Anonymous
Post 10/29/2025 13:18     Subject: Paying colleges for humanities or social science majors
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I totally understand the hard situation nowadays because of the economy, job market and AI. It is even hard for students in humanities and social sciences. If my kids were interested in STEm, I would definitely put state flagship as the top or probably only option. Why waste money? But for humanities and social sciences, it used to commonly believed that school ranking, reputation, or connections are very important.

For donut hole families, if your kids are going to study humanities or social sciences, do you think it is worthwhile to pay private colleges, such as Top20 or LAC?


Outside HYPMS, it's better to focus on excellence by major. Overall ranking doesn't make sense any more outside T5.

Premed goes to premed schools.
Engineering goes to tech schools.
Finance goes to ivy and plus.
Humanities goes to schools strong in that particular major. Many are prelaw, so ROI is not necessarily bad. Yes, it may be worth it.


This is a very simplistic way of looking at things. The best schools offer all of these fields and do it all well.
Anonymous
Post 10/29/2025 13:14     Subject: Paying colleges for humanities or social science majors
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I totally understand the hard situation nowadays because of the economy, job market and AI. It is even hard for students in humanities and social sciences. If my kids were interested in STEm, I would definitely put state flagship as the top or probably only option. Why waste money? But for humanities and social sciences, it used to commonly believed that school ranking, reputation, or connections are very important.

For donut hole families, if your kids are going to study humanities or social sciences, do you think it is worthwhile to pay private colleges, such as Top20 or LAC?
[i]


You didn’t say what state you are in but UVA and W&M both excel at humanities. Niche ranks UVA at the top of national universities for this. It’s also tied for 25/26 of all universities and colleges. My DS was a history major, as was I at my $$ SLAC, now $94k a year and so not worth it. Because I’m
still interested in the subject, I read my daughter’s curriculums She had a far better education than I did. More demanding. Very small seminars after core requirements met first year. She had superlative LORs and is now finishing a doctorate at Oxford and starts at Yale Law next year (deferred). UVA College of Arts & Sciences (its largest college) is $40k a year, all in. Most SLACs are now over $90k a year. Look closely at W&M too because it offers a SLAC experience for the price of public. https://www.niche.com/colleges/search/best-colleges-for-humanities/


And s/heeeeeeeeee’s back!
Anonymous
Post 10/29/2025 13:13     Subject: Paying colleges for humanities or social science majors
Anonymous wrote:We probably have too much money to be a donut hole family. I still believe state schools are the way to go, but we live in VA. I basically told my kids they could pick from any of the top 3.


+1
Same here. Having the choices that we have in VA, it makes no sense to look elsewhere. We are very fortunate.
Anonymous
Post 10/29/2025 13:11     Subject: Paying colleges for humanities or social science majors
We landed on paying for T10 but not that middle ground of smaller schools that are just as expensive but not the same pipeline into high-paying careers.

It also depends what field your kid wants to go into. The ROI works out to go to Harvard if you want to go into biglaw. It doesn't work out if you want to be a teacher.
Anonymous
Post 10/29/2025 12:57     Subject: Paying colleges for humanities or social science majors
Anonymous wrote:I totally understand the hard situation nowadays because of the economy, job market and AI. It is even hard for students in humanities and social sciences. If my kids were interested in STEm, I would definitely put state flagship as the top or probably only option. Why waste money? But for humanities and social sciences, it used to commonly believed that school ranking, reputation, or connections are very important.

For donut hole families, if your kids are going to study humanities or social sciences, do you think it is worthwhile to pay private colleges, such as Top20 or LAC?
[i]


You didn’t say what state you are in but UVA and W&M both excel at humanities. Niche ranks UVA at the top of national universities for this. It’s also tied for 25/26 of all universities and colleges. My DS was a history major, as was I at my $$ SLAC, now $94k a year and so not worth it. Because I’m
still interested in the subject, I read my daughter’s curriculums She had a far better education than I did. More demanding. Very small seminars after core requirements met first year. She had superlative LORs and is now finishing a doctorate at Oxford and starts at Yale Law next year (deferred). UVA College of Arts & Sciences (its largest college) is $40k a year, all in. Most SLACs are now over $90k a year. Look closely at W&M too because it offers a SLAC experience for the price of public. https://www.niche.com/colleges/search/best-colleges-for-humanities/
Anonymous
Post 10/29/2025 12:38     Subject: Paying colleges for humanities or social science majors
College and trade school are different.
If you want a degree to beca job credential you are essentially trying to time the job market 4 or 8 years out.
Well rounded, well educated people who know how to learn and know how to plunge into new fields will be employable.
If UMC families are now worried about ROI after grooming larlo for a full pay top school...well you were chasing the wrong rabbit.
Anonymous
Post 10/29/2025 12:37     Subject: Paying colleges for humanities or social science majors
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I totally understand the hard situation nowadays because of the economy, job market and AI. It is even hard for students in humanities and social sciences. If my kids were interested in STEm, I would definitely put state flagship as the top or probably only option. Why waste money? But for humanities and social sciences, it used to commonly believed that school ranking, reputation, or connections are very important.

For donut hole families, if your kids are going to study humanities or social sciences, do you think it is worthwhile to pay private colleges, such as Top20 or LAC?


Outside HYPMS, it's better to focus on excellence by major. Overall ranking doesn't make sense any more outside T5.

Premed goes to premed schools.
Engineering goes to tech schools.
Finance goes to ivy and plus.
Humanities goes to schools strong in that particular major. Many are prelaw, so ROI is not necessarily bad. Yes, it may be worth it.


Exactly what is a premed school?


Well known ones are Case Reserve, Pitts, Pen state, …
Anonymous
Post 10/29/2025 12:12     Subject: Paying colleges for humanities or social science majors
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I totally understand the hard situation nowadays because of the economy, job market and AI. It is even hard for students in humanities and social sciences. If my kids were interested in STEm, I would definitely put state flagship as the top or probably only option. Why waste money? But for humanities and social sciences, it used to commonly believed that school ranking, reputation, or connections are very important.

For donut hole families, if your kids are going to study humanities or social sciences, do you think it is worthwhile to pay private colleges, such as Top20 or LAC?


Outside HYPMS, it's better to focus on excellence by major. Overall ranking doesn't make sense any more outside T5.

Premed goes to premed schools.
Engineering goes to tech schools.
Finance goes to ivy and plus.
Humanities goes to schools strong in that particular major. Many are prelaw, so ROI is not necessarily bad. Yes, it may be worth it.


Exactly what is a premed school?
Anonymous
Post 10/29/2025 11:46     Subject: Paying colleges for humanities or social science majors
It is a challenging question, but we are paying for a Top 30 private for our social sciences DS because he likes the school and location and will receive more personalized instruction with better internship opportunities.
Anonymous
Post 10/29/2025 11:32     Subject: Paying colleges for humanities or social science majors
Anonymous wrote:I totally understand the hard situation nowadays because of the economy, job market and AI. It is even hard for students in humanities and social sciences. If my kids were interested in STEm, I would definitely put state flagship as the top or probably only option. Why waste money? But for humanities and social sciences, it used to commonly believed that school ranking, reputation, or connections are very important.

For donut hole families, if your kids are going to study humanities or social sciences, do you think it is worthwhile to pay private colleges, such as Top20 or LAC?


Outside HYPMS, it's better to focus on excellence by major. Overall ranking doesn't make sense any more outside T5.

Premed goes to premed schools.
Engineering goes to tech schools.
Finance goes to ivy and plus.
Humanities goes to schools strong in that particular major. Many are prelaw, so ROI is not necessarily bad. Yes, it may be worth it.
Anonymous
Post 10/29/2025 11:31     Subject: Re:Paying colleges for humanities or social science majors
Yes. My kid is at an Ivy. He already has gotten two impressive work internships (one currently abroad) and he’s a sophomore. His resume looks better than mine did 3 years out of college.

I was a STEM major myself, and went in-state at a large public university.

If my kids were STEM, I wouldn’t hesitate to send them to a public university.

People will say wait until grad school—but the truth is you can get grad school paid for easily—research, TA, etc. Many Ivies have the 5 year combined masters program too.

Anonymous
Post 10/29/2025 11:25     Subject: Paying colleges for humanities or social science majors
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:We probably have too much money to be a donut hole family. I still believe state schools are the way to go, but we live in VA. I basically told my kids they could pick from any of the top 3.


Which are VT, UVA and GMU?


No, the top 3 are generally considered UVA, VT and W&M

But yes even if you don't get into those, VA is lucky to have some of the best state schools and a variety of options.

Anonymous
Post 10/29/2025 11:22     Subject: Paying colleges for humanities or social science majors
Anonymous wrote:We probably have too much money to be a donut hole family. I still believe state schools are the way to go, but we live in VA. I basically told my kids they could pick from any of the top 3.


Which are VT, UVA and GMU?
Anonymous
Post 10/29/2025 11:19     Subject: Paying colleges for humanities or social science majors
We probably have too much money to be a donut hole family. I still believe state schools are the way to go, but we live in VA. I basically told my kids they could pick from any of the top 3.
Anonymous
Post 10/29/2025 11:16     Subject: Paying colleges for humanities or social science majors
I totally understand the hard situation nowadays because of the economy, job market and AI. It is even hard for students in humanities and social sciences. If my kids were interested in STEm, I would definitely put state flagship as the top or probably only option. Why waste money? But for humanities and social sciences, it used to commonly believed that school ranking, reputation, or connections are very important.

For donut hole families, if your kids are going to study humanities or social sciences, do you think it is worthwhile to pay private colleges, such as Top20 or LAC?