What do you wish you had known in terms of college advice?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:College ranking is only good because peer quality is good at highly sort after places. You are sum of five of your closest people.

I am an ivy grad. Many of my peers were insanely wealthy, but no more intelligent or impressive than peers are lesser ranked schools. I knew plenty of people who took longer than 4 years, went of medical leave or switched schools due to alcohol and/or drug abuse, eating disorders or falling apart because they didn't have mom organizing their life and manipulating the teachers at the fancy private school. I loved all 4 years and it helped me with grad school and my career path, but I would not say peer quality was any better than at other places-just wealthier, but also in some cases more entitled and pampered.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you have an average kid and aren’t jockeying for a T-25 school, you can ignore most of the stressed out posts on this board. My kid literally almost failed HS and got into a perfectly normal college that was his first choice, EA, and found out before Christmas. Very limited stress versus friends thinking about Ivy League schools who ended up at average schools too, but only after applying to 20 schools, employing private counseling, multiple SAT rounds, high level sports, and general tiger mom drama starting in 9th grade. They shot their shot I guess and I hope it was worth all the rejections and stress about revisiting and picking schools up to the last minute.

And where did your kid get a job after college what was their major?

You are assuming lots of dumb things with your post.

My kids were A students and great text takers we did not help them with college apps or carrer choices

I have more than the average dcurban mom fan club kids.
While mine mostly went to MIT or Ivies my youngest went to NCST and University of Colorado Boulder for grad school. DS has done fantastic . Why bec he’s driven at everything he does , bec he was educated with fabulous teachers in MCPS.

Education is a gift it is not one size fits all. It’s about loving learning open mindedness


Community college students do well too do not discount that. Not everyone can afford a four year and not everyone is dumb enough to pay for a four year. Yes I taught my children financial responsibility before they went to college

And although we could easily afford any school in the country all of mine worked summers and breaks to pay for some aspect of their schooling. They should own part of it.

I have no idea what the point of this post was. I guess I'm too dumb for the ivies.

[Anonymous]

Don't worry about HS grades. They don't matter if you perform well on exit level testing or SATs.

Don't go straight to University but go to a local Jr. College and save $$$$$$ that will help you later on after college to get established.

Work a full time job during college while young and have the energy, and SAVE that money. You WILL need those savings more and more as the economy implodes.

Other than those basic things, enjoy yourself and don't take the courses too seriously, they are mostly time wasting, to prove you can stick it out for 4-8 years for the diploma.

[Anonymous]

Make sure you can pay for it ..
We were firm with NOT co-signing for any college loans ..

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Don't worry about HS grades. They don't matter if you perform well on exit level testing or SATs.

Don't go straight to University but go to a local Jr. College and save $$$$$$ that will help you later on after college to get established.

Work a full time job during college while young and have the energy, and SAVE that money. You WILL need those savings more and more as the economy implodes.

Other than those basic things, enjoy yourself and don't take the courses too seriously, they are mostly time wasting, to prove you can stick it out for 4-8 years for the diploma.

8 years?!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Do you regret the choice your dc made? Do they regret it? Or did it work out okay?

I don't regret it but they had full ride merit offers from local state school and went to a top 20 on half merit tuition in another town. I would still pay but wonder if they've had an easier time being local and having more money because cost of attendance, housing and commute did made us tighten our budget.

They are happy with their decision and gainfully employed so its all good though job options wouldn't be any different from free school so difference is subjective not objective.

[Anonymous]

For myself, I do regret not going to my equally affordable high ranking prestigious option and listening to wrong advice. I know what ifs are silly but I still sigh whenever I hear name of that school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:College ranking is only good because peer quality is good at highly sort after places. You are sum of five of your closest people.

The word you’re looking for is sought. It’s not sort. Highly sought after.

[Anonymous]

My DS struggled to take more than 4 classes a semester, which meant that he wasn't on track to graduate in 4 years unless he took summer school. At his school that was super pricey. So he ended up taking 2 summer school classes every summer at community college, which although meant he never really got a break it also meant he didn't get overwhelmed during the regular school year. He will now graduate in 4 years.

[Anonymous]

Don’t over think college. Don’t worry what others are doing or what they say. The cream rises to the top in life. Send your kid where you can afford and where your kid will be happy and thrive. That’s it!

[Anonymous]

Both regretted it bc of course it’s not like they dreamed it would be and it’s not home.
But they pushed on. I wish they were closer to home.

[Anonymous]

Alumni network and reach are important for many jobs these days. One DC went to a great SLAC and another to a great public university. University DC had much more support and opportunity from vast alumni network.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you have an average kid and aren’t jockeying for a T-25 school, you can ignore most of the stressed out posts on this board. My kid literally almost failed HS and got into a perfectly normal college that was his first choice, EA, and found out before Christmas. Very limited stress versus friends thinking about Ivy League schools who ended up at average schools too, but only after applying to 20 schools, employing private counseling, multiple SAT rounds, high level sports, and general tiger mom drama starting in 9th grade. They shot their shot I guess and I hope it was worth all the rejections and stress about revisiting and picking schools up to the last minute.

+100

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Don't worry about HS grades. They don't matter if you perform well on exit level testing or SATs.

Don't go straight to University but go to a local Jr. College and save $$$$$$ that will help you later on after college to get established.

Work a full time job during college while young and have the energy, and SAVE that money. You WILL need those savings more and more as the economy implodes.

Other than those basic things, enjoy yourself and don't take the courses too seriously, they are mostly time wasting, to prove you can stick it out for 4-8 years for the diploma.

What country or system are you talking about?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My advisor screwed me over, did not have me start a prerequisit early enough and it forced me into a 5th year. Alot of programs have mandatory 4th year random electives then don't offer them when the student needs them, or they fill up. Didn't happen to me, but alot of times planning to go to CC then transfer is equivalent to wasting a year because the higher level college won't accept a bunch of credits. Do not do this unless there is an explicit relationship where the higher level school will recognize the CC credits. Going into debt is not worth the lost opportunity cost. If a school is asking for $50,000 a year they don't really care whether you come or not, pick a different school. Half of people with college degrees are not working a job that requires a college degree, wasting 4 years old your life and being in 6 figures of debt is not worth it

This is important. DS decided not to apply to any private colleges because he has the equivalent of 58 hours of credit from taking all college classes his senior year at a local community college, taking 2 college classes at a UC during the summer and AP scores that equal maximum credit at UC. The cost of private colleges for him would not just be an extra 40-50 K a year but almost two full years of credit.