Process for Comparing Offers

[Anonymous]

In our house it’s pretty clear DC’s “vibe” about the schools is 100 percent driven by HS classmate discussion on social media.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DD asked for my help coming up with a system to compare acceptance offers holistically the way colleges compare students. Together, we came up with a matrix that may be useful to others.

Factors: Academics, Outcomes/ROI, Cost, Student/Faculty Ratio, Major, Minor/ECs, Campus, Community, Distance
Importance/Weight: Very important (5), important (4), considered (3)
Scale: 1 (worst), 2, 3 (best)
Colleges: She received six offers

First, we (DD, DH, and DW) decided together on what factors to consider and then each of us weighted them slightly differently. For example, DD and I gave Student/Faculty Ratio a Very Important (5) but DH weighted it as Important (4). We all ranked Cost as Very Important and Distance (from home) as Considered. Other factors varied in importance.

Scores were also very different. We created a spreadsheet to compare. It was a great exercise to talk about priorities together and ensure everyone felt heard. In the end, we let DD choose and she felt really confident about her choice. DH and I also felt good about it, even though it was the most expensive option.

How are you comparing offers?

Besides finances, you let your kid decide. And in reality the financial aspect should have been discussed in detail a long time ago (before applying)

You want them to succeed, and when they have issues freshman year (trust me, they will have some issues) the last thing you want is them "blaming mom or dad for forcing me to come to this college"

+1 There was no reason for me to score different elements of the colleges. When my two kids went through the process, anything out of budget was thrown out. Then they picked based on what felt right to them. For DS it required no thought as he'd settled on a very clear first choice earlier in the process. DD had three in final consideration but felt confident of her choice after admitted student visits. I might have picked a different of the top three but my opinion was irrelevant. And her choice has been a good fit.

For both of them the main determinants of the choice were specific aspects they liked about the program for their majors, specific extracurriculars they wanted to do, and just the overall feel of being on campus, that the "vibe" felt right to them.

Exactly! Only way I'm "providing input" is if my kid's #1 criteria is "how good is the football/basketball team" or "How awesome is the Greek system at U of X". Sure they can want that Rah, rah big university sports feel or a school with a Greek system, but that should not be the deciding factor, or Top factors in making a decision. Academics, programs and extras for their major should be in the top deciding factors, then the rest.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DD asked for my help coming up with a system to compare acceptance offers holistically the way colleges compare students. Together, we came up with a matrix that may be useful to others.

Factors: Academics, Outcomes/ROI, Cost, Student/Faculty Ratio, Major, Minor/ECs, Campus, Community, Distance
Importance/Weight: Very important (5), important (4), considered (3)
Scale: 1 (worst), 2, 3 (best)
Colleges: She received six offers

First, we (DD, DH, and DW) decided together on what factors to consider and then each of us weighted them slightly differently. For example, DD and I gave Student/Faculty Ratio a Very Important (5) but DH weighted it as Important (4). We all ranked Cost as Very Important and Distance (from home) as Considered. Other factors varied in importance.

Scores were also very different. We created a spreadsheet to compare. It was a great exercise to talk about priorities together and ensure everyone felt heard. In the end, we let DD choose and she felt really confident about her choice. DH and I also felt good about it, even though it was the most expensive option.

How are you comparing offers?

Besides finances, you let your kid decide. And in reality the financial aspect should have been discussed in detail a long time ago (before applying)

You want them to succeed, and when they have issues freshman year (trust me, they will have some issues) the last thing you want is them "blaming mom or dad for forcing me to come to this college"

Finances were discussed initially, private schools that didn't offer merit never made the list, a budget range was set, then financial offers compared when received.

The choice was DD's, but she needed help comparing. If our rankings came out very different, we would have talked about it, but it still would have been her informed choice. In the end, our rankings were mostly the same, which was validating and eased some of DD's stress, especially given the cost of the preferred option. While it was at the high end of our price range (we wouldn't have let her apply otherwise), we all agreed it was worth it.

So perfect plan. You set budget priorities before applying, and let your DD make the ultimate decision. I just hate when parents push their own choices on their kids. It's your kids time to do college how they want, you had your choice when you went, so now it's time for them to find the right space for them. And yes, discussing finances is a good thing---explaining what going to a cheaper school means---can you help with grad school then, will you give them X amount saved for life after college, etc? And help them see what taking on loans truly means and help them realize if it's worth it or not.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How did you determine ROI?

I have a sophomore in college. In hindsight, distance from home was more important than I could have predicted. I don't think it's true for every kid. Overall I don't regret the decision because the school met the thing highest on his priority list.

I also have a senior in high school so going through it again. I'm not necessarily doing anything different because only time will tell if a decision was correct. I'm a bit more mindful this time of how many kids change majors even those who are 100% certain.

The ROI metric isn't perfect. We started with the Forbes' ranking of Best Colleges of 2025. Some people put no stock in the rankings, but I like the Forbes guide, which takes into account cost and earnings 10 years after college. We also looked at school data about internships, graduation rates within 4 years, % students in jobs related to their majors within 6 months. Then we looked at the job market, because some schools skewed more toward NYC, Boston, or Washington, and DD prefers Washington.

But earnings are so different based on major and Where you end up working. Of course Engineers in Boston or NYC or silicon valley make more than engineers in Baltimore or Nebraska

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DD asked for my help coming up with a system to compare acceptance offers holistically the way colleges compare students. Together, we came up with a matrix that may be useful to others.

Factors: Academics, Outcomes/ROI, Cost, Student/Faculty Ratio, Major, Minor/ECs, Campus, Community, Distance
Importance/Weight: Very important (5), important (4), considered (3)
Scale: 1 (worst), 2, 3 (best)
Colleges: She received six offers

First, we (DD, DH, and DW) decided together on what factors to consider and then each of us weighted them slightly differently. For example, DD and I gave Student/Faculty Ratio a Very Important (5) but DH weighted it as Important (4). We all ranked Cost as Very Important and Distance (from home) as Considered. Other factors varied in importance.

Scores were also very different. We created a spreadsheet to compare. It was a great exercise to talk about priorities together and ensure everyone felt heard. In the end, we let DD choose and she felt really confident about her choice. DH and I also felt good about it, even though it was the most expensive option.

How are you comparing offers?

Besides finances, you let your kid decide. And in reality the financial aspect should have been discussed in detail a long time ago (before applying)

You want them to succeed, and when they have issues freshman year (trust me, they will have some issues) the last thing you want is them "blaming mom or dad for forcing me to come to this college"

Finances were discussed initially, private schools that didn't offer merit never made the list, a budget range was set, then financial offers compared when received.

The choice was DD's, but she needed help comparing. If our rankings came out very different, we would have talked about it, but it still would have been her informed choice. In the end, our rankings were mostly the same, which was validating and eased some of DD's stress, especially given the cost of the preferred option. While it was at the high end of our price range (we wouldn't have let her apply otherwise), we all agreed it was worth it.

Sorry this was unclear. We wouldn't have let her apply if the school hadn't been in our price range, although it was at the high end.

I'm the PP: totally get what you mean! So many parents do not do that---they want to let their kid see where they get into, let them fall in love with a T25, when the parents know they won't get FA and they cannot really afford the $90K+/year. and IMO, you don't let your kid do that or get excited about schools you know you cannot afford (and ones like T25 that really do NOT give merit--20 merit awards at a school that admits 2K students is not really giving merit---odds of your kid getting that are slim to none, even lower than them being admitted) And I find parents who do that then also don't really ensure their kid has good targets and safeties. IMO, it's not a target or safety (or really a reach either) if you know you wont' be able to afford it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How did you determine ROI?

I have a sophomore in college. In hindsight, distance from home was more important than I could have predicted. I don't think it's true for every kid. Overall I don't regret the decision because the school met the thing highest on his priority list.

I also have a senior in high school so going through it again. I'm not necessarily doing anything different because only time will tell if a decision was correct. I'm a bit more mindful this time of how many kids change majors even those who are 100% certain.

The ROI metric isn't perfect. We started with the Forbes' ranking of Best Colleges of 2025. Some people put no stock in the rankings, but I like the Forbes guide, which takes into account cost and earnings 10 years after college. We also looked at school data about internships, graduation rates within 4 years, % students in jobs related to their majors within 6 months. Then we looked at the job market, because some schools skewed more toward NYC, Boston, or Washington, and DD prefers Washington.

But earnings are so different based on major and Where you end up working. Of course Engineers in Boston or NYC or silicon valley make more than engineers in Baltimore or Nebraska

+1 based on my experience of working with and hiring people from all kinds of schools, I am confident that most of the outcome comes down to the choice of major/career field and how engaged the student chooses to be in college. Good colleges (thinking top 200ish, including universities and LACs) have plenty of opportunities. Some schools obviously have strengths in some areas and most tend to have students who end up working in the region of the college. Major + region = post grad salary much more than anything special about a particular school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How did you determine ROI?

I have a sophomore in college. In hindsight, distance from home was more important than I could have predicted. I don't think it's true for every kid. Overall I don't regret the decision because the school met the thing highest on his priority list.

I also have a senior in high school so going through it again. I'm not necessarily doing anything different because only time will tell if a decision was correct. I'm a bit more mindful this time of how many kids change majors even those who are 100% certain.

The ROI metric isn't perfect. We started with the Forbes' ranking of Best Colleges of 2025. Some people put no stock in the rankings, but I like the Forbes guide, which takes into account cost and earnings 10 years after college. We also looked at school data about internships, graduation rates within 4 years, % students in jobs related to their majors within 6 months. Then we looked at the job market, because some schools skewed more toward NYC, Boston, or Washington, and DD prefers Washington.

But earnings are so different based on major and Where you end up working. Of course Engineers in Boston or NYC or silicon valley make more than engineers in Baltimore or Nebraska

+1 based on my experience of working with and hiring people from all kinds of schools, I am confident that most of the outcome comes down to the choice of major/career field and how engaged the student chooses to be in college. Good colleges (thinking top 200ish, including universities and LACs) have plenty of opportunities. Some schools obviously have strengths in some areas and most tend to have students who end up working in the region of the college. Major + region = post grad salary much more than anything special about a particular school.

It’s tough for non-science and tech kids. My dd is very pragmatic and wants to make money, but none of those high pay majors fit her. She is thinking accounting or law but with zero joy about it.

[Anonymous]

I agree that the factor of ROI isn’t much different from major in that they are intertwined and both are subject to change in college. 70% of undergraduates change their majors. But in the end, you do your best with the information at hand. I like the approach of having criteria that promote conversation and encourage rational decision making. And of course, agreeing on finances beforehand.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DD asked for my help coming up with a system to compare acceptance offers holistically the way colleges compare students. Together, we came up with a matrix that may be useful to others.

Factors: Academics, Outcomes/ROI, Cost, Student/Faculty Ratio, Major, Minor/ECs, Campus, Community, Distance
Importance/Weight: Very important (5), important (4), considered (3)
Scale: 1 (worst), 2, 3 (best)
Colleges: She received six offers

First, we (DD, DH, and DW) decided together on what factors to consider and then each of us weighted them slightly differently. For example, DD and I gave Student/Faculty Ratio a Very Important (5) but DH weighted it as Important (4). We all ranked Cost as Very Important and Distance (from home) as Considered. Other factors varied in importance.

Scores were also very different. We created a spreadsheet to compare. It was a great exercise to talk about priorities together and ensure everyone felt heard. In the end, we let DD choose and she felt really confident about her choice. DH and I also felt good about it, even though it was the most expensive option.

How are you comparing offers?

Besides finances, you let your kid decide. And in reality the financial aspect should have been discussed in detail a long time ago (before applying)

You want them to succeed, and when they have issues freshman year (trust me, they will have some issues) the last thing you want is them "blaming mom or dad for forcing me to come to this college"

Without guidance, my kid would choose on the basis of merch. I wish I were joking. Some kids need more help than others.

Haha! OP here and merch almost made the spreadsheet but DD reconsidered. In the end, she loves her top choice’s merch, so maybe that was her implicit bias as she scored other factors, lol.

[Anonymous]

My theory is, this is their first major decision and they have to feel good about it. It’s their life and I can give guidance, but ultimately it’s their decision, barring the financial stuff.

If they wanna base it on merch, they can, but I don’t think they’re really that stupid, and then they will have to live with the consequences of that decision and that’s OK.

[Anonymous]

We made a similar spreadsheet. DC broke down some of the categories. For example, there was campus size, aesthetic, ability to get around without a car, college town or lack there of, etc. DC focused on the things that would affect their day-to-day over 4 years.

Distance for them was about travel logistics. There may be tons of flights to the closest airport, but then the drive to college is 60-90 more minutes. It takes less time to get to a school in one mid-western city than it does to drive to one in our state, as another example.

We did include tuition, but had a low weighting.

Once DC filled if out, it helped support their gut feeling about which school was right for them. It also made it easier to release schools they liked without second guessing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DD asked for my help coming up with a system to compare acceptance offers holistically the way colleges compare students. Together, we came up with a matrix that may be useful to others.

Factors: Academics, Outcomes/ROI, Cost, Student/Faculty Ratio, Major, Minor/ECs, Campus, Community, Distance
Importance/Weight: Very important (5), important (4), considered (3)
Scale: 1 (worst), 2, 3 (best)
Colleges: She received six offers

First, we (DD, DH, and DW) decided together on what factors to consider and then each of us weighted them slightly differently. For example, DD and I gave Student/Faculty Ratio a Very Important (5) but DH weighted it as Important (4). We all ranked Cost as Very Important and Distance (from home) as Considered. Other factors varied in importance.

Scores were also very different. We created a spreadsheet to compare. It was a great exercise to talk about priorities together and ensure everyone felt heard. In the end, we let DD choose and she felt really confident about her choice. DH and I also felt good about it, even though it was the most expensive option.

How are you comparing offers?

We discussed these points but don't think we were as "formal".
Is it within our budget?
Did you like the place when we toured?
Thats really it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How did you determine ROI?

I have a sophomore in college. In hindsight, distance from home was more important than I could have predicted. I don't think it's true for every kid. Overall I don't regret the decision because the school met the thing highest on his priority list.

I also have a senior in high school so going through it again. I'm not necessarily doing anything different because only time will tell if a decision was correct. I'm a bit more mindful this time of how many kids change majors even those who are 100% certain.

The ROI metric isn't perfect. We started with the Forbes' ranking of Best Colleges of 2025. Some people put no stock in the rankings, but I like the Forbes guide, which takes into account cost and earnings 10 years after college. We also looked at school data about internships, graduation rates within 4 years, % students in jobs related to their majors within 6 months. Then we looked at the job market, because some schools skewed more toward NYC, Boston, or Washington, and DD prefers Washington.

But earnings are so different based on major and Where you end up working. Of course Engineers in Boston or NYC or silicon valley make more than engineers in Baltimore or Nebraska

+1 based on my experience of working with and hiring people from all kinds of schools, I am confident that most of the outcome comes down to the choice of major/career field and how engaged the student chooses to be in college. Good colleges (thinking top 200ish, including universities and LACs) have plenty of opportunities. Some schools obviously have strengths in some areas and most tend to have students who end up working in the region of the college. Major + region = post grad salary much more than anything special about a particular school.

YUP! 99% of your success is what you do, not "where you do it". That is why it really does NOT matter where you go. Go to where you can afford, where you like it and will thrive and have the most opportunities to be cream of the crop.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How did you determine ROI?

I have a sophomore in college. In hindsight, distance from home was more important than I could have predicted. I don't think it's true for every kid. Overall I don't regret the decision because the school met the thing highest on his priority list.

I also have a senior in high school so going through it again. I'm not necessarily doing anything different because only time will tell if a decision was correct. I'm a bit more mindful this time of how many kids change majors even those who are 100% certain.

The ROI metric isn't perfect. We started with the Forbes' ranking of Best Colleges of 2025. Some people put no stock in the rankings, but I like the Forbes guide, which takes into account cost and earnings 10 years after college. We also looked at school data about internships, graduation rates within 4 years, % students in jobs related to their majors within 6 months. Then we looked at the job market, because some schools skewed more toward NYC, Boston, or Washington, and DD prefers Washington.

But earnings are so different based on major and Where you end up working. Of course Engineers in Boston or NYC or silicon valley make more than engineers in Baltimore or Nebraska

+1 based on my experience of working with and hiring people from all kinds of schools, I am confident that most of the outcome comes down to the choice of major/career field and how engaged the student chooses to be in college. Good colleges (thinking top 200ish, including universities and LACs) have plenty of opportunities. Some schools obviously have strengths in some areas and most tend to have students who end up working in the region of the college. Major + region = post grad salary much more than anything special about a particular school.

It’s tough for non-science and tech kids. My dd is very pragmatic and wants to make money, but none of those high pay majors fit her. She is thinking accounting or law but with zero joy about it.

So pick what she actually wants to do and find a path. Plenty of English majors make $200K+ 10 years down the road. But they just have to work a bit harder than a CS/Engineering major to get there. They have to take risks and find a path to what they want as a career. Not many places just screaming "I need someone with a BA in English". But don't do something you hate just for money. You can and should find a happy medium.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My theory is, this is their first major decision and they have to feel good about it. It’s their life and I can give guidance, but ultimately it’s their decision, barring the financial stuff.

If they wanna base it on merch, they can, but I don’t think they’re really that stupid, and then they will have to live with the consequences of that decision and that’s OK.

As long as the schools meet a minimum level of competence.
But if my kid wants a school ranked 100 over one ranked 65, I'm fine with that. because there really isn't that much difference. If my kid wants one ranked 350 over one ranked 75, then we will have a bit of a discussion to figure out why, and weigh the pros/cons of the two schools. And if they are similarly priced, even more reason to have that detailed discussion.