So several times in the past few years you have heard of kids where you know where they were accepted, that they got a full ride somewhere and turned it down, and the parents’ net worth.

No.

I'll take imaginary First World problems for a thousand Alex.

Full ride at ND for this family (even though I hate their football team). I think kids who have those kinds of options are going to be successful no matter where they go, and the minor prestige bump at Wharton isn't going to provide a meaningful advantage.

Incidentally, my friend's kid picked ND over Yale a couple years ago. It just clicked for the kid. My impression is that the people who like ND really like it.

I suspect Wharton grads make more than Mendoza grads out of college, by a bit. But that 400k in tuition would be well over 5mm by the time the kid is 50 which would erase any gap ... likely by millions.

Wharton simply because of the prestige level in an area where prestige is #1.

I'd take the full ride, for sure, but also, maybe MYOB?

I’m not Catholic and nothing about ND appeals to me, but from an academic and reputation standpoint, I’d take the full ride at ND in a heartbeat. Ditto Vanderbilt over Duke.

Anonymous wrote:Same reason people drive Mercedes when they can drive Lexus.

Mercedes are terribly unreliable and we would never buy another. Lexus makes better cars.

Wharton and it is not even close. If the choice was between full ride at a top10 then maybe.

Same reason people drive Mercedes when they can drive Lexus.

We would struggle but take Wharton over ND any day. Your mileage may vary.

I think it's just too tempting to go with THE big name. Wharton has huge pull. It's not a great decision financially at all, yet people can't resist. I think that trend is dying down due to the fact that it simply is not a stretch that very many people can afford.

Anonymous wrote:Those are choices that are so close together that it's ridiculous not to take the full ride.

It's not even "full ride at target vs full pay at reach", it's "full ride at reach vs full pay at different reach".

ITA. And "fit" at these programs is mostly unknowable. If they were both good enough to be on your list, then your experience will come down to your roommate, the romantic relationship you find, the professors, X factors like a hurricane or a pandemic, and how the football team does. And none of that is anything you can figure out before you go. Take the money, of course.

Those are choices that are so close together that it's ridiculous not to take the full ride.

It's not even "full ride at target vs full pay at reach", it's "full ride at reach vs full pay at different reach".

WWYD: heard this several times in last few years, with similar kind of schools. Stamps at ND vs Wharton. Went w Wharton. Another full ride at Vanderbilt vs full pay at Duke. Went Duke. etc.

this from families with more than one kid and total wealth at 3 or 4ish million (let's say). So full pay for each is possible, but not meaningless.

every time the bigger name school was picked over the full ride. and I'm not really buying fit since these could all be fit schools - they're schools they applied to and acknowledge would have been fine. "but she just really wanted Duke" or whatever. I honestly think you all might love your kids more than I do ... because I'd be banking that money for kid down the road.