Crazy to take big merit money at JMU over UVA full price?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In all honesty there’s no justification for overpaying for a UVA degree when the desired career tops out at $100k after grad school. Any “connections” will be of little or no use. Essentially, your fellow alumni would likely look down on the graduate for their chosen profession. It’s sad but true.

It’s not true. OP has no idea where her child will end up or in what major. 80% of all
students change their major at least once. UVA gives the child the greatest springboard in almost every field. If we are talking about in $13,000 in full tuition at JMU, that’s nothing compared to what a UVA experience could give this kid.

100%. UVA.
And no, not a booster, and both of ours picked ivies over UVA in-state, for a much greater differential in $.
UVA is indeed a top school that has a large edge over JMU in every field, and 13k is a very small amount to sacrifice for a T5 public/T25 overall.

Describe the “large edge” in teaching, or nursing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:1. The 35k price for James Madison does include $5000 of personal expenses, travel, expenses, and loan fees. Without those it’s only 30,000, which is more realistic.
2. My husband went to JMU, studied business, and makes in the highest six figures. I went to UVA and still make five figures. Where you go to college does not matter.

Incorrect. Go back and read the link. The $5000 you cite for personal expenses, travel, books, supplies and travel are absolutely included in the $35,000. As are the approx same amounts down the same $62 loan fee in the UVA estimate of $40,000.

So UVA is oniy $5k more and OP has stated her child was offered only full tuition, not full freight which is only $13,762. So the total for her son to go to UVA would be $18,762.

Definitely UVA. Ranked 4 versus 151 USNR for public universities.

[b]Why do you keep misstating JMU’s public university ranking?

DO: And what do you contribute other than nit-picking?

Accuracy rather than dishonesty.

[Anonymous]

They are very different schools, both good. I'd prefer a bigger university but on the flip side, I'd probably do the JMU and pay for grad school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In all honesty there’s no justification for overpaying for a UVA degree when the desired career tops out at $100k after grad school. Any “connections” will be of little or no use. Essentially, your fellow alumni would likely look down on the graduate for their chosen profession. It’s sad but true.

It’s not true. OP has no idea where her child will end up or in what major. 80% of all
students change their major at least once. UVA gives the child the greatest springboard in almost every field. If we are talking about in $13,000 in full tuition at JMU, that’s nothing compared to what a UVA experience could give this kid.

100%. UVA.
And no, not a booster, and both of ours picked ivies over UVA in-state, for a much greater differential in $.
UVA is indeed a top school that has a large edge over JMU in every field, and 13k is a very small amount to sacrifice for a T5 public/T25 overall.

Describe the “large edge” in teaching, or nursing.

For medicine, big law and finance, yes, it matters, but for most other fields including CD, it doesn't matter as much. I'd prefer to pay for a masters.

[Anonymous]

Go to UVA. Think of it as an investment but there are no guarantees in life

[Anonymous]

I wish OP would just share the major or general field of study. I agree that for certain professions it won’t end up making much difference or have any impact on earnings. In that case, and if the student doesn’t have a strong preference for UVA, I’d take the big merit at JMU. Either way, Ccongrats on these two outstanding options!

[Anonymous]

What if the kid changes their major? A lot do. UVA will give the kid more options.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What if the kid changes their major? A lot do. UVA will give the kid more options.

How many wanna be teachers, nurses and social workers end up in IB or PE?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What if the kid changes their major? A lot do. UVA will give the kid more options.

How many wanna be teachers, nurses and social workers end up in IB or PE?

There are definitely people who do Teach for America for a few years and then end up pivoting and going into a field where they can make $$$$. I work with several former TfAers who are doing very well. Plus the kids college friends/peer group will likely end up being wealthier and more successful as adults if the kid goes to UVA, which with lead to a better network/increases chances of marrying someone who is successful. As a PP said, there are no sure things in life but it sounds like the OP can stretch and pay for UVA and I bet that investment has a more than 50/50 chance of paying off.

[Anonymous]

Not OP's decision. Not Op & DH's decision. It's only the student's decision. And it's ok if it's based on nothing. Nothing more than a gut feeling. A personal preference does not need to be explained or defended. If however, the student wants to use more research to make a decision, you offer what you know. If DCUM advice is helpful, glad it can help.

Imho, Op said ok to price and the list when apps were submitted. There were no conditions. Other families differ on their journey and the conditions they express, ahead of time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:no shade to JMU but it's a huge difference in the job market overall, no matter the major. My grads are always been told, "wow UVA!" when they interview and it definitely makes an impression. I know that's anecdotal
but UVA in state is not that expensive, and the reputational difference is a wide gulf.

As a hiring manager in a competitive field, I focus more on the individual, their internships, their activities, and their demeanor more than where they went to school. JMU allows a kid to stand out and have opportunities that they may not have at a hyper competitive school like UVA - I have one of each on my team and both are hard workers and really smart. If I didn't know, I could not tell you which person went to UVA and which one went to JMU.

I guess one data point is better than none.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What if the kid changes their major? A lot do. UVA will give the kid more options.

How many wanna be teachers, nurses and social workers end up in IB or PE?

There are definitely people who do Teach for America for a few years and then end up pivoting and going into a field where they can make $$$$. I work with several former TfAers who are doing very well. Plus the kids college friends/peer group will likely end up being wealthier and more successful as adults if the kid goes to UVA, which with lead to a better network/increases chances of marrying someone who is successful. As a PP said, there are no sure things in life but it sounds like the OP can stretch and pay for UVA and I bet that investment has a more than 50/50 chance of paying off.

I wouldn’t bet $80,000 on a 50/50 Mrs. degree.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:no shade to JMU but it's a huge difference in the job market overall, no matter the major. My grads are always been told, "wow UVA!" when they interview and it definitely makes an impression. I know that's anecdotal
but UVA in state is not that expensive, and the reputational difference is a wide gulf.

As a hiring manager in a competitive field, I focus more on the individual, their internships, their activities, and their demeanor more than where they went to school. JMU allows a kid to stand out and have opportunities that they may not have at a hyper competitive school like UVA - I have one of each on my team and both are hard workers and really smart. If I didn't know, I could not tell you which person went to UVA and which one went to JMU.

I guess one data point is better than none.

I work with people who went to both and know the ones who went to UVA, because they are still talking how they went to UVA. No one cares. For those of us not from this area, this is not nearly as impressive as they think it is. Honestly, I don’t care where anyone went to college because we are all at the same job. It only came up about the person who went to JMU because we were talking about college visits for my kid. They don’t talk about it nonstop.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:no shade to JMU but it's a huge difference in the job market overall, no matter the major. My grads are always been told, "wow UVA!" when they interview and it definitely makes an impression. I know that's anecdotal
but UVA in state is not that expensive, and the reputational difference is a wide gulf.

As a hiring manager in a competitive field, I focus more on the individual, their internships, their activities, and their demeanor more than where they went to school. JMU allows a kid to stand out and have opportunities that they may not have at a hyper competitive school like UVA - I have one of each on my team and both are hard workers and really smart. If I didn't know, I could not tell you which person went to UVA and which one went to JMU.

I guess one data point is better than none.

I work with people who went to both and know the ones who went to UVA, because they are still talking how they went to UVA. No one cares. For those of us not from this area, this is not nearly as impressive as they think it is. Honestly, I don’t care where anyone went to college because we are all at the same job. It only came up about the person who went to JMU because we were talking about college visits for my kid. They don’t talk about it nonstop.

JMU grads are socially adept. UVA grads are like people that do CrossFit. If you don’t know they went there, just wait a minute and they’ll tell you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What if the kid changes their major? A lot do. UVA will give the kid more options.

How many wanna be teachers, nurses and social workers end up in IB or PE?

There are definitely people who do Teach for America for a few years and then end up pivoting and going into a field where they can make $$$$. I work with several former TfAers who are doing very well. Plus the kids college friends/peer group will likely end up being wealthier and more successful as adults if the kid goes to UVA, which with lead to a better network/increases chances of marrying someone who is successful. As a PP said, there are no sure things in life but it sounds like the OP can stretch and pay for UVA and I bet that investment has a more than 50/50 chance of paying off.

I wouldn’t bet $80,000 on a 50/50 Mrs. degree.

It's not an Mrs degree, it is being part of a peer group where people are ambitious and have high expectations for themselves. Yes there are people like that at JMU, but at UVA that is almost everyone (because otherwise they would not have gotten in). OP can afford UVA - it would be different if the OP's kid was going to have to take on debt.