Reply to Does everyone on here with kids applying to top 50 schools really have the $80K per year to spend?

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Reply to "Does everyone on here with kids applying to top 50 schools really have the $80K per year to spend?"

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]I grew up in the Midwest in an area where going to college was the expectation, but very little prestige given to this school over that. People mostly went public.

But .. there was also an expectation that kids got cars over their own in their teen years (new, nice cars). People cared indeed about brand names. People got married pretty young, bought an home at 30,  and had their 3 or 4 kids by the time they were in their mid 30.

My parents were east coast transplants and we had to use the family car when it was free and applied to colleges further afield. We all went to Ivy League schools (in the day when it wasn’t that hard for full pay kids).

And now I live in Brooklyn and see this mania up close.

But as I watch my Midwest friends repeating this cycle I think, that’s a better way.  It’s weird how this college thing overtakes a childhood. My old friends had more kids, roomy houses, less financial stress, got a lake house in MI or WI, are on track for retirement, and their kids had carefree childhoods. They all have fulfilling jobs. Their kids will too.

Why do we do this?[/quote]
 
This is so interesting. What do you think is going on? [/quote]

Same. I actually think my senior DD would love the midwestern university in the town I grew up in. She has toured and does like it but is influenced by the culture here and thinks that because it has a high acceptance rate it isn’t as good as schools with a lower acceptance rate.  She could just pick this school and enjoy her senior year and also enjoy her college experience.  [/quote]

She is correct in that her academic cohort at a lower ranked / acceptance rate college is definitely for the most part, going to be inferior, regardless of the standard of teaching / research at the college. [/quote]

40% of kids at Williams, Amherst etc all recruited athletes.  Why do people still buy this?[/quote]

To me, recruited athletes deserve an advantage in admission.  They have the motivation and self-discipline to be an athlete, all while meeting academic qualifications.  (My 3 kids are involved in sports, but at primarily a rec level, and so won't be recruited athletes.  And so I do not have a dog in this fight. )  So I definitely do not think that the 40% of kids who are recruited athletes there mean that they are lower quality -- I'd love for my kids to be around such a high-achieving cohort.[/quote]

I agree. This is one of few hooks that is actually merit and hard work based. My DCs are very young, and neither DH not I were athletic recruits, so no skin in this game, but any HS athlete who can also maintain top grades at a good school has my utmost respect. It is so much hard work, dedication and good organizational skills. [/quote]

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