Which is why we need to quash the myth that if you pay more, you get more. It's just not true. You can get the same education and/or outcome by going to a state school as you would by going Ivy. It's about what you put into it. This is why overpaying, taking out loans, or putting down $80k/year that YOU DO NOT HAVE is absolutely bananas. If you are rich and can sneeze $400K tuition, this conversation is not for you. The rest of us who need to think about spending should not fall prey to the name brand nonsense. It's just that. Marketing hype. |
It may not be superior in the ways you are referring to - but the student experience at Tufts and Michigan St are very different (and this is not to say Tufts is better...for example if you like big school sports...). People who have the money to pay for it, are willing to let their children choose where they want to go. For Tufts families, it's going to school in Boston. I often think the people complaining about the tuition are the ones that can't afford it. I get that for people who wish they could hand their kids an open slate to consider colleges....but no need for others to lash back on whether it's worth it or not. And for worthiness - NO - it is not worth going into huge debt to pay for a private college when you have other options that are more affordable. |
This is hilarious. Obviously. Which trust fund did you just climb down from to finally understand that? |
The Cal States, if you can get in |
I'm not PP but I pay because my DCs were able to find schools that were a great match for where they wanted to be for four years. If we didn't have the money, we'd tell them to go to in-state or seek merit aid. I was lucky to be given this opportunity by one of my parents for college. I am certain that my experience at the small private I attended (not out of prestige) formed me in positive ways that would not have occurred at my state university. I was exposed to a whole new world (I was not rich and went to a very diverse public school) and the smaller classes did make a difference. |
THIS^^^ If you have the funds, send your kids there. If you don't, send them to state schools or privates that give merit. Fact is, your kid can get a great education at many schools. It's what your kid does while there that matters so much more than where they go. Me personally, we saved so our kids could attend $85K+ schools should they get in. It does not impact our other finances, so they will attend whatever school they get into/want to attend. But if we couldn't afford it, then I simply would not allow my kids to look at those schools. |
Yes - it sounds obvious - but there's a point here..... if you are complaining that it isn't worth it just because you can't pay it - then you really have no credibility. It's just jealousy that you don't have the option to pay for whatever feature of a private school might appeal to your child. |
+1000 |
So your position is that the 50th percentile econ major from Oklahoma State fares exactly the same as the 50th percentile econ major from Vanderbilt? In 2023? Really? |
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we can afford it, but I dont think it's worth it.
our private sends a lot of good not great student athletes to tufts. vandy is a step up from tufts.. a much harder admit. |
I suspect (My opinion!) that many who "complain about the pricing" do so out of jealousy and would happily send their kid to a T25 school at any price if they actually got in and could afford it. When college planning, we had 3 scenarios for each kid: instate (estimated at $30-40K, oldest entered in fall 2017, youngest entering this fall), OOS/mid level privates at $60-65K (think UVA OOS--which was around that when our oldest entered college), and privates full pay ($estimates of $80-90K). All 3 were spot on estimates when our oldest entered college. And we adjusted upwards for the younger 2. So our FA was basically spot on with what college would cost for each of our kids. So we planned and saved for that. Yes prices are going up rapidly, but it has not been a surprise. 20+ years ago college calculators predicted fairly close to what costs currently are. One kid went to a mid level private (think 60-100 range), got excellent merit and still has enough for a year of MBA/grad school. |
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It depends what you want to study. Tufts would be a great choice for international relations. Not my top choice for computer science.
Tufts is considered one of the nation's top research universities, earning the "tier 1" classification from the Carnegie Foundation for the university's output of research activity. |
Makes sense. We own (no mortgage left) a 1 million home and another home valued at 1.6 million (just 2 years left of a mortgage w/ low interest rate); investments and big retirement savings, HH! $440k and all of our cars are Hondas . I hate flashy brand stuff like LV bags or Canadian goose in a climate like DC (ok if you ski or live in Canada -but overkill here and likely to get jacked for it). Once something gets too popular or trendy: I'm out. Not a brand whore.
Weighing the Ivy vs state schools--possibly merely for connections in kid's field. I truly don't think the actual education is better--just the exposure and that's why someone goes to an Ivy. But- no way would I do a SLAC over W&M or UVA in-state and for a STEM major VT (my alma mater STEM). And for STEM, unless it was MIT or CalTech--state school all the way, def no Ivy for that. |
+100000 It's sour grapes. |
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It depends what your DC wants to study. Tuft is definitely worth it for some majors, over others.
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