Anyone truly not care where their kid goes to college? Come on in!

[Anonymous]

Just curious how many of us are out there. My Junior does well in school (not stellar), is artsy and a pretty good kid all around. I am letting her steer the ship in regards to college/major. I really just want her to be happy. Don’t give a crap about college rankings at all (pretty sure she doesn’t either). Anyone else?

[Anonymous]

I do care because I equate top schools with better opportunities. I know that my child wants a lifestyle that is at least the same as how they grew up (UMC) and a top school will make that more likely. Do you not care because you don’t care about those sorts of outcomes?

[Anonymous]

My child is only in 10th grade, but she has learning disabilities and mental health challenges. I will be thrilled if she goes to college and truly don't care where. In fact, she gets overwhelmed easily, so I would prefer her to go to a school with high admit rates, both so the application process won't be as stressful and so the classes themselves will be more manageable with fewer super competitive and driven students.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Just curious how many of us are out there. My Junior does well in school (not stellar), is artsy and a pretty good kid all around. I am letting her steer the ship in regards to college/major. I really just want her to be happy. Don’t give a crap about college rankings at all (pretty sure she doesn’t either). Anyone else?

How will your kid support themselves? Are you giving them money, rent, etc. OP?

[Anonymous]

Maybe she should consider a vocational school. If you and she care so little about an academic education, why are you trying to force her into one? As for the credential alone, it’s not worth much from a ho-hum school, especially if the program and grades are also weak.

[Anonymous]

You're posting this on a DCUM college forum, so doubtful.

[Anonymous]

Kind of. My kid got into her safeties and I would be perfectly happy if she went to them - solid good schools but nothing super prestigious or elite about them.

[Anonymous]

I have one kid who I do care about where she goes, because she's not as high-driving as the other, so she needs a tailored "launch pad" to adulthood, preferably with a clearly laid-out path.

My other kid...you could drop her in a desert and she's figure out how to make a living. She's so industrious I'd actually be okay if she didn't go to college and just went straight to do some outdoorsey job.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I do care because I equate top schools with better opportunities. I know that my child wants a lifestyle that is at least the same as how they grew up (UMC) and a top school will make that more likely. Do you not care because you don’t care about those sorts of outcomes?

This except we are middle class

I don’t want my kids boomeranging and living in my basement after college while underemployed. I want them to support themselves and be productive citizens. So yes I care about their future and along with that comes caring about their college and major.

Part of happiness is be able to house, clothe, and feed yourselves. Are you super wealthy op and able to give your kid a financial safety net? We are not in that position.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I do care because I equate top schools with better opportunities. I know that my child wants a lifestyle that is at least the same as how they grew up (UMC) and a top school will make that more likely. Do you not care because you don’t care about those sorts of outcomes?

How do you know a top school will make that outcome more likely? Your child could go to a less prestigious school and continue their UMC existence.

[Anonymous]

I would say I don' t care to a certain extent. As long as the school is reputable, I don't care.

[Anonymous]

I don’t care about the prestige only that it’s a happy, healthy, and productive place for them. My eldest went to a state university. She has a great career. The middle is autistic and only willing to look at a couple universities so she can stay nearby and keep her routines the same. The youngest is the wild card. I’d send him to Morehouse if it was my choice.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Maybe she should consider a vocational school. If you and she care so little about an academic education, why are you trying to force her into one? As for the credential alone, it’s not worth much from a ho-hum school, especially if the program and grades are also weak.

This.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Maybe she should consider a vocational school. If you and she care so little about an academic education, why are you trying to force her into one? As for the credential alone, it’s not worth much from a ho-hum school, especially if the program and grades are also weak.

Where did I say her and I care so little about academic education? Are you inferring that just because we don’t care about the prestige of the school? And where did I say I was forcing her into college? She absolutely positively wants to go.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I do care because I equate top schools with better opportunities. I know that my child wants a lifestyle that is at least the same as how they grew up (UMC) and a top school will make that more likely. Do you not care because you don’t care about those sorts of outcomes?

How do you know a top school will make that outcome more likely? Your child could go to a less prestigious school and continue their UMC existence.

It’s more likely because the kind of employers that pay really well routinely hire from top schools. While it’s certainly not impossible to achieve a UMC existence without a top school (and if that weren’t possible for my kid for whatever reason, I wouldn’t think that it couldn’t be achieved) , I don’t think anyone can reasonably argue that it’s not more likely. I understand that a top school is not dispositive of success but it’s one more thing that helps.