Why does anyone go to an out of state public school if they can get in to their in-state flagship?

[Anonymous]

For us, it was $$. My kids knew they could get out of state school with no debt. And they knew if out of state was more expensive, then they would have to take out loans or get scholarships. Sometimes OOS will give good aid and make comparable-particularly if your kid’s stats is higher than norm for that school. My kids both decided not to take on the debt- I wanted them to own that decision.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:They have more money than you so their priorities are different.

And making their kid happy is worth it, that's what extra money is for.

[Anonymous]

There have been so many threads about this topic OP - do a search.

We're MD residents and DC got into UMD. DC actually really liked the school but didn't want to be 30 minutes from home. No other MD state schools were even a consideration.

DC got into Michigan, Wisconsin, UT Austin and four UCs including UCLA. Top choices were UT Austin and UCLA - LOVED both schools but ultimately chose UCLA. We can more than afford it and UCLA is is absolutely worth it. DC is having an amazing experience, loves the school, campus, major, friends and LA. DC couldn't wait to get out of the DMV and will most definitely stay in CA.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kid is interested in CU Boulder and a bunch of other big publics (Illinois, Wisconsin, Penn State)

But if those places are over 50K, why would any of them ever be a good choice compared to UMD? He's interested in physics, which UMD is highly ranked in.

The only reason to go elsewhere is simply itchy feet, wanting to be further from home, which I can understand. Not sure it's a sentiment that it's worth 100K+ over four years to indulge.

1. To make poor parents like you jealous.
2. Rich kids are more likely to have 'itchy feet' i.e. be terribly bored of the region they grew up in, and seek to broaden their horizons.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There have been so many threads about this topic OP - do a search.

We're MD residents and DC got into UMD. DC actually really liked the school but didn't want to be 30 minutes from home. No other MD state schools were even a consideration.

DC got into Michigan, Wisconsin, UT Austin and four UCs including UCLA. Top choices were UT Austin and UCLA - LOVED both schools but ultimately chose UCLA. We can more than afford it and UCLA is is absolutely worth it. DC is having an amazing experience, loves the school, campus, major, friends and LA. DC couldn't wait to get out of the DMV and will most definitely stay in CA.

UCLA is a great school. So what if it’s public? Thanks

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid is interested in CU Boulder and a bunch of other big publics (Illinois, Wisconsin, Penn State)

But if those places are over 50K, why would any of them ever be a good choice compared to UMD? He's interested in physics, which UMD is highly ranked in.

The only reason to go elsewhere is simply itchy feet, wanting to be further from home, which I can understand. Not sure it's a sentiment that it's worth 100K+ over four years to indulge.

1. To make poor parents like you jealous.
2. Rich kids are more likely to have 'itchy feet' i.e. be terribly bored of the region they grew up in, and seek to broaden their horizons.

Those of you who insist that I’m jealous are really annoying. Why jump straight to nasty? I could respond in an equally nasty way with assumptions about you. I’m not at all jealous of you and your ability to send your DC to an out of state public university. I can’t imagine you have anything I would want. And someone who is content with what he has doesn’t mock someone who has little.

[Anonymous]

Your tone and posture sounds jealous in your original post for this thread. Or maybe you're just so narrow-minded and provincial you genuinely can't wrap your head around someone wanting their children to broad their horizons. And unless you send your kids off to boarding high school at age 14, really the first and probably the best time to get your kids to see more of the world and meet more people is college at age 18. Of course grad school or first job at age 22 or 23 are other opportunities, but there's nothing like age 18 to 22.

[Anonymous]

My brother and I both did this in the 1990's.

We got scholarships, and our parents had the money to pay for the rest. My parents were big on us getting out and learning about other parts of the country and spreading our wings.

[Anonymous]

Out of state tuition and private college tuition are a wash, so it really makes no difference if you have the money in the first place. Well off like being able to let their kid go where ever they want; no restriction. We know a fairly well off family whose two kids, smart and clean cut son and daughter, were obsessed with wanting to go to a big SEC football power and be in Greek life. They grew up nowhere near any SEC universities and it didn't seem like they had even ever been to any campuses before a college visit. But yet, they both went to two different SEC universities. Maybe some thought they were "wasting" money not just going to VTech or UVA, but the kids look very happy with their choices. The same who think they're "wasting" money probably wouldn't think twice about if it both kids went to Richmond, W&L, GW, American, Villanova.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kid really wants to live in Colorado as an adult so I could see paying for UC Boulder as the first step towards making that happen. We could easily afford it so not sure what the issue is. Of we had less money, we wouldn't consider it.

Have they already started there? How do they like it?

[Anonymous]

The academic program is far superior at the OOS school.

[Anonymous]

My DC was accepted to the UMD honors program and she chose an OOS public that is higher ranked compared to UMD. She is so happy and making tons of new friends at the OOS school. College Park is just not the same college atmosphere.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid really wants to live in Colorado as an adult so I could see paying for UC Boulder as the first step towards making that happen. We could easily afford it so not sure what the issue is. Of we had less money, we wouldn't consider it.

First step is referring to it as CU Boulder.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kid is interested in CU Boulder and a bunch of other big publics (Illinois, Wisconsin, Penn State)

But if those places are over 50K, why would any of them ever be a good choice compared to UMD? He's interested in physics, which UMD is highly ranked in.

The only reason to go elsewhere is simply itchy feet, wanting to be further from home, which I can udnerstand. Not sure it's a sentiment that it's worth 100K+ over four years to indulge.

I got into UVA and W&M and went to UNC OOS instead. No regrets. I loved UNC from the beginning and it definitely was the school for me. It felt like half of my high school and city were going UVA and I wanted something else. My parents were super supportive. I paid for college myself (scholarships, loans and I worked during the school year and the summers), so they were not footing the bill.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here.
I wrote that off the cuff, and am surprised it offended people. I was in the midst of sticker shock at the cost of some of the state schools.
People who know me would be entertained seeing this directed at me: "I love these posts where the OP is so confident and wants to make sure by making other people prover her wrong." I'm NEVER sure of my choices or that I'm right.

Actually I'd love to be persuaded against pressuring my kid to attend in-state. I get it, Maryland is boring if you grew up here. I was very eager to get away to the east coast for college when I was in high school. But I just can't see how it makes sense if it's double to quadruple the cost for a similar educational option. And it's not because I am (as another PP suggested) broke and bitter. It's because I'm frugal and practical.

I meant to qualify the question by saying this is assuming the kid gets in to their state flagship. Personally, I think every state should prioritize in-state kids more. It sucks that so many kids were getting rejected from UMD despite good stats. Definitely makes me want to make sure my second DS applies to more of the in-state schools.

OP are you even aware that a lot of universities snd SLACs are now over $81k? I can’t even afford to send my own kid to my own slac at $76k a year so $50+ at an OOS public is a great deal