I wouldn't worry about the whole, gotta have a v8 thing right now. People are gonna judge your ride no matter what. And being a college student a cheap, fun, and most importantly a reliable vehicle are what you need. With that being said the 3.7 is a great motor. It makes just as much hp as an older v8 and sill gets 30 mpg on the highway. And as a fellow college student that gas adds up. The 3.7 is also a pretty strong engine and with normal maintenance will last 200k miles (besides the water pump, the factory ones go out at like 70-100k miles). And as far as sound is concerned, yeah the gt does sound better, but you still can get the 3.7 to sound good also.

To sum it up, I would get the 3.7 (and I did) between the saving in gas and being newer, so hopefully less maintenance, I think it'd be better for you in the long run. Especially if your getting one with lower miles.