Process for Comparing Offers

[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.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: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.

Distance is definately something important. Make sure your kid knows how long and what it will cost to get to/from the school. My one kid is at a place 3K miles away and it involves 2 flights. It's an 8 hour day from takeoff to landing on a good day. So in reality a 10-12 hour day. So you are not coming home unless it's at least a 4 day weekend. And it means either a redeye or 6am flight going back to school or leaving at 11am and landing at 11pm.

But the airport at school is 5-7 min drive from the campus. Versus friends who are similar distance who have 2 flights, but it's a 90 min to 2 hour drive to get to/from the airport. It gets very expensive, especially if the "shuttles for $50-75" are not working when you need them (flight delays and it's too late, so you're in a 2 hour uber back to campus for $250

[Anonymous]

So much overthinking here.

[Anonymous]

Every kid is different.

For one of ours, location was very important, and they applied ED (and got in) to a great college in that location, and had an ED 2 in mindnfornthat same city if they hadn't gotten I'm (both colleges had their major).

For the other, D1 sports was the most important thing (I know, I know, insert eye-roll here even by their parents), and they went to the best D1 school they got into