Turning down a much higher-ranked/more prestigious school

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Some "religious" schools give generous aid and merit scholarships and contrary to popular liberal beliefs, provide good education and religious factor is minimal for someone who isn't religiously inclined.

Georgetown

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Who's done it? How do you keep the ranking from clouding your judgement? DC was 100% sure of their decision to attend the lower ranked school, but this latest admit was a total shock, and I think they're a bit swayed by the prestige of it.

My DC is in the same boat. Had a first choice (T100) school, then accepted at a T25. Every time they mention the T25 acceptance, the positive reaction makes them question their decision. Visiting both for admitted students' days - we'll see.

S24 was admitted to a T25 and T80 liberal arts schools and UMD but not major of choice. He selected the T80 after considering student life, course progression, and career progression steps. Cost is not a factor for us but he ended up selecting the most affordable option anyway. I’m glad we didn’t overfund the 529 given his career goals and graduate degree goals.

[Anonymous]

Turning down Georgetown, Pomona and an Ivy (not HYP) for UVA in-state tuition.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Turning down Georgetown, Pomona and an Ivy (not HYP) for UVA in-state tuition.

Financially wise! UVA is a great school.

[Anonymous]

I didn't read all the comments. DC made that mistake for High School. Applied to several privates one of which was a complete reach but very prestigious/rigorous and unexpectedly got it.

He chose to go there because he felt silly turning it down, even though he had felt much better about the other school, which wasn't much lower ranked (DMV).

It was a big mistake, he was absolutely miserable, hated the culture and transferred out middle of sophomore year, which was sadly right before the COVID lockdown. So he barely had chance to make friends in a new school and the whole HS experience was missed. He regrets this now and I regret not advising him to attend the school he liked vs the prestigious one. But to be completely honest, the status and rank got into a little bit into my head as well.

[Anonymous]

^ Which WAS much lower ranked*

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I didn't read all the comments. DC made that mistake for High School. Applied to several privates one of which was a complete reach but very prestigious/rigorous and unexpectedly got it.

He chose to go there because he felt silly turning it down, even though he had felt much better about the other school, which wasn't much lower ranked (DMV).

It was a big mistake, he was absolutely miserable, hated the culture and transferred out middle of sophomore year, which was sadly right before the COVID lockdown. So he barely had chance to make friends in a new school and the whole HS experience was missed. He regrets this now and I regret not advising him to attend the school he liked vs the prestigious one. But to be completely honest, the status and rank got into a little bit into my head as well.

Needed to read this. Thanks, and I'm sorry things worked out that way for him.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid is turning down an $90k school, 6 hours away in the NE, for a dirt cheap tuition at a small VA school that most people sh-- on here.

DC will grad debt free and have >$200K available for grad school.

I agonized over it but, in the end, this makes a lot of sense. The biggest thing in this will be dealing with other peoples' reactions but . . . meh.

Are you speaking literally? Meaning, you will provide the kid $200k if they attend graduate school, but if they don't attend graduate school...they get $0?

Folks always phrase the less prestigious, cheaper option in these terms...almost like they now have to to grad school to make up for the undergrad.

I don't think you mean that, but that is how it reads.

Kid will have an unused $200K in the 529 b/c of the chosen school's tuition/merit aid.

What if he doesn’t want to go to grad school?

529 can be used for living expenses, which can account for a chunk of it, converted into a Roth IRA retirement account for the child, or transferred to other children/nieces/nephews/grandchildren. There's more flexibility in there now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why so obtuse? What schools?

It's always pseudo prestige colleges which have gamed their way up the US News rankings; ex. WashU, UChicago, Hopkins undergrad, Northwestern, NYU. The average person does not care about these colleges, so it's easy to not blow the cash if you're on the financial margins and $320,000+ is a major blow to your family finances.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Turning down Georgetown, Pomona and an Ivy (not HYP) for UVA in-state tuition.

Such obvious trolling. Nobody pays to apply to such random privates all around the country, gets into multiple, then goes to the public university two hours from home.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why so obtuse? What schools?

It's always pseudo prestige colleges which have gamed their way up the US News rankings; ex. WashU, UChicago, Hopkins undergrad, Northwestern, NYU. The average person does not care about these colleges, so it's easy to not blow the cash if you're on the financial margins and $320,000+ is a major blow to your family finances.

That's like $320k more than the schools in question cost.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Naval Academy is impressive. Congrats!

You just demonstrated the difference in prestige.

+2 There is a difference. Most non-military people don’t even realize there is a Coast Guard academy. Getting into the Naval Academy is a big deal. If prestige matters to you, 100% go Navy.

No way. My dad went to West Point and served 20+ years and I'm an Army brat through and through. I had always understood that the Coast Guard Academy was the hardest to get into.

OP, your son should go where he wants to serve! CG and Navy are very different. For many, the mission of the CG is much more appealing. You are directly working to keep people safe every day (and without having to potentially kill people). And most of the tours/deployments are domestic so it's easier on families. Culture is supposedly much better, too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Turning down Georgetown, Pomona and an Ivy (not HYP) for UVA in-state tuition.

Such obvious trolling. Nobody pays to apply to such random privates all around the country, gets into multiple, then goes to the public university two hours from home.

DP. Maybe, maybe not. We know at least two in DCs circle who applied/accepted similar, mostly because (1) it was a total lark and they never seriously expected to get in (and knew they couldn't afford it) or (2) they or their parents were disillusioned or ill-advised on the amount of aid/discount that would come their way - that didn't. I think that one is still holding out hope that 'something' can be worked out but it's probably in the not-likely-to-happen category.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Naval Academy is impressive. Congrats!

You just demonstrated the difference in prestige.

+2 There is a difference. Most non-military people don’t even realize there is a Coast Guard academy. Getting into the Naval Academy is a big deal. If prestige matters to you, 100% go Navy.

No way. My dad went to West Point and served 20+ years and I'm an Army brat through and through. I had always understood that the Coast Guard Academy was the hardest to get into.

OP, your son should go where he wants to serve! CG and Navy are very different. For many, the mission of the CG is much more appealing. You are directly working to keep people safe every day (and without having to potentially kill people). And most of the tours/deployments are domestic so it's easier on families. Culture is supposedly much better, too.

For whatever it's worth, their acceptance is rate is just over twice Naval Academy's. But he's coming around and remembering where he wanted to serve in the first place. I think we're all settled now - the news just caught us all off guard.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Turning down Georgetown, Pomona and an Ivy (not HYP) for UVA in-state tuition.

Which Ivy?