Would you take Tufts, Emory, Wash U over UVA?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My DC got into Tufts, Notre Dame and UVA. Didn’t pick any of these schools - picked GT instead and we are full pay and OOS. We left the decision to DC and zipped our mouths and kept our opinions to ourselves.

That must have been really, really hard to do that, as parents.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Those privates are not more prestigious than UVA, particularly in the DC area.

Lol.....of course they are.

Nope. If you are OOS, Virginia is just as selective as those schools. And if you are in-state, it's generally assumed that a kid who does well at UVA could have gone anywhere but chose to stay in state based on economics.

Anywhere? No. But it’s a top public university, yes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You have 3 kids to put through college and you only have a HHI of 300k and you're asking this? How is this not obvious to you? OF COURSE you should be concerned about price and scholarships! You're not rich enough to be considering ED for your first kid. Sorry but that is just the plain truth.

How much do you have saved for them, total?

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Quality private is always a better experience than quality public.....not even close.

Can you explain this more. I went to U Mich Honors undergrad and Stanford Law School. Loved both, didn't see much difference between private and public (obviously the schools are different, but nothing to lead me to think quality public is always worse than quality private). Is there a big difference in undergrad education? Can you give specifics?

[Anonymous]

LSA Honors? I’m assuming a very writing-intensive major to gain acceptance to SLS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Quality private is always a better experience than quality public.....not even close.

Can you explain this more. I went to U Mich Honors undergrad and Stanford Law School. Loved both, didn't see much difference between private and public (obviously the schools are different, but nothing to lead me to think quality public is always worse than quality private). Is there a big difference in undergrad education? Can you give specifics?

Anecdotally, I know people that went to B state college and then Ivy and they didn't really see a difference.

So if UVA was replaced with ODU you would feel the same way?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Folks the problem is the ED. Higher chance of getting in but then we are committed. We want the higher chance of admission but want the optionality of UVA. Likely, we would choose UVA, especially with siblings that will be in college at same time.

So the answer is to do RD. You're not rich enough to shrug off the cost of a private college vs. public. Plus don't forget that in today's job market, he will need some type of grad degree.

This is the answer. If you cannot readily afford $75k per year for the private school then you cannot apply ED to the private. It does not matter that your kid has a better shot applying ED if you can't afford it.

Just apply EA and RD to all schools and see where the chips fall.

We faced the same issue (ED to Ivy or hold out for UVA in-state) but decided we could afford the Ivy if son got in (as our HHI is $500k). Son got in and he withdrew UVA application.

[Anonymous]

Why do so many people talk like the $40-70k per year of college expenses is something unexpected that has to come out of current income? If your income is at least $250-300k, you should have been able to save at least something towards college over the past 18 years!

Or did the fancy cars and vacations, beach house, etc use up all of your income?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Those privates are not more prestigious than UVA, particularly in the DC area.

Lol.....of course they are.

Nope. If you are OOS, Virginia is just as selective as those schools. And if you are in-state, it's generally assumed that a kid who does well at UVA could have gone anywhere but chose to stay in state based on economics.

Anywhere? No. But it’s a top public university, yes.

Maybe for Northern VA, but it is pretty easy to get in UVA if you are outside the beltway/95 area. They don't take kids just from Fairfax and Richmond.

It is also easier OOS if you don't apply for FAFSA. They take those full paying families pretty darn quickly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Those privates are not more prestigious than UVA, particularly in the DC area.

Lol.....of course they are.

Nope. If you are OOS, Virginia is just as selective as those schools. And if you are in-state, it's generally assumed that a kid who does well at UVA could have gone anywhere but chose to stay in state based on economics.

Anywhere? No. But it’s a top public university, yes.

Maybe for Northern VA, but it is pretty easy to get in UVA if you are outside the beltway/95 area. They don't take kids just from Fairfax and Richmond.

It is also easier OOS if you don't apply for FAFSA. They take those full paying families pretty darn quickly.

You do not apply for "FAFSA."

You use the FAFSA to determine if you apply for financial aid.

[Anonymous]

Hey guys so OP here. Thanks. Yes we have about 90K each for each of first two kids (180k for avoidance of doubt). 50k for third kid 2 years behind. So will have three in college for two years. HHI was like low 200s but last 3/4 years has been 300K. Another 170k total from two rental properties (net after taxes) we plan to sell. Could raise around 450K pretty quickly. Easily pay in state. Basically, I know for one kid she is IVY or UVA if she doesn't get in ED to an Ivy (barring merit aid). She will ED Ivy. Worth it in my view.

Issue is the second one. He is not strong enough to ED Ivy but real shot at the tier below. Going to be hard to tell him not to ED a top 20ish school. He is more than fine going to UVA or William and Mary. Will ED2 W&M if he doesn't get in to the ED choice (whichever it is--Emory, Wash U, or Tufts).

Honesty, I think Tufts and Wash U are probably low tier Ivyish. Jury out on Emory.

Loans are an option right? Pay 2 years each for each of three kids and loans for the other two. We can pay them off later for them.

[Anonymous]

today Forbes issued its list of top 25 best value institutions. As always UVA is on the list.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hey guys so OP here. Thanks. Yes we have about 90K each for each of first two kids (180k for avoidance of doubt). 50k for third kid 2 years behind. So will have three in college for two years. HHI was like low 200s but last 3/4 years has been 300K. Another 170k total from two rental properties (net after taxes) we plan to sell. Could raise around 450K pretty quickly. Easily pay in state. Basically, I know for one kid she is IVY or UVA if she doesn't get in ED to an Ivy (barring merit aid). She will ED Ivy. Worth it in my view.

Issue is the second one. He is not strong enough to ED Ivy but real shot at the tier below. Going to be hard to tell him not to ED a top 20ish school. He is more than fine going to UVA or William and Mary. Will ED2 W&M if he doesn't get in to the ED choice (whichever it is--Emory, Wash U, or Tufts).

Honesty, I think Tufts and Wash U are probably low tier Ivyish. Jury out on Emory.

Loans are an option right? Pay 2 years each for each of three kids and loans for the other two. We can pay them off later for them.

I would place W&M as a better option than these--you get the reputation and the personalized relationship with faculty--unless the appeal is to go out of state. I wouldn't be SO tied to rankings like this. Tufts/Wash U is not going to give a measurable "outcome" difference than W&M/UVA--and W&M will have a similar academic style. Maybe sell your DS on an exchange program, supported internship etc. that could offset not applying ED to a school that costs so much more but doesn't offer measurably more? Or maybe encourage him to ED to a skyrocket reach (Ivy) and ED2 and EA to the reasonable (W&M/UVA)?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My DC got into Tufts, Notre Dame and UVA. Didn’t pick any of these schools - picked GT instead and we are full pay and OOS. We left the decision to DC and zipped our mouths and kept our opinions to ourselves.

That must have been really, really hard to do that, as parents.

I had to do some zipping myself on my son's choice. I wish I'd zipped a bit more.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hey guys so OP here. Thanks. Yes we have about 90K each for each of first two kids (180k for avoidance of doubt). 50k for third kid 2 years behind. So will have three in college for two years. HHI was like low 200s but last 3/4 years has been 300K. Another 170k total from two rental properties (net after taxes) we plan to sell. Could raise around 450K pretty quickly. Easily pay in state. Basically, I know for one kid she is IVY or UVA if she doesn't get in ED to an Ivy (barring merit aid). She will ED Ivy. Worth it in my view.

Issue is the second one. He is not strong enough to ED Ivy but real shot at the tier below. Going to be hard to tell him not to ED a top 20ish school. He is more than fine going to UVA or William and Mary. Will ED2 W&M if he doesn't get in to the ED choice (whichever it is--Emory, Wash U, or Tufts).

Honesty, I think Tufts and Wash U are probably low tier Ivyish. Jury out on Emory.

Loans are an option right? Pay 2 years each for each of three kids and loans for the other two. We can pay them off later for them.

That is a lot of debt. I think it is time to have a real conversation with your older kids about resources and merit aid. If they aren't into UVA, respect that, but it doesn't mean paying out more than makes you comfortable. They should look for merit aid elsewhere. It really is ok to be uninterested in UVA - it is a good place, but not the only place.

That said, you have the means from your assets so make whatever choice makes you happy.