need the loan anymore) but the chances are little


Why "yes to" decision 2:
- I’ll be saving a lot of cash, I don’t have to take a loan or anything I can pay all the tuition fees.


So here I’m torn between two different majors that both interests me and two different universities
What should I do? Especially about the loan thing, (I’m really hesitating)

I can’t set my priorities straight anymore, my mind is still hazy because of the trauma and the unexpected biggest failures that I have faced this year and poor decision making. It’s hard to make a life changing decision when you’re still recovering from such a thing…

[Sypyres]

If money is the issue then take all your bullshait courses at your local community college. Then when you finish with that, transfer. You will save thousands and won't have to worry about a hugh ass loan following you. A community college isn't as bad as you might think. You are still getting the same edumacation and might even be better since your class isn't 200-300 ppl.

Going to some high priced College is a joke. But that's my opinion.

[pianoperformer]

Honestly I'd probably choose option 2. You won't have any loans, which is a pretty major thing after you graduate, and you'll have a useful degree that will allow you to earn a decent income while you figure out what you really want to do in life. Your final degree doesn't have to be in the field you ultimately enter, so it doesn't mean you'd be stuck in engineering forever if you decided not to.

But no one can tell you the right decision. Do some major praying/meditating on it, and the right one will stick out to you in the end. Sometimes the right decision is completely opposed to any logic, but is still the right one for you in the end.

[ssandra]

Some questions that might help you decide:

If money wasn't an issue, what would be your choice?

If you choose option 1: will you make enough money to pay back your loan?

If you choose option 2: will you like the jobs you are able to get after that?

[hopelesss]

Thanks for your opinions,
well that's exactly what I'm fearing: "a huge loan after i graduate" where I'm gonna have to spend the next 10 years working my ass off just to pay this loan.
But the program at Univ option 1 is just too tempting (I guess that's what they do in such expensive universities)

and it's true "no one can tell me the right decision" but everyone can tell me their opinions and experiences.
Oh and the community college (well it's not a community college it's more like a big public university) at my country are full of 200-300 students :s and my options are very limited

[hopelesss]

Originally Posted by ssandra

Some questions that might help you decide:

If money wasn't an issue, what would be your choice?

If you choose option 1: will you make enough money to pay back your loan?

If you choose option 2: will you like the jobs you are able to get after that?

If money wasn't an issue, option 1 would be my choice

Choosing option 1 is a risk, we all know that the paying for "Design" oriented careers is bad (especially at the begining)

If I choose option 2, I'm honestly not sure If I'm going to "love" the jobs and wake every day with a big smile on my face before going to work , but I'm sure I can handle them

[CroMagna]

I would definitely pick option 2, no doubt about it. You'll have a degree that's much more marketable than the design degree and can probably land a decent job before graduating. Plus you'll be debt free, so you'll only be paying for present expenses. You don't have to love your job, you can work at a job so that you can afford to do things you love outside of work. If you pick option 1, you'll probably be unemployed with a hefty loan on your head and a bad experience of dealing with snobs.

[Clint Cora]

I don't think anybody can decide for you because nobody else is in your shoes. You are just going to have to look at all the positives and negatives for each choice on paper in front of you and then put some sort of value on each element to see which you really feel stronger about, ie., which of the various elements really affect you more.

There are the 'nice-to-have's as well as the 'need-to-have's so you have to decide which is what and see which choice, although neither would be perfect, would still end up being the better choice at this time.

[Hapiel]

Becoming a self thought designer is MUCH easier than becoming a self thought engineer.

Switching carreer and becoming a self thought is MUCH easier if you have a bit of cash flow than when you have a dept.

For practical reasons I would go for 2, if it is engineering honestly interests just as much as the art/design.
If you have an emotional connection to one of the two studies, you will find out at the moment of making the descision if it is the right one, or if you are really bad at listening to yourself during the first week of school.

[hopelesss]

Originally Posted by Hapiel

Becoming a self thought designer is MUCH easier than becoming a self thought engineer.

Switching carreer and becoming a self thought is MUCH easier if you have a bit of cash flow than when you have a dept.

For practical reasons I would go for 2, if it is engineering honestly interests just as much as the art/design.
If you have an emotional connection to one of the two studies, you will find out at the moment of making the descision if it is the right one, or if you are really bad at listening to yourself during the first week of school.

I was thinking the same thing, if i ever got bored with an engineering career I can easily switch to design, if I had enough money*
Honestly arts interests me more, but I want stability and good money in the long term, so there is 80% chance I'm going with engineering even though university 2 sucks!
The only thing that may change my mind is a scholarship at university 1, or if I found like a 40 000 $ bag in the streets (wich is not gonna happen lol)