u/lilac_greyhound

i got my early assessment back and am curious, is 73k in merit and needs based aid good? i’ll end up having to pay 25k… (i didn’t include loans or work as those aren’t guaranteed, howeverthey estimate i’d receive 10k in total from both in a year if that matters at all.)

also, im wondering does this assessment continue for all four years? if i were to go, would i only have to pay 20kish a year or would my merit and needs based aid change from sophomore year onwards?

i seriously fell in love with macalester.. but im worried my job after college wont be able to outweigh the price it took to enroll… i want to major in psych and polisci if possible, but i might settle for one over time. id like to go into advocacy, maybe lobbying? but not sure if its a stable / realistic job. i’ve always wanted to be a social worker aswell, which has better job outlook, so i might go with that instead of finances dont go well.

hello!! before i ask any questions, a little background i suppose… i’m a senior in highschool and im worried about commiting to ED, i visited macalester this summer and fell in love. i live in a fairly republican area currently, and anytime i visit the twin cities i am brought to tears because of how progressive everyone is, wish i was born there instead lol. (bit of a ramble, i have audhd and am a very emotional/highly sensitive person so i cannot stress how much emotion this city makes me feel- especially being a mexican american + a queer female…) i get good grades ive been on the A honor role since middle school, i have a 4.1 gpa, i plan on retaking the act until i get in the 27 range (23 rn i blame them claiming i couldn’t use a calculator /hj) ive taken around 10 college courses and passed with high Bs or As (all ap tests i’ve passed, not with a 5 but at least i passed lol) but i haven’t done any extra curriculars which may be detrimental to my application and chances of getting in if i were to commit…

im interested in double majoring in political science and psychology, (or just political science…) im extremely passionate about social issues and want to help others in anyway i can. how? im still not entirely sure… im interested in non profit work, something to help people who struggle with diagnosis as low income women of color as that’s something me and my family have dealt with in life… i feel as though macalester would have much more opportunities for me to pursue these things/ideas i have.

of course, i dont wanna go here simply for the city it’s in— i also feel like the small classes, student body, no greek life, study abroad options, internships, financial aid, networking, etc would make my college experience so much better.

HOWEVER there are two things that are preventing me from commitment, finances and family.

if i were to commit to macalester, and theoretically be accepted thereafter, im worried i wouldnt be able to afford it, or id miss my family too much, or both.. i live 5-6 hours away from the twin cities, meaning i wouldnt be able to see my family or friends easily, nor would i be able to save on dorm costs after freshmen year as id be forced to live on campus for all four years. i have the option of going to a school in my area where i wouldnt need to live on campus, i could live with my family and save on lots of expenses that way aswell as be with a few friends who already committed to said school— however once again the city im in isn’t very democratic, its a red state with red cities and red people and im unsure if id be able to persue my passion because of this. the school isnt bad at all, its a very good school for psychology/social work and it would be way more inexpensive than macalester… (estimated 29k net price after grants for macalester, whereas at the other college it would only be around 12k since i’d only need to pay for tuition not housing or meal plans.)

i suppose my question is, knowing all of this, would you still recommend macalester? are you able to deal with homesickness? is doing two years at one place then transferring good? are there any major downsides to macalester people don’t talk about? any and all information which can help me form my opinion better is greatly appreciated.