CASE STUDY: What College Should I Attend?
Spring is here, and seniors are deciding on where to go to college. You are Holly Browning, a guidance counselor, and you’re helping students navigate acceptances and financial aid packages. Jordan has been accepted into his top three colleges and has everything figured out. He comes into the office to announce his decision with pride.

Jordan: Ms. Browning, I got accepted to my top 3 colleges and I’ve decided where to go!
Ms. Browning: Congratulations, Jordan! Before you make a final decision, let’s review the numbers.
Jordan: But Ms. Browning, I don't need to. All three gave me over $15,000! Can't I just tell you my choice?
Ms. Browning: Financial aid offers can be tricky. Let's double-check your financial aid letters first. 






GoodTimes U.
Fine State U.
Univ. of Happy Valley
Sticker Price
$57,000
$29,000
$43,000
Grant/Scholarship Aid
$26,000
$16,000
$21,000
Net Price









Jordan: [Takes a moment to review the Financial Aid summary, and then responds:]
I’m so lucky to get into GoodTimes U. It’s expensive, so it must be better, right?
GoodTimes is giving me a $26,000 scholarship! That's thousands more than the others.
The price difference is only about $18,000. I'll have my whole career to pay it off.
I haven’t talked to my parents yet, but I know they’ll support me when they see how much I'm getting. I can cover the rest with loans!


Complete the table by calculating the net price for each school: Net price = Sticker price - Grants/Scholarships
Correct Jordan’s misconceptions about the true cost of each school
Underline two incorrect statements that Jordan made.
Tell Jordan why his assumptions were flawed and add any relevant information that he’s missing. 

Write your comments to Jordan below
Ms. Browning:



Jordan: So, you think I should go to Fine State U?
Ms. Browning: Cost is important, but it's not everything. What else matters to you?
Jordan: I want to make sure my school has a good psychology program. And I want to go to a small school.
Ms. Browning: Good points! What else are you looking for?
Jordan:  I want small classes, it’s easy to get to know people, a close-knit community, and good job prospects after graduation. Oh, and a frisbee club would be great!
Ms. Browning: [Pulls out a chart] Why don’t you take a look at this? It shows key information about the three schools you’re considering..





GoodTimes University
Fine State University
University of Happy Valley
Prestige






Acceptance Rate
61%
19%
38%
Psychology Program Rank
Not Ranked
#37 in U.S.
#24 in U.S.
Student Life






Key Clubs
Acappella, ultimate frisbee, business clubs
Newspaper, affinity groups, political clubs
Peer mentoring, tutoring, radio station
Student:Faculty Ratio
14:1
12:1
15:1
Total Undergraduate Population
5,000
8,000
18,000
Location
6-hour flight
3-hour drive
1-hour drive
Outcomes and Cost






4-Year Graduation Rate
35%
79%
81%
Average Salary (1 year after Graduation)
$40,000
$54,000
$47,000
Loan Default Rate
10%
2%
2%
Net Price













Jordan: [Reviews the chart for a few seconds and begins talking. Here are the highlights of what he says]
GoodTimes U accepts more students, so they probably have better students.
GoodTimes U has fewer students, so classes will be smaller. Fine State U has a lower student-faculty ratio, but when I visited their introductory psychology class, it had over 200 students!  
GoodTimes U's lower graduation rate must mean it's more challenging. Graduating from there will boost my job prospects.
I’m not sure what loan default means, but a higher rate is probably good, right?


You think Jordan might have some misunderstandings about the chart.
Underline three incorrect statements that Jordan made.
Clarify why his thinking is flawed and provide accurate information

Write your comments to Jordan below.
Ms. Browning: 


Jordan: Maybe GoodTimes U isn't best for me. How do I choose with all this information?

Ms. Browning: Let's break it down into pros and cons for each school. 


Complete the chart below.


PROS
CONS



Good Times U











Fine State U










University of Happy Valley










Which school should Jordan choose? Why is that school the best option?






Jordan focused on criteria like class sizes, acceptance rate, and graduation rate. What other factors might be important to consider when deciding on a college?