Is there a tipping point , full pay?

[Anonymous]

UT Austin is not that great for outcomes because over supply of quality candidates from UT Baylor Texas State that don’t want to leave and will take lower wages for the Austin life style.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you are full pay, Would you pay full price for
Emory
BC
UMiami
Villanova
GWU
….going down the rankings list, LMU?
Is there a cutoff for private colleges? Where you tell your kid to just take merit elsewhere, or go in state? What is your cutoff, or are you full pay so you will full pay anyplace ?

(If you are not full pay, and need FA, instate, or merit, please don’t respond, your considerations are different)

I'm just going to say it: none of those schools impress me. They're fine schools, but aside from accepting a lot of ivy cast-offs, I don't see the appeal.

I would full-pay for Williams, Pomona, Amherst. Possibly Wesleyan, Haverford, Vassar, etc. It may just be that I expect different things from an undergraduate education.

You're entitled to your opinion but I'm not sure many would agree that Vassar and Haverford are substantially more impressive than Emory.

Depends on your values. We don't all want to be finance bros.

Vassar has a 20% acceptance rate, Wesleyan 19%, Haverford 18%. Emory is 10%. Emory being a permanent t25 (has never been ranked lower than this) means it's the same level as top5 LACs.

+1, posts like pp's prove DCUM is stuck in the 90's. In 2024 Haverford, Vassar, and especially Weslyan are anywhere close to Emory in selectivity or post-grad placement. Not even sure why OP included Emory, there's obviously a bunch of people begging to get into the school and willing to pay. But to answer OP's question, there is a cut-off and it depends on the major. For Emory/WashU I would pay regardless of major. Further down the rankings it Gatech for CS/engineering or BC for finance etc. Whatever that school is known for etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm seeing now where the "full pay" but donut hole families are at quite the disadvantage.

Big difference. We’re “full pay” in the fully funded 529s that could cover also grad school, and plan to help with down payments, weddings, etc. So if you’re that level of “full pay” and still insist on JMU over BC, then you’re rich and sad. If it’s your retirement contributions or food on the table versus Tulane, then go Dukes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:we are full pay with a HHI around 650k. we would only have paid slightly above in state, so merit is critical for private or OOS. our kid also is pre med and we plan on paying for medical school. He is at his first year at VCU. he also got in Vandy, Colgate, and UT Austin. He didn’t get merit from any of them. He did get the provost scholarship at VCU for 16k/yr so that 64k goes towards med school. He will not need to take out any loads for med school.

What if he decides he doesn't want to go to med school...which a ton of kids do? Why would you have him apply to a school like Vandy or UT Austin or Colgate, knowing they give almost zero merit aid?

I don't undestand? Then he does not go to med school, what do all those kids do? They do someting else LOL! I think his chances are high. His dad is a doctor, his grandfather is a doctor, his uncle is a doctor, he knows exactly what he is getting into.

we did not dictate where he applied, or where he chose to go. He does know exactly how much money he has for undergrad and med school and made his decision accordingly. He also knows that his GPA and MCAT and ECs/research are absoultly critical to getting into a good med school.

DP: And it's much easier to have a near 4.0 and have time to study for the MCATs if you are at a school like VCU (when you got into T25 schools as well). Yes it will be challenging but nowhere on the same level as doing premed at Vandy or Colgate or UT Austin. And you are correct---he will have the ability to do research as an undergrad at VCU and volunteer at the hospital,etc. He will have an easy time building the full resume for Med School applications. People somehow think going to the tippy top schools is always the best. If your intent is med school, law school, any type of medical graduate school, it's often not the best. Going to "a slightly lesser school" where you can shine and will have an easier path to success is the smarter path.
Either way, he gets his undergrad degree for virtually no cost to you (just R&B).

If only more people thought this way

DP: I'm a Vandy alum and can't really quibble with the VCU choice. Particularly if he did or will do the guaranteed admission program. https://honors.vcu.edu/admissions/guaranteed-admission/

My kid hated the college application process, so at least the one upside for him if I told him I wasn't paying jacks**t is he would just apply to VCU (or more accurately, just direct admit) and be done with it.

I mean, it takes some work to craft applications for Vandy, Colgate, UT Austin...to get accepted.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:we are full pay with a HHI around 650k. we would only have paid slightly above in state, so merit is critical for private or OOS. our kid also is pre med and we plan on paying for medical school. He is at his first year at VCU. he also got in Vandy, Colgate, and UT Austin.

Got into Vandy, Colgate, Austin, went to VCU? Whiskey Tango Foxtrot.

Because he is pre-med and that would be a colossal waste of money. He also got into a bunch of other schools, but all were similar in price to VCU (before the provost scolarship). My examples were real life comparisons as the poster was asking about private/expensive schools.

Tons of kids decide to switch out of pre-med…I just think that is an incredibly myopic view.

Again, why did you let him apply to schools where you knew you weren’t getting merit aid. Considering the work it takes to apply to those school…at the least tell your kid to save the effort.

once again, my kid knows his budget for undergrad and med school and could have gone there if he wanted. It would have meant loans. why are you obsessed with him potentially dropping out of pre med? Do you think his future will be ruined? you are a psycho.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you are full pay, Would you pay full price for
Emory
BC
UMiami
Villanova
GWU
….going down the rankings list, LMU?
Is there a cutoff for private colleges? Where you tell your kid to just take merit elsewhere, or go in state? What is your cutoff, or are you full pay so you will full pay anyplace ?

(If you are not full pay, and need FA, instate, or merit, please don’t respond, your considerations are different)

I'm just going to say it: none of those schools impress me. They're fine schools, but aside from accepting a lot of ivy cast-offs, I don't see the appeal.

I would full-pay for Williams, Pomona, Amherst. Possibly Wesleyan, Haverford, Vassar, etc. It may just be that I expect different things from an undergraduate education.

You're entitled to your opinion but I'm not sure many would agree that Vassar and Haverford are substantially more impressive than Emory.

Depends on your values. We don't all want to be finance bros.

Vassar has a 20% acceptance rate, Wesleyan 19%, Haverford 18%. Emory is 10%. Emory being a permanent t25 (has never been ranked lower than this) means it's the same level as top5 LACs.

+1, posts like pp's prove DCUM is stuck in the 90's. In 2024 Haverford, Vassar, and especially Weslyan are anywhere close to Emory in selectivity or post-grad placement. Not even sure why OP included Emory, there's obviously a bunch of people begging to get into the school and willing to pay. But to answer OP's question, there is a cut-off and it depends on the major. For Emory/WashU I would pay regardless of major. Further down the rankings it Gatech for CS/engineering or BC for finance etc. Whatever that school is known for etc.

Yea, Vassar hasn't been a top school in a while. Stange comment from PP.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:we are full pay with a HHI around 650k. we would only have paid slightly above in state, so merit is critical for private or OOS. our kid also is pre med and we plan on paying for medical school. He is at his first year at VCU. he also got in Vandy, Colgate, and UT Austin.

Got into Vandy, Colgate, Austin, went to VCU? Whiskey Tango Foxtrot.

Because he is pre-med and that would be a colossal waste of money. He also got into a bunch of other schools, but all were similar in price to VCU (before the provost scolarship). My examples were real life comparisons as the poster was asking about private/expensive schools.

Don't let them DCUM Shame you. What your kid is doing is the smart choice!
Even if he decides not to do Medical school (as someone stated), he will be debt free, likely have a very high gpa and the ability to go to an excellent grad program in whatever he wants to do, all that you can afford to pay for.

The kid didn’t decide that…his dum a** parent let him apply to schools that don’t give merit aid and then told his kid he can’t go because….guess what…he didn’t get merit aid.

I mean don’t let him apply.

where did i say he couldn’t go? he could go, but he’d blow through all his med school money. Unlike you he’s intelligent and understands what it takes to get into med school and understands that 300k is better spent on med school than undergrad that doesn’t mean shit for med school applications.

Many of you clearly know absolutely nothing about what it takes to be a doctor. You’re goofy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm seeing now where the "full pay" but donut hole families are at quite the disadvantage.

Big difference. We’re “full pay” in the fully funded 529s that could cover also grad school, and plan to help with down payments, weddings, etc. So if you’re that level of “full pay” and still insist on JMU over BC, then you’re rich and sad. If it’s your retirement contributions or food on the table versus Tulane, then go Dukes.

Or it could just mean that even though they can afford it, they think paying $85k to attend BC is insane. Is your position that someone of means is living a “sad life” if they purchase a Honda instead of a Mercedes?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:we are full pay with a HHI around 650k. we would only have paid slightly above in state, so merit is critical for private or OOS. our kid also is pre med and we plan on paying for medical school. He is at his first year at VCU. he also got in Vandy, Colgate, and UT Austin. He didn’t get merit from any of them. He did get the provost scholarship at VCU for 16k/yr so that 64k goes towards med school. He will not need to take out any loads for med school.

Just curious, how is your son liking VCU? It is so different from Colgate and Vandy!

he loves it and loves being in a city! He made deans list with a 4.0 this semester. He’s also working as an EMT in Richmond and says it’s wild.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:we are full pay with a HHI around 650k. we would only have paid slightly above in state, so merit is critical for private or OOS. our kid also is pre med and we plan on paying for medical school. He is at his first year at VCU. he also got in Vandy, Colgate, and UT Austin.

Got into Vandy, Colgate, Austin, went to VCU? Whiskey Tango Foxtrot.

Because he is pre-med and that would be a colossal waste of money. He also got into a bunch of other schools, but all were similar in price to VCU (before the provost scolarship). My examples were real life comparisons as the poster was asking about private/expensive schools.

Don't let them DCUM Shame you. What your kid is doing is the smart choice!
Even if he decides not to do Medical school (as someone stated), he will be debt free, likely have a very high gpa and the ability to go to an excellent grad program in whatever he wants to do, all that you can afford to pay for.

The kid didn’t decide that…his dum a** parent let him apply to schools that don’t give merit aid and then told his kid he can’t go because….guess what…he didn’t get merit aid.

I mean don’t let him apply.

where did i say he couldn’t go? he could go, but he’d blow through all his med school money. Unlike you he’s intelligent and understands what it takes to get into med school and understands that 300k is better spent on med school than undergrad that doesn’t mean shit for med school applications.

Many of you clearly know absolutely nothing about what it takes to be a doctor. You’re goofy.

Dude, reread your original post. You are now trying to re-write history because you come across as a jackoff.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:we are full pay with a HHI around 650k. we would only have paid slightly above in state, so merit is critical for private or OOS. our kid also is pre med and we plan on paying for medical school. He is at his first year at VCU. he also got in Vandy, Colgate, and UT Austin.

Got into Vandy, Colgate, Austin, went to VCU? Whiskey Tango Foxtrot.

Because he is pre-med and that would be a colossal waste of money. He also got into a bunch of other schools, but all were similar in price to VCU (before the provost scolarship). My examples were real life comparisons as the poster was asking about private/expensive schools.

Tons of kids decide to switch out of pre-med…I just think that is an incredibly myopic view.

Again, why did you let him apply to schools where you knew you weren’t getting merit aid. Considering the work it takes to apply to those school…at the least tell your kid to save the effort.

once again, my kid knows his budget for undergrad and med school and could have gone there if he wanted. It would have meant loans. why are you obsessed with him potentially dropping out of pre med? Do you think his future will be ruined? you are a psycho.

You said you make $650k...why does he now have to take loans?

I am not obsessed wih him dropping out of pre-med...being a doctor ain't what it used to be and plenty of kids decide it's a bad career decision and they don't really have the passion. I would never allow my kid to pick a college based on a grad-school plan, that's all. If VCU was the choice no matter what (which from all you wrote it wasn't), then great.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm seeing now where the "full pay" but donut hole families are at quite the disadvantage.

Big difference. We’re “full pay” in the fully funded 529s that could cover also grad school, and plan to help with down payments, weddings, etc. So if you’re that level of “full pay” and still insist on JMU over BC, then you’re rich and sad. If it’s your retirement contributions or food on the table versus Tulane, then go Dukes.

Or it could just mean that even though they can afford it, they think paying $85k to attend BC is insane. Is your position that someone of means is living a “sad life” if they purchase a Honda instead of a Mercedes?

Sure let fully loaded 529 money go unused because you want your kid to go to JMU over BC, after he's accepted to and wants to go to BC.
And let's be honest, if you have $10M, then a Mercedes is a much nicer ride than a Honda. We have both.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:we are full pay with a HHI around 650k. we would only have paid slightly above in state, so merit is critical for private or OOS. our kid also is pre med and we plan on paying for medical school. He is at his first year at VCU. he also got in Vandy, Colgate, and UT Austin.

Got into Vandy, Colgate, Austin, went to VCU? Whiskey Tango Foxtrot.

Because he is pre-med and that would be a colossal waste of money. He also got into a bunch of other schools, but all were similar in price to VCU (before the provost scolarship). My examples were real life comparisons as the poster was asking about private/expensive schools.

Tons of kids decide to switch out of pre-med…I just think that is an incredibly myopic view.

Again, why did you let him apply to schools where you knew you weren’t getting merit aid. Considering the work it takes to apply to those school…at the least tell your kid to save the effort.

once again, my kid knows his budget for undergrad and med school and could have gone there if he wanted. It would have meant loans. why are you obsessed with him potentially dropping out of pre med? Do you think his future will be ruined? you are a psycho.

You said you make $650k...why does he now have to take loans?

I am not obsessed wih him dropping out of pre-med...being a doctor ain't what it used to be and plenty of kids decide it's a bad career decision and they don't really have the passion. I would never allow my kid to pick a college based on a grad-school plan, that's all. If VCU was the choice no matter what (which from all you wrote it wasn't), then great.

I feel like if VCU was truly the plan, desire, goal, then fine. But why apply to Vandy, Colgate, UT and then claim VCU was better all along? You're never getting big merit from those schools. That part is just cruel.

[Anonymous]

It depends on the major, premed at BC is not worth full pay. But it might if it's finance.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It depends on the major, premed at BC is not worth full pay. But it might if it's finance.

BC is ranked 7th in undergrad finance - so "it might" be better than JMU or VCU (still assuming you can afford it)? Ok