Washington Post article on colleges that reduced tuition costs

[Anonymous]

When posters write " I don't understand why anyone would pay ticket price for x private college when the state college ranks higher and costs less..."

Hello?

Do you not realize that some kids are applying to colleges and not getting accepted by them?

Perhaps they expensive college that takes 78% (not 80% at St Johns thank you) are the ONLY places they are getting a spot?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hardly anyone pays sticker price.

That’s just not accurate. At top 20 schools typically 50-60% of students are not receiving aid. And at the next tier it’s 40-50% (more merit aid comes into play).

I've never understood why people bother to attend private colleges for schools that are outside of the top 150. Every state has public universities that rank the same or higher. Even families who are not paying the full sticker price of $45,000 are generally paying more than what they would pay for a similarly ranked state school Take Virginia Wesleyan for example. It's a non prestigious private college. Why would anyone choose to pay for that as opposed to schools that attract similarly qualified student such as Longwood or Radford. I just don't get it.

Because decent state schools are usually much more difficult to get into than mediocre private schools.

[Anonymous]

Also, cost isn’t the best criterion here.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So why do you think the schools in this article are lowering tuition? To give students/their families a financial break? No, they are decreasing tuition to increase their applications and in turn increase their enrollment.

Correct. Keep in mind that nothing these people do are in the kids' interests. They just want to sell you something.

[Anonymous]

I think the bubble is popping and a lot of more or less degree mill crap colleges — public and private — are destined to close. Enrollment is way down at so many schools, there’s just no way they’re in strong financial shape. Many on the brink, I think. And nothing will be lost when they go under.

[Anonymous]

I've never understood why people bother to attend private colleges for schools that are outside of the top 150. Every state has public universities that rank the same or higher. Even families who are not paying the full sticker price of $45,000 are generally paying more than what they would pay for a similarly ranked state school Take Virginia Wesleyan for example. It's a non prestigious private college. Why would anyone choose to pay for that as opposed to schools that attract similarly qualified student such as Longwood or Radford. I just don't get it.

I can’t speak for outside the top 150, specifically, but most of the kids I’ve seen attend small private colleges did so because of wanting to play college sports, they attended private K-12, wanting a small setting, religious reasons, location, and wanting NOTHING to do with a frat boy U huge bureaucratic public experience.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

I've never understood why people bother to attend private colleges for schools that are outside of the top 150. Every state has public universities that rank the same or higher. Even families who are not paying the full sticker price of $45,000 are generally paying more than what they would pay for a similarly ranked state school Take Virginia Wesleyan for example. It's a non prestigious private college. Why would anyone choose to pay for that as opposed to schools that attract similarly qualified student such as Longwood or Radford. I just don't get it.

I can’t speak for outside the top 150, specifically, but most of the kids I’ve seen attend small private colleges did so because of wanting to play college sports, they attended private K-12, wanting a small setting, religious reasons, location, and wanting NOTHING to do with a frat boy U huge bureaucratic public experience.

Just FYI: the colleges with the highest percent of students joining frats are almost entirely small(er), private colleges. https://www.usnews.com/best-colleges/rankings/most-frats

[Anonymous]

FWIW, Purdue has not raised its tuition in 5 years. When it does, I suspect it will do what Illinois UC does, which is keep the same tuition for all four years.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think the bubble is popping and a lot of more or less degree mill crap colleges — public and private — are destined to close. Enrollment is way down at so many schools, there’s just no way they’re in strong financial shape. Many on the brink, I think. And nothing will be lost when they go under.

Can you name a few of these types of colleges?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:When posters write " I don't understand why anyone would pay ticket price for x private college when the state college ranks higher and costs less..."

Hello?

Do you not realize that some kids are applying to colleges and not getting accepted by them?

Perhaps they expensive college that takes 78% (not 80% at St Johns thank you) are the ONLY places they are getting a spot?

A kid who gets accepted at Virginia Wesleyan (private college) can definitely get into some other state colleges as well. Why would any middle class family choose to pay more for Virginia Wesleyan than Longwood?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hardly anyone pays sticker price.

That’s just not accurate. At top 20 schools typically 50-60% of students are not receiving aid. And at the next tier it’s 40-50% (more merit aid comes into play).

I've never understood why people bother to attend private colleges for schools that are outside of the top 150. Every state has public universities that rank the same or higher. Even families who are not paying the full sticker price of $45,000 are generally paying more than what they would pay for a similarly ranked state school Take Virginia Wesleyan for example. It's a non prestigious private college. Why would anyone choose to pay for that as opposed to schools that attract similarly qualified student such as Longwood or Radford. I just don't get it.

Part of the experience for my children was to live out of state for college. They met lots of different people and experienced a different part of the country.[/quote]


Most middle class families can't afford to spend an extra 40,000 for their kid to attend a similarly ranked school simply so they can experience living in a different state. That's what I don't get. With the price of college being so outrageously expensive, it's amazing to me that there are enough families able/willing to pay significantly more simply for a better experience.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hardly anyone pays sticker price.

That’s just not accurate. At top 20 schools typically 50-60% of students are not receiving aid. And at the next tier it’s 40-50% (more merit aid comes into play).

I've never understood why people bother to attend private colleges for schools that are outside of the top 150. Every state has public universities that rank the same or higher. Even families who are not paying the full sticker price of $45,000 are generally paying more than what they would pay for a similarly ranked state school Take Virginia Wesleyan for example. It's a non prestigious private college. Why would anyone choose to pay for that as opposed to schools that attract similarly qualified student such as Longwood or Radford. I just don't get it.

Because decent state schools are usually much more difficult to get into than mediocre private schools. [/quote]


But why spend $40,000 more to attend a mediocre private school than a mediocre state school?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hardly anyone pays sticker price.

That’s just not accurate. At top 20 schools typically 50-60% of students are not receiving aid. And at the next tier it’s 40-50% (more merit aid comes into play).

I've never understood why people bother to attend private colleges for schools that are outside of the top 150. Every state has public universities that rank the same or higher. Even families who are not paying the full sticker price of $45,000 are generally paying more than what they would pay for a similarly ranked state school Take Virginia Wesleyan for example. It's a non prestigious private college. Why would anyone choose to pay for that as opposed to schools that attract similarly qualified student such as Longwood or Radford. I just don't get it.

Part of the experience for my children was to live out of state for college. They met lots of different people and experienced a different part of the country.[/quote]


Most middle class families can't afford to spend an extra 40,000 for their kid to attend a similarly ranked school simply so they can experience living in a different state. That's what I don't get. With the price of college being so outrageously expensive, it's amazing to me that there are enough families able/willing to pay significantly more simply for a better experience.

There are many who make the same argument for CC over the state school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

I've never understood why people bother to attend private colleges for schools that are outside of the top 150. Every state has public universities that rank the same or higher. Even families who are not paying the full sticker price of $45,000 are generally paying more than what they would pay for a similarly ranked state school Take Virginia Wesleyan for example. It's a non prestigious private college. Why would anyone choose to pay for that as opposed to schools that attract similarly qualified student such as Longwood or Radford. I just don't get it.

I can’t speak for outside the top 150, specifically, but most of the kids I’ve seen attend small private colleges did so because of wanting to play college sports, they attended private K-12, wanting a small setting, religious reasons, location, and wanting NOTHING to do with a frat boy U huge bureaucratic public experience.

OK maybe you don't get my point. I can understand why families who are well to do would be willing to pay more for these things. But I am talking about the population at large. The majority of middle class families make under $200,000 and have more than one kid. At this income, ANY college, even state schools are a significant expense. To be willing to pay an extra $40,000 for a similar caliber school (as far as admission standards, job prospects), just to play sports, live in a different state, etc. is not something families that earn under $200,000 can reasonably do.

[Anonymous]

^ Because nothing is more important than education and who your child marries? So you do what you can to put your kid in a setting they’ll thrive and hopefully meet some nice peers.

Huge public universities are sort of scary. Why would you throw a lamb in a pen with wolves? Ditto top 20 US News are full of pushy strivers, so while your daughter can be smart, maybe she’s not like those sorts of kids, so a small “low ranked” private is where she thrives instead.