If your DC goes to a Big 3 do you feel pressure about them getting into a "good" school?

[Anonymous]

Tufts was considered a really good school in the 70's, so I'm not sure this is anything new. Or it was in New England anyway.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Tufts was considered a really good school in the 70's, so I'm not sure this is anything new. Or it was in New England anyway.

It was considered good, but maybe second tier. Now it's firmly at the top of the second tier, or maybe even a bit below the ivies, depending on how you group all these tiers (which is a pointless exercise). Back in the day, people might have chosen Swarthmore over Tufts. Now I think it might be an even call.

[Anonymous]

Nah, not second tier. Maybe near the cellar of the top tier, but definitely not second tier.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Tufts was considered a really good school in the 70's, so I'm not sure this is anything new. Or it was in New England anyway.

It was considered good, but maybe second tier. Now it's firmly at the top of the second tier, or maybe even a bit below the ivies, depending on how you group all these tiers (which is a pointless exercise). Back in the day, people might have chosen Swarthmore over Tufts. Now I think it might be an even call.

You can debate cellar of first tier v. top of second v. middle of second endlessly, but wherever you come out the difference is not as great today as it was 30-40 years ago. What is much more significant, though, is the difference in culture between, say, Swarthmore and Tufts. Yes, both are suburban schools filled with bright, hardworking kids, but there are many differences beyond these similarities -- e.g., size (both overall and class sizes), degree of focus on undergrads, frats, drinking culture, how cerebral the kids are, percent of upperclass students living off campus . . . .etc. I'm not saying that one is better than the other, but that one might be feel just right for one kid and the other not at all. This is what folks really need to focus on.

[Anonymous]

Not me...I spent 35K year for 12 years and now just dont care where DC goes. Anywhere will do!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Tufts was considered a really good school in the 70's, so I'm not sure this is anything new. Or it was in New England anyway.

It was considered good, but maybe second tier. Now it's firmly at the top of the second tier, or maybe even a bit below the ivies, depending on how you group all these tiers (which is a pointless exercise). Back in the day, people might have chosen Swarthmore over Tufts. Now I think it might be an even call.

You can debate cellar of first tier v. top of second v. middle of second endlessly, but wherever you come out the difference is not as great today as it was 30-40 years ago. What is much more significant, though, is the difference in culture between, say, Swarthmore and Tufts. Yes, both are suburban schools filled with bright, hardworking kids, but there are many differences beyond these similarities -- e.g., size (both overall and class sizes), degree of focus on undergrads, frats, drinking culture, how cerebral the kids are, percent of upperclass students living off campus . . . .etc. I'm not saying that one is better than the other, but that one might be feel just right for one kid and the other not at all. This is what folks really need to focus on.

+1