The students who get into top SLACs and top universities don't seem to be picking the former

[Anonymous]

Can we just acknowledge that not all LACS or SLACS are rural and that not all big stage schools are urban?

Thank you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Can we just acknowledge that not all LACS or SLACS are rural and that not all big stage schools are urban?

Thank you.

+1 These are two different preferences. You can go to an urban big school or an urban LAC or a rural/small town setting that is big or small.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:This isn't a recent trend by any means. People regularly turn down even the very top LACs (Williams and Amherst) for universities ranked around ~15, ~20.

LOL

What percentage of high school kids get into both top LACs and T15-20 universities? You're talking about a bubble.

Uh I can think of more than a handful in just this past cycle alone. Clearly the OP can as well.

Yes, you live in a bubble.

And so do you. Time to step out of it.

[Anonymous]

SLACs are going hit as high as 83K a year. My iwn is not worth it. My kids weren’t even interested and I didn’t see the value in it anymore

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:SLACs are going hit as high as 83K a year. My iwn is not worth it. My kids weren’t even interested and I didn’t see the value in it anymore

I don't think any school, LAC or big U is worth $83k. But plenty of good schools offer merit aid so that the sticker price is meaningless.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:SLACs are going hit as high as 83K a year. My iwn is not worth it. My kids weren’t even interested and I didn’t see the value in it anymore

I don't think any school, LAC or big U is worth $83k. But plenty of good schools offer merit aid so that the sticker price is meaningless.

And before someone chimes in with “it’s worth it because rich people are willing to pay it or because anybody is willing to,” there’s an unlimited flow of student parent loans propping up the price.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:SLACs are going hit as high as 83K a year. My iwn is not worth it. My kids weren’t even interested and I didn’t see the value in it anymore

I don't think any school, LAC or big U is worth $83k. But plenty of good schools offer merit aid so that the sticker price is meaningless.

And before someone chimes in with “it’s worth it because rich people are willing to pay it or because anybody is willing to,” there’s an unlimited flow of student parent loans propping up the price.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:SLACs are going hit as high as 83K a year. My iwn is not worth it. My kids weren’t even interested and I didn’t see the value in it anymore

I don't think any school, LAC or big U is worth $83k. But plenty of good schools offer merit aid so that the sticker price is meaningless.

And before someone chimes in with “it’s worth it because rich people are willing to pay it or because anybody is willing to,” there’s an unlimited flow of student parent loans propping up the price.

Not all loans are bad. I had them for undergrad and again for grad. Without them, I probably would not have had the experiences to land the jobs I have over my career. That said, I really think it is insane when I hear about folks financing MFAs @ Columbia/NYU on credit and debt. Either move to NYC on your own and work or get an MFA in a MUCH LESS expensive part of the country, then move to NYC (or LA). It is borderline negligent for schools to run these programs when they cannot point to a single grad working in that area of study!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:SLACs are going hit as high as 83K a year. My iwn is not worth it. My kids weren’t even interested and I didn’t see the value in it anymore

I don't think any school, LAC or big U is worth $83k. But plenty of good schools offer merit aid so that the sticker price is meaningless.

+ 1 DS got a merit scholarship to a SLAC that makes it less than some of the OOS state flagships he got into.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:SLACs are going hit as high as 83K a year. My iwn is not worth it. My kids weren’t even interested and I didn’t see the value in it anymore

I don't think any school, LAC or big U is worth $83k. But plenty of good schools offer merit aid so that the sticker price is meaningless.

The top SLACs don’t offer merit. And no one should enter this market on the assumption that they will get merit many oysters in here seem to be surprised when their kid is accepted without merit and with a full tab owed. I can’t tell you how many posts I’ve seen: “OMG I just learned that DD’s favorite school, Northwestern, is $85k a year. No way can we afford that”. Too many here don’t understand that merit comes only from second and third tier SLACs and usually your child is offering something (high ACT; high SAT) in exchange for the merit money. And many parents here don’t understand his few Dc area families quality for anything under FAFSA. Do your homework first, work the net price calculators, file FAFSA early but don’t count on it (we got zero)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Could it be that you just happen to know kids raised in a city? I know that my city-raised Junior can’t fathom spending 4 years locked in a small town. Concerned the social life would revolve exclusively around alcohol and there just wouldn’t be enough off campus restaurants and activities to them happy for 4 years. Feels like a step backwards for a teen who has enjoyed exploring the city they live in. I do see much less interest in alcohol from Gen Z as compared to Gen X.

Interesting. My kid has zero interest in alcohol or partying. I suppose this could change but it has seemed hard wired from a very young age. I suspect Michael Jackson’s death made an impression — not kidding.

My “sort of” city kid also can’t fathom rural life. DC was interested in Colgate but the feelings dimmed after driving through cow pastures to get there. The town feels like a stage set and not real life. Happy to let the other 22,000 kids take a shot with that school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:SLACs are going hit as high as 83K a year. My iwn is not worth it. My kids weren’t even interested and I didn’t see the value in it anymore

I don't think any school, LAC or big U is worth $83k. But plenty of good schools offer merit aid so that the sticker price is meaningless.

And before someone chimes in with “it’s worth it because rich people are willing to pay it or because anybody is willing to,” there’s an unlimited flow of student parent loans propping up the price.

We were happy to be full pay to support DC’s decision to ED at his first choice NESCAC. That investment paid off in a remarkable four year journey and a six figure job at a FAANG. I suppose it all comes down to whether one can afford the investment and the value one places on education.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Could it be that you just happen to know kids raised in a city? I know that my city-raised Junior can’t fathom spending 4 years locked in a small town. Concerned the social life would revolve exclusively around alcohol and there just wouldn’t be enough off campus restaurants and activities to them happy for 4 years. Feels like a step backwards for a teen who has enjoyed exploring the city they live in. I do see much less interest in alcohol from Gen Z as compared to Gen X.

Completely agree. Our DD was accepted to schools in areas she considered “too remote” (ie Syracuse, Wake Forest, Vassar.) Interesting that she and a number of her friends who were raised in the DC area prefer to be in a city/close proximity to a major city for college.

My kid is similar but is okay with a smaller city. I’m glad as I think it will be good to experience a smaller city vibe. It is SO nice that it takes 15 min to get anywhere. No traffic!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:SLACs are going hit as high as 83K a year. My iwn is not worth it. My kids weren’t even interested and I didn’t see the value in it anymore

I don't think any school, LAC or big U is worth $83k. But plenty of good schools offer merit aid so that the sticker price is meaningless.

And before someone chimes in with “it’s worth it because rich people are willing to pay it or because anybody is willing to,” there’s an unlimited flow of student parent loans propping up the price.

We were happy to be full pay to support DC’s decision to ED at his first choice NESCAC. That investment paid off in a remarkable four year journey and a six figure job at a FAANG. I suppose it all comes down to whether one can afford the investment and the value one places on education.

CS at a NESCAC school? Really?

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:Why are kids even applying to SLACS then?

Colgate had something like 22000 applicants this year. A few years ago it was 9000.

Why are kids applying to 10+ schools period? They are casting a wide net.

There are plenty of large universities to cast a wide net without applying to SLACS. So why are kids still applying to SLACS?

If you asked my DC who just applied to 20 schools all over the map he would say:

For variety
For fun
Because I can

Maybe he does not understand the point of the process. Or does not know himself?

The "point of the process," one is led to believe, it to find a school, or group of schools, that will admit a student, and then pick one. It's not that complicated. He's not getting into Harvard, but also think that he can excel at a school beyond community college.

What 17-year-old boy really knows himself?

My response to you, and to PP who states that he still has time to pick up wisdom - is to say -- the system is set up for this. Once a student has slaved over a common app, what problem is it to push a button for a few more submits, especially when there is no application fee, as there is in a large number of these schools, both state universities and SLACs? Oh sure, he had to write a few more supplement essays, but those are largely cut and paste projects as well.

And voila - before he knows it, student ends up with applications submitted to 20 different schools - SLACs, large universities, smaller colleges - whatever you want. My DC ended up with a nice choice to pick from.

Creating more work for other people, applying to schools he’a not really interested in, would never really consider going to, and possibly taking away slots that one of his classmates might have received. I’m sure you don’t see it that way, you are teaching him that his own self is the most important thing, but not all of us have that worldview.

You’re absolutely right. I don’t see it that way at all.

As expected.

But you seem to assume that you are right. You’re not. SLACs love to brag about how many applications they get. So, why not give it to them?