Vanderbilt (Full Ride) vs Harvard ($18k/year) vs Yale ($14k/year) vs Duke ($19.5k/year)

[Anonymous]

Why do you say “three” but your subject line lists four schools?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid was lucky enough to be admitted to all three of these colleges. We are debating between the three. He was dead-set on an HYP outcome and managed to get into two of them! He also got into Duke, which was very high on his wish list! However, he got into Vanderbilt and we were stunned when he won a full merit scholarship. We aren't rich, but applied for financial aid and got good funding for all of his favorite choices. Vanderbilt was never at the top of his list, but a full scholarship makes it very tempting. He might go to law school after college, and saving the money would be really helpful for him in the future. However, I am not sure if we are going to regret turning down the Harvard, Yale, or Duke brands.

Vanderbilt if he’s visited it and thinks he’d be happier there. Vanderbilt with a named scholarship is plenty prestigious.

Otherwise, Harvard if he wants to hang out in Boston, and Yale if he cares more about the quality of the education.

He should be able to pay most of the bills with guaranteed student loans, work-study and summer jobs, so the net cost isn’t high enough to be the deciding factor.

I'd argue the net cost should be a part of the deciding factor. Saving ~$20K/year is a year of law school in 4+ years. So 80K less loans. And yes, it will be easier to shine at Vandy than at Yale/Harvard.

[Anonymous]

They all have big enough names not to matter. But Harvard and Yale are huge names. Duke behind HYP but ahead of Vanderbilt.

I wouldn't pay 19/k year more for Duke v Vanderbilt

I would pay 14 or 19 K more a year for Yale or Harvard.

Unless my kid loved Vanderbilt or Duke, I would suggest the loans for Yale or Hrvard and the amt difference (4K) between them is sm enough I wouldn't allow cost to matter.

[Anonymous]

Harvard or Yale (I'd probably choose the latter for undergrad). Far smarter kids overall, better future contacts, fantastic experiences and learning environments. (I've attended both.) Vanderbilt is fine but simply not in the same league. If you can afford the extra tuition the final payoff, in so many ways, will be worth it.

[Anonymous]

Kids from lower socioeconomic backgrounds tend to not have the connections for those super high paying jobs. This means the transcript and major matter a lot. Confounded with this is many kids get into Harvard and Yale from lower socioeconomic backgrounds and can’t hit the ground running in terms of academic success due to factors out of their control - they haven’t had to ask for help, aren’t coming from a top private or strong public, expectations at weaker high schools are lower than Philips Andover etc. I would honestly chose Vanderbilt and not take on debt.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Kids from lower socioeconomic backgrounds tend to not have the connections for those super high paying jobs. This means the transcript and major matter a lot. Confounded with this is many kids get into Harvard and Yale from lower socioeconomic backgrounds and can’t hit the ground running in terms of academic success due to factors out of their control - they haven’t had to ask for help, aren’t coming from a top private or strong public, expectations at weaker high schools are lower than Philips Andover etc. I would honestly chose Vanderbilt and not take on debt.

Ridiculous, Harvard and Yale give more As than most any other school.

[Anonymous]

Harvard. Super f&cking easy school to get straight As - MIT grad

[Anonymous]

As for why Harvard over Yale - New Haven is a sh&t show of crime. Cambridge used to be a bit sketchy back in my day and today it's way less sketchy.

[Anonymous]

lol in classic fashion DCUM is off the mark and has regional bias. Harvard >>> Yale still for anything but law/history. If no to Harvard, then Duke and Yale are pretty equivalent in terms of opportunities, so if their “chiller” environment is desired, go off fit. Vandy for the $$ is great, but if your kid wants the warm weather and good school spirit just go to Duke.

[Anonymous]

I would take Yale at $14k, thanks my lucky stars and run. That’s cheaper than state school for most kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would take Yale at $14k, thanks my lucky stars and run. That’s cheaper than state school for most kids.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:lol in classic fashion DCUM is off the mark and has regional bias. Harvard >>> Yale still for anything but law/history. If no to Harvard, then Duke and Yale are pretty equivalent in terms of opportunities, so if their “chiller” environment is desired, go off fit. Vandy for the $$ is great, but if your kid wants the warm weather and good school spirit just go to Duke.

I mean, people are answering the question. the OP said the kid is prelaw.

who is off the mark here?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Kids from lower socioeconomic backgrounds tend to not have the connections for those super high paying jobs. This means the transcript and major matter a lot. Confounded with this is many kids get into Harvard and Yale from lower socioeconomic backgrounds and can’t hit the ground running in terms of academic success due to factors out of their control - they haven’t had to ask for help, aren’t coming from a top private or strong public, expectations at weaker high schools are lower than Philips Andover etc. I would honestly chose Vanderbilt and not take on debt.

Ironically, Vanderbilt is known for grade deflation. It's not a school to expect easy A's at.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Harvard. Super f&cking easy school to get straight As - MIT grad

Unless you have to take calculus...

[Anonymous]

What school would your kid fit in the best? I think Vandy is the hardest socially so I would not pick that one if socially it would be a challenge