Reply to interesting chats have me looking for in-state MD options

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]I've had 3 recent conversations with colleagues/neighbors at high-priced schools. I asked each if they would go the expensive route if they had to do it over again. The families are at different stages - one mom's daughter just graduated from a school in Boston, another has a daughter at Smith and another at another pricey school, and another has a daughter who's a freshman. The only one who is finding the high sticker price worthwhile is the mom with 2 kids - she said she'd pay the money for one of the kids, who wasn't as much of a self-starter, but thinks the other one would've been fine elsewhere. 
[b]What I heard is that at least some families don't find the $70+k prices to provide a decent rate of return.[/b]
[b]That has me wondering if my kid should recalibrate a bit. My kid already planned to apply to the Univ. of Maryland. But I don't know anything about UMBC and St. Mary's, or other options.[/b] Anyone have kids who went there in the past 5 years or so? Would love to know more. My kid is in a magnet program and wants an academic challenge. [/quote]

OP, I am surprised that your friends were able to admit this. Usually people get very defensive of their choices and will rationalize the expense no matter what.

Obviously, a family with a very high income isn’t going to question the extra $20-50k in expense of a private school vs. an in-state school in the same way as a family with a lower income. For some of us (me!), even the $25k to go in-state is a big stretch.

Nobody can tell you if any school is “worth it”. People go to top schools and still end up with crappy careers. People go to schools nobody has ever heard of and end up doing amazing things. There are no guarantees. Of course many people go to state schools and end up doing as good or better than those who went to the top priced schools.

If you are going to “recalibrate” and find a school that is both affordable and a good fit for your kid, you need to not get caught up in rankings and ratings obsession (see the entertaining current frenzy over in the USN&WR thread). And be very realistic with your kid about what you can afford.

Those people on here who say that they wouldn’t let their kid apply to a state school unless it is UMD (which is not a safety for anyone anymore) are the same ones arguing and obsessing over the USN&WR rankings. In the meantime, many of us have smart students [b]who are getting a great education[/b] at in-state schools like UMBC and St. Mary’s without the ridiculous expense.
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How do you know they are getting a great education? [/quote]

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