Is It Really Gonna Cost $280K? OMG

[Anonymous]

Colleges only charge full sticker price to people who can barely get in. They give scholarships to the students who they know can get into better schools.

If you are paying full sticker price, it’s probably because you are attending a school that was a reach for you and are paying a premium for the “prestige.” If you don’t want to pay 70k a year, you don’t have to.

[Anonymous]

Not true. Most top colleges don’t offer merit. So unless you are financially challenged you pay or do not go. This is a fact.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Here's a thing I notice about these threads:

Those that are full pay often say something like "it sucks but we saved and it was the right decision for us" (similar to OP).

Those that choose to NOT be fully pay and choose schools accordingly often say "it's not worth it to anyone".

I think both of those statements come from internal conflict and doubt about the decision they have made. However, only one of them attacks the other's decision. Why do you think that is the case?

I posted earlier that the private "prestigious" colleges my kids were accepted to are not worth the money. I stand by that statement. Disprove it, please.

Oh, and BTW, my kid's best friend from no-name state U is now at Harvard for grad school. Guess going in-state didn't hurt that kid. [/quot

For what? All grad programs are not equal.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Not true. Most top colleges don’t offer merit. So unless you are financially challenged you pay or do not go. This is a fact.

Most colleges do offer merit aid to the top of the applicant pool. Ivy Leagues don't give merit aid, but many "top" colleges, however you define it, do.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Colleges only charge full sticker price to people who can barely get in. They give scholarships to the students who they know can get into better schools.

If you are paying full sticker price, it’s probably because you are attending a school that was a reach for you and are paying a premium for the “prestige.” If you don’t want to pay 70k a year, you don’t have to.

If you are speaking of the top 25-ish schools, you are completely wrong. Goes for the top LACs also.

Below that you may be factually correct, but still have it in reverse. They are not charging a premium to the vast majority, they are giving awards that are necessary to get that caliber of student to enroll.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Not true. Most top colleges don’t offer merit. So unless you are financially challenged you pay or do not go. This is a fact.

True!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Colleges only charge full sticker price to people who can barely get in. They give scholarships to the students who they know can get into better schools.

If you are paying full sticker price, it’s probably because you are attending a school that was a reach for you and are paying a premium for the “prestige.” If you don’t want to pay 70k a year, you don’t have to.

If you are speaking of the top 25-ish schools, you are completely wrong. Goes for the top LACs also.

Below that you may be factually correct, but still have it in reverse. They are not charging a premium to the vast majority, they are giving awards that are necessary to get that caliber of student to enroll.

This assertion is easily proven or disproven by a school’s CDS. It’s under Financil Aid - look at non-need based aid. It will tell you how many kids were awarded money and the average amount.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not true. Most top colleges don’t offer merit. So unless you are financially challenged you pay or do not go. This is a fact.

Most colleges do offer merit aid to the top of the applicant pool. Ivy Leagues don't give merit aid, but many "top" colleges, however you define it, do.

Top 30. Most do not give merit. Lots of acceptable colleges do.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Here's a thing I notice about these threads:

Those that are full pay often say something like "it sucks but we saved and it was the right decision for us" (similar to OP).

Those that choose to NOT be fully pay and choose schools accordingly often say "it's not worth it to anyone".

I think both of those statements come from internal conflict and doubt about the decision they have made. However, only one of them attacks the other's decision. Why do you think that is the case?

I posted earlier that the private "prestigious" colleges my kids were accepted to are not worth the money. I stand by that statement. Disprove it, please.

Oh, and BTW, my kid's best friend from no-name state U is now at Harvard for grad school. Guess going in-state didn't hurt that kid.

What a bizarre request. There is no proof either way when you're talking about about something being 'worth the money'. If it's not worth it to you, I believe you. After that, your opinion means nothing to anyone else.

And your kid's best friend doesn't prove anything beyond that kid either. Sample size of one.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Colleges only charge full sticker price to people who can barely get in. They give scholarships to the students who they know can get into better schools.

If you are paying full sticker price, it’s probably because you are attending a school that was a reach for you and are paying a premium for the “prestige.” If you don’t want to pay 70k a year, you don’t have to.

If you are speaking of the top 25-ish schools, you are completely wrong. Goes for the top LACs also.

Below that you may be factually correct, but still have it in reverse. They are not charging a premium to the vast majority, they are giving awards that are necessary to get that caliber of student to enroll.

This assertion is easily proven or disproven by a school’s CDS. It’s under Financil Aid - look at non-need based aid. It will tell you how many kids were awarded money and the average amount.

Not sure what school you are looking at looked at three in top 30 non-iveys and its not there

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Here's a thing I notice about these threads:

Those that are full pay often say something like "it sucks but we saved and it was the right decision for us" (similar to OP).

Those that choose to NOT be fully pay and choose schools accordingly often say "it's not worth it to anyone".

I think both of those statements come from internal conflict and doubt about the decision they have made. However, only one of them attacks the other's decision. Why do you think that is the case?

I posted earlier that the private "prestigious" colleges my kids were accepted to are not worth the money. I stand by that statement. Disprove it, please.

Oh, and BTW, my kid's best friend from no-name state U is now at Harvard for grad school. Guess going in-state didn't hurt that kid.

I know, when my kid told me some guy dropped out of college and went on to found a huge tech company and become a billionaire, I told her also to drop out of school, because it didn't hurt that kid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not true. Most top colleges don’t offer merit. So unless you are financially challenged you pay or do not go. This is a fact.

Most colleges do offer merit aid to the top of the applicant pool. Ivy Leagues don't give merit aid, but many "top" colleges, however you define it, do.

Top 30. Most do not give merit. Lots of acceptable colleges do.

So would top 30 include places like Wash. U, Amherst, Williams?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not true. Most top colleges don’t offer merit. So unless you are financially challenged you pay or do not go. This is a fact.

Most colleges do offer merit aid to the top of the applicant pool. Ivy Leagues don't give merit aid, but many "top" colleges, however you define it, do.

Top 30. Most do not give merit. Lots of acceptable colleges do.

So would top 30 include places like Wash. U, Amherst, Williams?

Amherst and Williams do not give merit aid.

WashU gives merit aid to a tiny percentage of admitted applicants - so few that it's nothing to bank on, by any means.

I don't know what PP means by "acceptable" colleges, LOL.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not true. Most top colleges don’t offer merit. So unless you are financially challenged you pay or do not go. This is a fact.

Most colleges do offer merit aid to the top of the applicant pool. Ivy Leagues don't give merit aid, but many "top" colleges, however you define it, do.

Share the names of these schools, please.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Mom of a grad school student. Have you added in incedentals? Travel home for the holidays? Rent after the first year off campus? Sorority dues? Extra money for ice cream, beer, laundry and a moped? I am being snarky but The extras add up. Add in another 5k a semester for the goodmeal plan, spring break trips etc.

Not everyone goes away for spring break. I sure didn’t.