Top Colleges Are Cheaper Than You Think (Unless You’re Rich)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

But I have to admit I don't understand why there is not a private school that tries to have state-school like tuition? Why don't any of the privates try to compete on cost?

The most elite private colleges don’t have to compete on cost; they could charge more than they do now and still fill their classes.

The lower ranked private schools DO compete on cost. Every single one of of privates my child applied to discounted/gave merit aid that was enough to make tuition, room and board total less than our in state flagship university (Illinois, notriously expensive in state tuition combined with extremely shaky state finances.)

> Now you're making no sense at all. Colleges that don't have to compete on cost don't need to give merit aid. They nearly all do pretend to give need-based aid, however. They just have a very different definition of "need" than most of us who make around $130K.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

But I have to admit I don't understand why there is not a private school that tries to have state-school like tuition? Why don't any of the privates try to compete on cost?

The most elite private colleges don’t have to compete on cost; they could charge more than they do now and still fill their classes.

The lower ranked private schools DO compete on cost. Every single one of of privates my child applied to discounted/gave merit aid that was enough to make tuition, room and board total less than our in state flagship university (Illinois, notriously expensive in state tuition combined with extremely shaky state finances.)

> Now you're making no sense at all. Colleges that don't have to compete on cost don't need to give merit aid. They nearly all do pretend to give need-based aid, however. They just have a very different definition of "need" than most of us who make around $130K.

Maybe I misread. Apologies. The lower ranked privates do probably give merit aid because they have to compete on cost. I wouldn't know. We didn't look at any of those.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

I don't believe this for a second. Each school has it's own way of calculating. That link says home equity isn't counted either. Well that's false. It was definitely counted by the school DC is attending in the fall.

Both the post and the link therein explain that it is around 200 colleges (out of 5000+ nationwide) that count home equity.

If home equity is a problem the the other 95% of colleges should be considered.

Yeah, colleges are all fungible, right? Middle Tennessee State Univ. is just as good as Swarthmore.

So many problems with your post:

- First, no one made the statement you assert

- For many kids the result of one college education will be very similar, if not identical to the next. Certainly I understand one is more preferable than another, just as with any purchase

- If you believe only those 200 colleges are good, and the other 5000 are not worth attending, then you are completely incorrect. Check out a state honors college. You need to.

- If you have the portfolio to get admitted to Swarthmore, there are many, many colleges that will give you a great deal of merit aid.

- If we assume you are correct and those 200 are superior, (and I reject that premise) why should it not cost more for you? Check your privilege.

- Many people have different definitions of what can be afforded and it becomes more about what should be spent.

- Eyerolls and the sentiments that accompany them are distasteful, strengthen no position and help no one. You should stop that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

? what does this mean, fewer than 5% of the colleges are affected?

That less than 5% of colleges use home equity (the primary regional cost of living factor) in their financial aid calculations.

Were you the one above who said these included many or most of the best privates?

I didn't say it, I quoted the link that does.

The very best privates are by far the most generous with financial aid, BTW.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

? what does this mean, fewer than 5% of the colleges are affected?

That less than 5% of colleges use home equity (the primary regional cost of living factor) in their financial aid calculations.

Were you the one above who said these included many or most of the best privates?

I didn't say it, I quoted the link that does.

The very best privates are by far the most generous with financial aid, BTW.

for poor and maybe middle-income people maybe. -

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

? what does this mean, fewer than 5% of the colleges are affected?

That less than 5% of colleges use home equity (the primary regional cost of living factor) in their financial aid calculations.

Were you the one above who said these included many or most of the best privates?

I didn't say it, I quoted the link that does.

The very best privates are by far the most generous with financial aid, BTW.

for poor and maybe middle-income people maybe. -

No, false. Princeton gives an average grant of $19,000 for people making $250K and up, and full tuition and discounted room and board for those making $120-140K, well above the 80th percentile:

https://admission.princeton.edu/who-qualifies-aid

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

? what does this mean, fewer than 5% of the colleges are affected?

That less than 5% of colleges use home equity (the primary regional cost of living factor) in their financial aid calculations.

Were you the one above who said these included many or most of the best privates?

I didn't say it, I quoted the link that does.

The very best privates are by far the most generous with financial aid, BTW.

for poor and maybe middle-income people maybe. -

No, false. Princeton gives an average grant of $19,000 for people making $250K and up, and full tuition and discounted room and board for those making $120-140K, well above the 80th percentile:

https://admission.princeton.edu/who-qualifies-aid

Wow - that's really good financial aid. Is that typical for privates of this caliber?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

? what does this mean, fewer than 5% of the colleges are affected?

That less than 5% of colleges use home equity (the primary regional cost of living factor) in their financial aid calculations.

Were you the one above who said these included many or most of the best privates?

I didn't say it, I quoted the link that does.

The very best privates are by far the most generous with financial aid, BTW.

for poor and maybe middle-income people maybe. -

No, false. Princeton gives an average grant of $19,000 for people making $250K and up, and full tuition and discounted room and board for those making $120-140K, well above the 80th percentile:

https://admission.princeton.edu/who-qualifies-aid

Wow - that's really good financial aid. Is that typical for privates of this caliber?

Yes, at the top privates with big endowments. From Harvard's website:

Families with incomes between $65,000 and $150,000 will contribute from 0-10% of their income, and those with incomes above $150,000 will be asked to pay proportionately more than 10%, based on their individual circumstances.

https://college.harvard.edu/financial-aid/how-aid-works/fact-sheet

From yale's:

$200-250K median scholarship $27,542

https://admissions.yale.edu/financial-aid-prospective-students#whoqualifies

[Anonymous]

Harvard, Princeton and Yale. Yes, highly representative I'm sure.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: Harvard, Princeton and Yale. Yes, highly representative I'm sure.

Those aren’t representative of “top privates”?

They are the definition of the term.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

? what does this mean, fewer than 5% of the colleges are affected?

That less than 5% of colleges use home equity (the primary regional cost of living factor) in their financial aid calculations.

Were you the one above who said these included many or most of the best privates?

I didn't say it, I quoted the link that does.

The very best privates are by far the most generous with financial aid, BTW.

for poor and maybe middle-income people maybe. -

No, false. Princeton gives an average grant of $19,000 for people making $250K and up, and full tuition and discounted room and board for those making $120-140K, well above the 80th percentile:

https://admission.princeton.edu/who-qualifies-aid

Wow - that's really good financial aid. Is that typical for privates of this caliber?

Yes, at the top privates with big endowments. From Harvard's website:

Families with incomes between $65,000 and $150,000 will contribute from 0-10% of their income, and those with incomes above $150,000 will be asked to pay proportionately more than 10%, based on their individual circumstances.

https://college.harvard.edu/financial-aid/how-aid-works/fact-sheet

From yale's:

$200-250K median scholarship $27,542

https://admissions.yale.edu/financial-aid-prospective-students#whoqualifies

These amounts are real. I speak from experience with two of those schools. They are very generous.

[Anonymous]

That cannot be 100% across the board though, each case is unique.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:That cannot be 100% across the board though, each case is unique.

Not sure what you mean as nothing is quoted. If you are referring to the FA awards at top privates, click the links and you will see where they are medians vs. averages... you can also look at the common data sets of each college for different breakdowns.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:That cannot be 100% across the board though, each case is unique.

It isn't. We got zero, with a HHI of $200K, from one of those.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:That cannot be 100% across the board though, each case is unique.

It isn't. We got zero, with a HHI of $200K, from one of those.

Do you also have substantial assets? Really interested to know the particulars, if you are willing to share, as it could be helpful to others. Why did you not get it and others with your income level did?