Keep in mind, that travel is another expense. Flying from the DMV to SF 4x/year (Thanksgiving, Christmas break, Spring Break, Summer Break) will be expensive and you'll probably need to spend at least $1200/year assuming that each round trip is around $300.

DC to Princeton, NJ would be a cheap train or bus ticket. Plus, if you want to make a quick visit or if he wants to come home for the weekend, it won't be a prohibitive expense.

Is it just you and your son or do you have other children?

At your income level, it would be insane to turn down free Princeton. If this were UMD vs Stanford, then I could see making sacrifices. But there's no chance I'd pay $23k extra just so my kid can choose one T5 over another.

Save that cash and give it to your kid upon graduation. A $100k nest egg and Princeton degree will set him up very, very well as he begins adulthood.

If you live on the East coast travel would be another expense. I'd choose Princeton hands down. You can buy him a car or something to help.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are you really UMC if you are getting that much aid? We are full pay everywhere…ugh - but doing the Ivy. In this case, I’d do Stanford since he’s so set on it.

We have no real assets, live in an apartment, dad died 3 years ago. Our HHI is under $100k/year and we have a lot of help from the grandparents.

Then why did you call yourself upper middle class in your op?


If grandparents are wealthy and willing to completely foot the bill for Stanford then sure. Otherwise at your HHI it would be utterly ridiculous and financially irresponsible for you to pay more than 25% of your gross income towards tuition costs when there is a T10 option for free.

Based on your description you are not UMC. I appreciate you being very humble unlike most here.

I would do Princeton. But perhaps call Stanford first and see what they can do. Where do you live? DC area? The incremental cost of a few trips back and forth to the bay area vs. a quick drive to NJ is not trivial. I wouldn't base my decision on it but it matters.

Congratulations to your child. Best of luck.

Can he do Princeton undergrad and then set his sights on Stanford for grad school? This idea that kids have be awarded their dream undergrad experience without consideration of cost is mostly modern. Princeton is an excellent choice.

You could also call Stanford and explain the situation. Yours is a rare one and they might budge knowing Princeton offered a free ride.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are you really UMC if you are getting that much aid? We are full pay everywhere…ugh - but doing the Ivy. In this case, I’d do Stanford since he’s so set on it.

We have no real assets, live in an apartment, dad died 3 years ago. Our HHI is under $100k/year and we have a lot of help from the grandparents.

So sorry. If the grandparents are helping- I’d do Stanford. Poor kid already has trauma of parental death. I’d do this because it sounds like his dream.

Anonymous wrote:Princeton doesn’t offer free rides so this is an impossible question to answer.

They do if you have a HHI of 160,000 or less. (Though most DCUMers in that bracket wouldn’t self-characterize as middle/upper middle class)

Anonymous wrote:Are you really UMC if you are getting that much aid? We are full pay everywhere…ugh - but doing the Ivy. In this case, I’d do Stanford since he’s so set on it.

We have no real assets, live in an apartment, dad died 3 years ago. Our HHI is under $100k/year and we have a lot of help from the grandparents.

Anonymous wrote:Princeton doesn’t offer free rides so this is an impossible question to answer.

They offer full aid for need blind. Under $200k is free

Anonymous wrote:Princeton doesn’t offer free rides so this is an impossible question to answer.

I'm OP. They subsidized his entire tuition/board with financial aid.

Are you really UMC if you are getting that much aid? We are full pay everywhere…ugh - but doing the Ivy. In this case, I’d do Stanford since he’s so set on it.

Princeton doesn’t offer free rides so this is an impossible question to answer.

My kid got into both of these schools and we are deliberating between the choices. His heart is set on Stanford. He loves the campus, loves the idea of being in the Bay Area, and loves the idea of studying CS at Stanford.

We are not wealthy people and are pretty middle/upper-middle class. The full ride would be a huge relief for our family. However, my kid worked hard and I don't want to deprive him of this incredible opportunity.