Jeff Selingo on people skipping "target schools"

[Anonymous]

Yes, the tipping point has arrived. The 10% - me included - are applying the what can we afford vs what we are willing to pay to the college equation.

I can technically afford a Lexus but buy a Toyota.
I can technically afford University of Richmond but buy UMD Honors College.

[Anonymous]

My daughter has gotten into our state 'flagship' and the 'flagships' of two neighboring states (she's waiting to hear from her 'targets' and 'reaches'). The delta between our state 'flagship' and the private targets or reaches is over $200k over 4 years. That's a lot of money for anybody.

[Anonymous]

What are the public and private “slip over schools”? Do they become wealthier and fancier with time?

NYU
BC
Tufts
BU
Lehigh
Wake
Case Western
Northeastern
W&M
Brandeis
Santa Clara
GW
Syracuse
U-Miami
Villanova
Tulane
Pepperdine

If so, these are the private schools ranked between 35 and 80 that I think he is referring to? Or maybe is it a more narrow set?

Interestingly, these are the schools where a lot of middle of the pack (3.7uw) private school kids that are full pay, apply early and get in from our private school

[Anonymous]

This is EXACTLY what we have done unless we have gotten merit aid at a small liberal arts school. I told my kids they can go to a name brand graduate school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My daughter has gotten into our state 'flagship' and the 'flagships' of two neighboring states (she's waiting to hear from her 'targets' and 'reaches'). The delta between our state 'flagship' and the private targets or reaches is over $200k over 4 years. That's a lot of money for anybody.

And the delta between the privates and one of the neighboring state 'flagships' is around $120k (the other flagship offered her a tuition discount to bring costs closer to in-state levels). That is still a lot of money.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What are the public and private “slip over schools”? Do they become wealthier and fancier with time?

NYU
BC
Tufts
BU
Lehigh
Wake
Case Western
Northeastern
W&M
Brandeis
Santa Clara
GW
Syracuse
U-Miami
Villanova
Tulane
Pepperdine

If so, these are the private schools ranked between 35 and 80 that I think he is referring to? Or maybe is it a more narrow set?

Interestingly, these are the schools where a lot of middle of the pack (3.7uw) private school kids that are full pay, apply early and get in from our private school

I wouldn't include public schools in this list--there are different dynamics at work.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What are the public and private “slip over schools”? Do they become wealthier and fancier with time?

NYU
BC
Tufts
BU
Lehigh
Wake
Case Western
Northeastern
W&M
Brandeis
Santa Clara
GW
Syracuse
U-Miami
Villanova
Tulane
Pepperdine

If so, these are the private schools ranked between 35 and 80 that I think he is referring to? Or maybe is it a more narrow set?

Interestingly, these are the schools where a lot of middle of the pack (3.7uw) private school kids that are full pay, apply early and get in from our private school

I’d pay for a degree for some of these schools. Maybe the higher ranked ones or even Wake. Maybe case is the line?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes, the tipping point has arrived. The 10% - me included - are applying the what can we afford vs what we are willing to pay to the college equation.

I can technically afford a Lexus but buy a Toyota.
I can technically afford University of Richmond but buy UMD Honors College.

This is a good analogy.

I understood his article. I feel like this plays out on DCUM quite frequently.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What are the public and private “slip over schools”? Do they become wealthier and fancier with time?

NYU
BC
Tufts
BU
Lehigh
Wake
Case Western
Northeastern
W&M
Brandeis
Santa Clara
GW
Syracuse
U-Miami
Villanova
Tulane
Pepperdine

If so, these are the private schools ranked between 35 and 80 that I think he is referring to? Or maybe is it a more narrow set?

Interestingly, these are the schools where a lot of middle of the pack (3.7uw) private school kids that are full pay, apply early and get in from our private school

I’d pay for a degree for some of these schools. Maybe the higher ranked ones or even Wake. Maybe case is the line?

It’s a reasonable list. Some schools on it (including Case) give out some merit, at least in RD. I feel like there might be some schools that the same family would “skip over” in the ED2 round, when they’re looking at full pay, but would target for merit in RD. It doesn’t really feel like a stable market right now. Schools might be slipping in and out of this category.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes, the tipping point has arrived. The 10% - me included - are applying the what can we afford vs what we are willing to pay to the college equation.

I can technically afford a Lexus but buy a Toyota.
I can technically afford University of Richmond but buy UMD Honors College.

The Lexus Toyota analogy makes some sense, but your Richmond UMD does not. UMD is a top-ranked school...many people who have tons of money would very well make this decision if you cared nothing more than rankings and prestige.

I think something more accurate is I can afford University of Richmond but buy UMBC Honors college.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What are the public and private “slip over schools”? Do they become wealthier and fancier with time?

NYU
BC
Tufts
BU
Lehigh
Wake
Case Western
Northeastern
W&M
Brandeis
Santa Clara
GW
Syracuse
U-Miami
Villanova
Tulane
Pepperdine

If so, these are the private schools ranked between 35 and 80 that I think he is referring to? Or maybe is it a more narrow set?

Interestingly, these are the schools where a lot of middle of the pack (3.7uw) private school kids that are full pay, apply early and get in from our private school

I’d pay for a degree for some of these schools. Maybe the higher ranked ones or even Wake. Maybe case is the line?

Meh. Aside from the extra cost, there are real social issues that result from these barbell-like colleges where you have a lot of first gen/Pell kids and then a top of top 1% money is no object kids. For one thing, the Pell kids start to think most white people are rich, because they only see rich white kids at their school.

[Anonymous]

I agree - this is our plan.

I have been saying for a few years that I think grad school is the new college, so it makes sense to go to a state college and save some $ for grad school.

[Anonymous]

I’d say Case is a merit- giving school. It was actually slightly less for my engineering student to go there (with merit) than Pitt OOS.

[Anonymous]

When I saw some of the expensive private colleges removed from my DC's list of schools, I was a little relieved. I also don't think "target" exists anymore for a lot of kids. All the ones that would be targets based upon stats are not target b/c of admissions rate. It's either reach or safety.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So it’s surprising or newsworthy or forward-thinking to suggest that $200k families don’t/wont/can’t pay $400k for Villanova or Tulane?

Yes, because just a year ago those schools didn’t cost entirely that much. Tipping point reached.

Yes. Also test-optional makes these schools much less attractive. It’s one thing to stretch, financially, when telling yourself that your kid will be among his intellectual peers. Iron sharpens iron and all that. But if only 15% of students are reporting scores … what are you paying for, again? You can get a mix of students, including some very strong ones, at the flagship.

This. 100%.

https://www.tiktok.com/@supertutortv/video/7327004377451957547?lang=en