Crazy to take big merit money at JMU over UVA full price?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, what would be the total cost of attendance at each school? (The PPs fixating on the "value" of the JMU scholarship are being distracted by a largely irrelevant number.)

OP here: Roughly $40k/yr at UVA and $20k/yr at JMU. Not night and day, but enough of a difference to pay for a masters.

If that's the difference then UVA is a no-brainer. It's twice as good as JMU anyway.

Bless your heart, UVA booster.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, what would be the total cost of attendance at each school? (The PPs fixating on the "value" of the JMU scholarship are being distracted by a largely irrelevant number.)

OP here: Roughly $40k/yr at UVA and $20k/yr at JMU. Not night and day, but enough of a difference to pay for a masters.

JMU is the logical choice.

No state flagship is worth an extra $80,000.

Not so. A UVA grad may well earn much more than the JMU grad, thanks to different opportunities, making the high tuition a sensible return on investment.

This is entirely speculative. Take that 80K and stick it in an index fund and let’s see how that looks when the kid retires.

Not speculative at all, but statistically probable.

https://www.gradreports.com/best-colleges/virginia

https://www.collegevine.com/faq/83275/jmu-vs-virginia-how-to-decide

https://www.niche.com/colleges/university-of-virginia/after-college/ ($69,066 5 yrs after graduation for JMU)

DP. I'd just like to point out that one of your "sources" is from 2021. Another one relies on student polling. Please be serious here.

[Anonymous]

My daughter took a full ride at JMU over a full tuition scholarship at W&M, so not exactly the same situation, but similar. She doesn't regret it one bit and has had a wonderful experience at JMU!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, what would be the total cost of attendance at each school? (The PPs fixating on the "value" of the JMU scholarship are being distracted by a largely irrelevant number.)

OP here: Roughly $40k/yr at UVA and $20k/yr at JMU. Not night and day, but enough of a difference to pay for a masters.

JMU is the logical choice.

No state flagship is worth an extra $80,000.

WRONG. JMU is over $35k. https://www.jmu.edu/financialaid/learn/cost-of-attendance-undergrad.shtml

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here: Being overly sensitive not to dox them, it's the type of major that literally everyone in the field has told us "it doesn't matter at all where you went to school." It also requires a masters and doesn't pay a whole ton (tops out around $80-100k maybe).

Then JMU 1000%

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Not at all! Graduating without debt is such a gift.

What's more, if the student wants to go to graduate school, they'll be thankful that money was saved during undergrad.

Going to a school that has name recognition is also a gift to your career. Most People outside of Virginia don’t know JMU…

[Anonymous]

I’m not from Virginia, and I can’t be bothered to read 9 pages. I just popped into the comments to say to the OP: you strike me as a very loving and thoughtful parent. Best wishes for all the kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, what would be the total cost of attendance at each school? (The PPs fixating on the "value" of the JMU scholarship are being distracted by a largely irrelevant number.)

OP here: Roughly $40k/yr at UVA and $20k/yr at JMU. Not night and day, but enough of a difference to pay for a masters.

JMU is the logical choice.

No state flagship is worth an extra $80,000.

Not so. A UVA grad may well earn much more than the JMU grad, thanks to different opportunities, making the high tuition a sensible return on investment.

OP said the chosen career path compensation may top out below $100k annually.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, what would be the total cost of attendance at each school? (The PPs fixating on the "value" of the JMU scholarship are being distracted by a largely irrelevant number.)

OP here: Roughly $40k/yr at UVA and $20k/yr at JMU. Not night and day, but enough of a difference to pay for a masters.

JMU is the logical choice.

No state flagship is worth an extra $80,000.

WRONG. JMU is over $35k. https://www.jmu.edu/financialaid/learn/cost-of-attendance-undergrad.shtml

Apparently reading comprehension isn’t a strength for you. See OP’s quoted post below for their specific child.

Anonymous wrote:OP here: Roughly $40k/yr at UVA and $20k/yr at JMU. Not night and day, but enough of a difference to pay for a masters.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, what would be the total cost of attendance at each school? (The PPs fixating on the "value" of the JMU scholarship are being distracted by a largely irrelevant number.)

OP here: Roughly $40k/yr at UVA and $20k/yr at JMU. Not night and day, but enough of a difference to pay for a masters.

JMU is the logical choice.

No state flagship is worth an extra $80,000.

WRONG. JMU is over $35k. https://www.jmu.edu/financialaid/learn/cost-of-attendance-undergrad.shtml

Apparently reading comprehension isn’t a strength for you. See OP’s quoted post below for their specific child.

Anonymous wrote:OP here: Roughly $40k/yr at UVA and $20k/yr at JMU. Not night and day, but enough of a difference to pay for a masters.

No reading problem here. They say UVA is $40m (correct) and JMI is $20k. It’s not. It’s $35k. The pp even provides a link.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, I think you keep a quiet, rough, running tally. No matter what your eldest decides. You do not know yet what student #2 will cost you. What if #2 isn't as good a student but you still want to make sure they attend somewhere best for them? That could cost more. More than UVA or JMU, currently. It will feel very odd/likely unfair to the eldest, if they are actually the better student, if the basis of their decision needs to be to save you money.

OP here: I agree. We will definitely keep it fair between the kids in terms of the amount of family financial support offered. I don't want them to resent their decisions or each other!

I come at this a different way. I don;t think each kid is entitled to the same financial contribution - I think each kid is entitled to the most support you can give them, given all the relevant factors. If the oldest goes for a full ride at JMU, are you suggesting that he or she is entitled to a check in the amount of tuition paid at #2's school?

dp. My one kid is going to an in state with merit. My other kid is going oos but using some of their own money to pay for it.

My in state kid is getting extra cash when they graduate. The oos kid is getting nothing.

The kicker is, my in state kid will probably make a ton of money given their trajectory and major. The other kid will need a graduate degree to even get close to making $100K.

I am the PP you responded to, and your post did nothing to change my mind. If anything, it confirmed that trying to equalize dollars spent is the worse approach.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, what would be the total cost of attendance at each school? (The PPs fixating on the "value" of the JMU scholarship are being distracted by a largely irrelevant number.)

OP here: Roughly $40k/yr at UVA and $20k/yr at JMU. Not night and day, but enough of a difference to pay for a masters.

JMU is the logical choice.

No state flagship is worth an extra $80,000.

WRONG. JMU is over $35k. https://www.jmu.edu/financialaid/learn/cost-of-attendance-undergrad.shtml

Apparently reading comprehension isn’t a strength for you. See OP’s quoted post below for their specific child.

Anonymous wrote:OP here: Roughly $40k/yr at UVA and $20k/yr at JMU. Not night and day, but enough of a difference to pay for a masters.

No reading problem here. They say UVA is $40m (correct) and JMI is $20k. It’s not. It’s $35k. The pp even provides a link.

Good lord. Look at the title of the thread, FFS.

[Anonymous]

1. The 35k price for James Madison does include $5000 of personal expenses, travel, expenses, and loan fees. Without those it’s only 30,000, which is more realistic.
2. My husband went to JMU, studied business, and makes in the highest six figures. I went to UVA and still make five figures. Where you go to college does not matter.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:1. The 35k price for James Madison does include $5000 of personal expenses, travel, expenses, and loan fees. Without those it’s only 30,000, which is more realistic.
2. My husband went to JMU, studied business, and makes in the highest six figures. I went to UVA and still make five figures. Where you go to college does not matter.

Absolutely this ^^

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, I think you keep a quiet, rough, running tally. No matter what your eldest decides. You do not know yet what student #2 will cost you. What if #2 isn't as good a student but you still want to make sure they attend somewhere best for them? That could cost more. More than UVA or JMU, currently. It will feel very odd/likely unfair to the eldest, if they are actually the better student, if the basis of their decision needs to be to save you money.

OP here: I agree. We will definitely keep it fair between the kids in terms of the amount of family financial support offered. I don't want them to resent their decisions or each other!

I come at this a different way. I don;t think each kid is entitled to the same financial contribution - I think each kid is entitled to the most support you can give them, given all the relevant factors. If the oldest goes for a full ride at JMU, are you suggesting that he or she is entitled to a check in the amount of tuition paid at #2's school?

dp. My one kid is going to an in state with merit. My other kid is going oos but using some of their own money to pay for it.

My in state kid is getting extra cash when they graduate. The oos kid is getting nothing.

The kicker is, my in state kid will probably make a ton of money given their trajectory and major. The other kid will need a graduate degree to even get close to making $100K.

I am the PP you responded to, and your post did nothing to change my mind. If anything, it confirmed that trying to equalize dollars spent is the worse approach.

Hope your kid agrees.