Pseudo prestigious privates

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:People who choose BU or Wake tend not to be prestige-mongers. They’re people looking for a specific type of college experience. BU for kids who want to be completely immersed in city life and Wake for the kids who want a well-rounded package with great academics and big time sports.

This is true. And the good city schools in particular tend to be incredibly popular. BU gets more than 80,000 apps. And NYU gets a staggering 120,000 apps. Both schools are much more in demand than the ivies. For comparison, Princeton gets 40,000 apps.

Many of the ivy schools today aren't that appealing for most students. There are much better schools academically - MIT, Stanford, Duke, CalTech, Northwestern etc. And there are many good schools that offer a more interesting and exciting environment than the ivy schools. When was the last time anyone said anything good about Harvard undergrad? Only old people fixate on the Ivy brand.

Most students today are much more interested in fit - and the ivies at present are rarely the best fit for smart, well-rounded and engaged students. BU, NYU, Wake Forest, Emory, and WashU all get great students today. There's nothing pseudo prestigious about them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm not saying that these are bad schools. They're not. They're basically on the level of the better state flagships, which are also very good in many cases and great in others. So I'm left scratching my head over why families are picking them, and it can only come down to snobbery. Right? What am I missing?

But snobbery for what? If your kid goes to UVA, it's just as well respected and more so than virtually all of the schools on this list and for only half the price or less. People will argue that Wash U or Emory are "better" but their academic reputations aren't better and in fact UVA is ahead of both of them in its "peer assessment" score. At most, one can plausibly claim they're a "little" better but no so much as to justify the price.

The claim here that "you're jealous that you can't afford them" or the flagships are for poor kids is laughable. UVA is full of rich kids -- in fact, that's one of the most common knocks against it.

It can only be snobbery, but it's misplaced because the schools listed don't have real snob appeal.

Well, we live in DC so we don’t have a “flagship” to go to. Also, my DD is gay, so doesn’t feel safe going south. She is a very good student and wants a mid-sized school with a campus. So, WashU and Tufts are on her list. We can afford it so why wouldn’t we want to look at schools that fit the criteria she is interested in?

Respectfully, can I ask (1) does DD go to private high school and (2) are you a Jewish family?

[Anonymous]

Here OP, let me help you with the title of this thread:
Why not just refer to them as "one level down from Ivy's?"

That's what they are and what everyone thinks they are. No one thinks they are more prestigious than the T10 schools, but they are more prestigious than the t100 schools.

Not everyone wants an ivy experience (cut-throat) or can get in (almost everyone), so all those really smart kids with 4.4s instead of 4.8s go to these schools instead.

I have no idea what the problem is.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm not saying that these are bad schools. They're not. They're basically on the level of the better state flagships, which are also very good in many cases and great in others. So I'm left scratching my head over why families are picking them, and it can only come down to snobbery. Right? What am I missing?

But snobbery for what? If your kid goes to UVA, it's just as well respected and more so than virtually all of the schools on this list and for only half the price or less. People will argue that Wash U or Emory are "better" but their academic reputations aren't better and in fact UVA is ahead of both of them in its "peer assessment" score. At most, one can plausibly claim they're a "little" better but no so much as to justify the price.

The claim here that "you're jealous that you can't afford them" or the flagships are for poor kids is laughable. UVA is full of rich kids -- in fact, that's one of the most common knocks against it.

It can only be snobbery, but it's misplaced because the schools listed don't have real snob appeal.

Well, we live in DC so we don’t have a “flagship” to go to. Also, my DD is gay, so doesn’t feel safe going south. She is a very good student and wants a mid-sized school with a campus. So, WashU and Tufts are on her list. We can afford it so why wouldn’t we want to look at schools that fit the criteria she is interested in?

Respectfully, can I ask (1) does DD go to private high school and (2) are you a Jewish family?

NP, come on, nothing about this is respectful. it's just playing to stereotypes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm not saying that these are bad schools. They're not. They're basically on the level of the better state flagships, which are also very good in many cases and great in others. So I'm left scratching my head over why families are picking them, and it can only come down to snobbery. Right? What am I missing?

But snobbery for what? If your kid goes to UVA, it's just as well respected and more so than virtually all of the schools on this list and for only half the price or less. People will argue that Wash U or Emory are "better" but their academic reputations aren't better and in fact UVA is ahead of both of them in its "peer assessment" score. At most, one can plausibly claim they're a "little" better but no so much as to justify the price.

The claim here that "you're jealous that you can't afford them" or the flagships are for poor kids is laughable. UVA is full of rich kids -- in fact, that's one of the most common knocks against it.

It can only be snobbery, but it's misplaced because the schools listed don't have real snob appeal.

What’s funny is you could make the same claim about all the OOS kids that pick UVA, right?

Why would anyone pay over $90k to study engineering or business at UVA vs going to what is likely a good to great in state flagship? Especially for most STEM fields where UVA isn’t even a thought.

That’s insane, right?

Agreed! I grew up in VA, wanted to major in Engineering/CS and music Didn't apply in-state to anything as there were no good options. Nothing has changed in 30+ years. Plenty of excellent schools in the T50-60 that are much much better than UVA for engineering.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:People who choose BU or Wake tend not to be prestige-mongers. They’re people looking for a specific type of college experience. BU for kids who want to be completely immersed in city life and Wake for the kids who want a well-rounded package with great academics and big time sports.

My kid transferred to BU for premed from a top public. So far the premed advising and research opportunities at BU have exceeded the top public. City life is not the reason.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Poor OP, so insecure and miserable that they need to go online picking fights with people and pretending to be Ivies or bust.

Sucks to be you, I guess.

Not Ivy or bust at all. Just saying that private school parents who can’t get their kids into Ivies tell themselves that these schools are great just because they’re private and expensive — but they’re not great. At all. Many state flagships are better, certainly the ones around here.

Why can’t you just worry about your own kids? You are insufferable. Everyone isn’t looking to compete with your kid and many choose based on fit, not the “perceived prestige” you are obsessed with.

You really need help.

+1. Plenty of public school parents sending their kids to the supposedly Ivy-reject-private-school-parent-cope schools OP disdains. I know because my kid (who had no interest in the Ivies and did not apply) is at one of those schools and their roommate attended public school.

I love the “my kid had no interest in the Ivies” posters—what they really mean is that they knew the kid wouldn’t get in. There is not a kid enrolled in any of the schools on my list who wouldn’t be in an Ivy League school if they could get in.

Not true. There are also plenty of kids at these schools who were WL/Spring start/Soph start at several T25 schools and are attending those in the 30-50 range. My kid is at one and out of their 20+ friend group, everyone has that for 2+ T25 schools. Everyone is happy where they are. They had the resume for T25 but didn't win the lottery. Not difficult to understand with single digit acceptance rates.
But they are surrounded by very smart, motivated kids who will all excel at life. You don't have to attend an Ivy to do that. The next level is filled with very similar students.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Poor OP, so insecure and miserable that they need to go online picking fights with people and pretending to be Ivies or bust.

Sucks to be you, I guess.

Not Ivy or bust at all. Just saying that private school parents who can’t get their kids into Ivies tell themselves that these schools are great just because they’re private and expensive — but they’re not great. At all. Many state flagships are better, certainly the ones around here.

Why can’t you just worry about your own kids? You are insufferable. Everyone isn’t looking to compete with your kid and many choose based on fit, not the “perceived prestige” you are obsessed with.

You really need help.

+1. Plenty of public school parents sending their kids to the supposedly Ivy-reject-private-school-parent-cope schools OP disdains. I know because my kid (who had no interest in the Ivies and did not apply) is at one of those schools and their roommate attended public school.

I love the “my kid had no interest in the Ivies” posters—what they really mean is that they knew the kid wouldn’t get in. There is not a kid enrolled in any of the schools on my list who wouldn’t be in an Ivy League school if they could get in.

Not true. There are also plenty of kids at these schools who were WL/Spring start/Soph start at several T25 schools and are attending those in the 30-50 range. My kid is at one and out of their 20+ friend group, everyone has that for 2+ T25 schools. Everyone is happy where they are. They had the resume for T25 but didn't win the lottery. Not difficult to understand with single digit acceptance rates.
But they are surrounded by very smart, motivated kids who will all excel at life. You don't have to attend an Ivy to do that. The next level is filled with very similar students.

My kid is at a top 10 and I worry that it's way too nerdy for her. She's going to get a good education and a diploma with with a good name on it but I wonder if she will find her people and have a good overall experience.

[Anonymous]

Vanderbilt

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm not saying that these are bad schools. They're not. They're basically on the level of the better state flagships, which are also very good in many cases and great in others. So I'm left scratching my head over why families are picking them, and it can only come down to snobbery. Right? What am I missing?

But snobbery for what? If your kid goes to UVA, it's just as well respected and more so than virtually all of the schools on this list and for only half the price or less. People will argue that Wash U or Emory are "better" but their academic reputations aren't better and in fact UVA is ahead of both of them in its "peer assessment" score. At most, one can plausibly claim they're a "little" better but no so much as to justify the price.

The claim here that "you're jealous that you can't afford them" or the flagships are for poor kids is laughable. UVA is full of rich kids -- in fact, that's one of the most common knocks against it.

It can only be snobbery, but it's misplaced because the schools listed don't have real snob appeal.

Well, we live in DC so we don’t have a “flagship” to go to. Also, my DD is gay, so doesn’t feel safe going south. She is a very good student and wants a mid-sized school with a campus. So, WashU and Tufts are on her list. We can afford it so why wouldn’t we want to look at schools that fit the criteria she is interested in?

Respectfully, can I ask (1) does DD go to private high school and (2) are you a Jewish family?

NP, come on, nothing about this is respectful. it's just playing to stereotypes.

I’ll take that as a yes.

[Anonymous]

BC is not in Boston like BU is. BC is a predominately white school in a predominately white neighborhood, Chestnut Hill, 6 miles outside of the city. Two different experiences.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Wake for the kids who want a well-rounded package with great academics and big time sports.

Being in a major conference, without more, doesn't mean you have "big time sports."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wake for the kids who want a well-rounded package with great academics and big time sports.

Being in a major conference, without more, doesn't mean you have "big time sports."[/quot

Compared to Emory, Wake’s sport’s scene (and BC’s) is big-time

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm not saying that these are bad schools. They're not. They're basically on the level of the better state flagships, which are also very good in many cases and great in others. So I'm left scratching my head over why families are picking them, and it can only come down to snobbery. Right? What am I missing?

But snobbery for what? If your kid goes to UVA, it's just as well respected and more so than virtually all of the schools on this list and for only half the price or less. People will argue that Wash U or Emory are "better" but their academic reputations aren't better and in fact UVA is ahead of both of them in its "peer assessment" score. At most, one can plausibly claim they're a "little" better but no so much as to justify the price.

The claim here that "you're jealous that you can't afford them" or the flagships are for poor kids is laughable. UVA is full of rich kids -- in fact, that's one of the most common knocks against it.

It can only be snobbery, but it's misplaced because the schools listed don't have real snob appeal.

Well, we live in DC so we don’t have a “flagship” to go to. Also, my DD is gay, so doesn’t feel safe going south. She is a very good student and wants a mid-sized school with a campus. So, WashU and Tufts are on her list. We can afford it so why wouldn’t we want to look at schools that fit the criteria she is interested in?

Emory in Atlanta would be a friendly place for an LBGTQ kid. I’m not from Atlanta but used to live in south and have several LBGTQ friends who have been in Atlanta for years and there is a strong community there. I’m not sure Atlanta would be any less friendly than St Louis, MO. Both Wash U and Emory have beautiful campuses. If you are in DC, Atlanta is a nice distance, and I would not rule it out just because it’s technically in the south.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No one thinks BU is prestigious

+ 1000000