Yale vs Penn State - Your Honest Opinion Please

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Not sure if still true, but at one time Penn State had the largest alumni network in the country--many of whom are powerful or own their own companies.

Quality > quantity

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
If you have the financial means (without going into debt), Yale 100%.

The amount of opportunities while on campus are amazing. And, while I can't speak to how it measures up to Penn State's alumni network, I can say that I was able to use the Yale alumni network to find a job (through informational interviews with alumni from a Yale graduate school that I never met before, just by reaching out) in a field that was a change from my previous career.

I would say most schools aren't worth the difference if both options are a good fit for your DC, but Yale would be an exception.

Attending Yale doesn't guarantee career success, but it definitely helps to open doors.

- Yale (undergrad) Graduate

This is such an important point and one that is not discussed enough when it comes to whether or not an elite college is worth it. We all have our plans when we are 18, but the vast majority of professionals would love the opportunity to change course in some way, if they feel a change is necessary, for various reasons. And I don't just mean- "I'm done with the grind of finance- I want to write a novel!" Things happen in life. You have to become a part-time caretaker for your parent; your pre-teen is going through a rough time; you were a brilliant surgeon and now you get headaches; you want to move with your spouse to a place where your industry isn't... the list goes on. A very powerful alumni network really makes a big difference in this regard.

Nothing says “freedom” like $150,000 in debt at age 22.

A child cannot take out $150,000 in student loans.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yale could open such large career doors that 35k/yr could be a blip in 5yrs. What if ds made $120k coming out of Yale?

Well, he's not going to share it with the parents who paid, so I fail to see how this is relevant.

Lol. The only time this argument is relevant is when Yale comes knocking on the door asking for a donation. It's not the parents who are getting the Yale degree. Go ask the kid for the money.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yale could open such large career doors that 35k/yr could be a blip in 5yrs. What if ds made $120k coming out of Yale?

If he majored in engineering or CS at Penn State he’d make around that coming from there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Cmon if you have the money for full pay you have the money to help with down payment or grad school down the line, This is not the time to cheap out. It is Yale for god sake.

+1

[Anonymous]

The opinion of any poster saying choose Penn State over Yale is worthless, because none of them would ever choose that for their own kid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
If you have the financial means (without going into debt), Yale 100%.

The amount of opportunities while on campus are amazing. And, while I can't speak to how it measures up to Penn State's alumni network, I can say that I was able to use the Yale alumni network to find a job (through informational interviews with alumni from a Yale graduate school that I never met before, just by reaching out) in a field that was a change from my previous career.

I would say most schools aren't worth the difference if both options are a good fit for your DC, but Yale would be an exception.

Attending Yale doesn't guarantee career success, but it definitely helps to open doors.

- Yale (undergrad) Graduate

This is such an important point and one that is not discussed enough when it comes to whether or not an elite college is worth it. We all have our plans when we are 18, but the vast majority of professionals would love the opportunity to change course in some way, if they feel a change is necessary, for various reasons. And I don't just mean- "I'm done with the grind of finance- I want to write a novel!" Things happen in life. You have to become a part-time caretaker for your parent; your pre-teen is going through a rough time; you were a brilliant surgeon and now you get headaches; you want to move with your spouse to a place where your industry isn't... the list goes on. A very powerful alumni network really makes a big difference in this regard.

Nothing says “freedom” like $150,000 in debt at age 22.

They said they could afford it - not that they would be taking out debt for the delta. The question is - if all is bought and paid for - which makes more sense - if parents have to pay an additional 150K (not debt - just outright payments). i think the calculus changes slightly if they are taking on debt - but if child has heart set on Yale and will resent going to state school, then I, as a parent, would move heaven and earth to get them to Yale. If the child only marginally wants Yale (b/c of some bragging rights, prestige - but not because they fell in love with school), then I would have honest discussion about the $$ and what that means for future mom&dad&kid (later retirement, less travel, not likely to help with house downpayment, etc).

[Anonymous]

Let's face it,

If he goes to Penn State, he may be thinking for the rest of his life "I regret not going to Yale... maybe I should have gone to Yale..."

If he goes to Yale, he absolutely not going to think for the rest of his life "I regret not going to Penn State... maybe I should have gone to Penn State..."

[Anonymous]

I'm confused why you think your "DS is lucky to have these two choices." Surely you realize that Penn State is a lot easier to get into than Yale?

And why does your DH think that the "education is exactly the same"? While that may basically be true for some subject matter in some subjects, the name recognition and "prestige level" (DCUM loves prestige!!) are completely different. You know this, right? This is not an apples to apples comparison. One has the reputation of being one of the "best universities in the US" (whether earned or not), and the other has a reputation for being a large Big 10 State U with a big football program.

Did you mean to say that he was accepted to Yale and the University of Pennsylvania, not Penn State?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yale could open such large career doors that 35k/yr could be a blip in 5yrs. What if ds made $120k coming out of Yale?

Well, he's not going to share it with the parents who paid, so I fail to see how this is relevant.

Lol. The only time this argument is relevant is when Yale comes knocking on the door asking for a donation. It's not the parents who are getting the Yale degree. Go ask the kid for the m

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yale could open such large career doors that 35k/yr could be a blip in 5yrs. What if ds made $120k coming out of Yale?

Well, he's not going to share it with the parents who paid, so I fail to see how this is relevant.

Lol. The only time this argument is relevant is when Yale comes knocking on the door asking for a donation. It's not the parents who are getting the Yale degree. Go ask the kid for the money.

My point is, the parents are paying for college. What do they care that the difference is just a blip? They won't see a financial benefit.

[Anonymous]

They explicitly mention the $37k price delta of Yale vs. Penn State. Cost would not be a factor in choosing between Yale and U Penn since they are essentially the same.

The Penn State $37k price delta means they are OOS for Penn State.

I can only surmise they let their kid apply to Yale thinking he would get rejected, so in the parents' minds they were always paying $50k/year for college.

I don't believe your DH when he says the money could be used for the kid's grad school or a down payment on a house...if you are giving the kid the $$s anyway, then let him use the $$s on Yale if that is what he wants. Sounds to me though that you will conveniently forget to offer these excess funds to your kid (nor likely even mention this offer to him) when the time comes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yale could open such large career doors that 35k/yr could be a blip in 5yrs. What if ds made $120k coming out of Yale?

Well, he's not going to share it with the parents who paid, so I fail to see how this is relevant.

Lol. The only time this argument is relevant is when Yale comes knocking on the door asking for a donation. It's not the parents who are getting the Yale degree. Go ask the kid for the money.

My point is, the parents are paying for college. What do they care that the difference is just a blip? They won't see a financial benefit.

As a parent you see the benefit when your kids "pay it forward" by having a successful career and thus being able to provide advantages to their kids (i.e., your grandkids).

And one of those advantages would be Yale legacy status, if that's still a thing when the OPs grandkids are ready for college 25-30 years from now or whenever.

[Anonymous]

My honest opinion - how is this a question? Yale all the way!

Many people I know from middle class families, would only pay for T5 over state schools for their high achieving kids. Some would pay for T10. Yale would be a no brainer if the kid likes it Don't be myopic.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The opinion of any poster saying choose Penn State over Yale is worthless, because none of them would ever choose that for their own kid.

Pfft. I'm sure it's happened many times.