Anonymous wrote:Only about 12-15 schools in the US are worth it as far as highest concentration of 1530+ students, increased chances of getting into T14 law/T30 med/T10 phD, and increased chances of getting the most prestigious jobs.
Provided you do not need significant loans, which you usually don’t as these same schools have the most generous financial aid typically with minimal or no loans in the package.

Who are those 12-15?

And you are not going to get any aid at these places if you have a DMV house that is worth $1 million.

We have HHI $300K. Two kids in college. Places like Brown and Duke gave us zero aid this year because we have too much equity in our residence (a completely basic $1.2 million dollar DC, 1200 square foot colonial with zero upgrades).

Not saying we are not fortunate but just that these schools make zero sense for a large and growing middle ground of students like ours.

Trumpflation, Dear leader says love inflation you lowly maggats.

Outrageous! SMU, GWU!!:
1. Harvey Mudd College $104,512
2. Duke University $103,975
3. University of Chicago $103,821
4. University of Southern California $103,162
5. Barnard College $103,000
6. Washington University $102,260
7. Smith College $102,226
8. Fordham University $102,188
9. Claremont McKenna $101,990
10. Vassar College $101,051
11. Wesleyan University $101,030
12. New York University $100,998
13. Georgetown University $100,864
14. Bates College $100,437
15. Colgate University $100,224
16. Haverford College $100,026
17. Brown University $99,994
18. Northwestern University $99,375
19. Pepperdine University $99,258
20. Hamilton College $98,850
21. Amherst College $98,840
22. Wellesley College $98,186
23. Rice University $97,309
24. Southern Methodist University$96,388
25. Columbia University (2025-26) $95,946
26. George Washington University$95,155

Only about 12-15 schools in the US are worth it as far as highest concentration of 1530+ students, increased chances of getting into T14 law/T30 med/T10 phD, and increased chances of getting the most prestigious jobs.
Provided you do not need significant loans, which you usually don’t as these same schools have the most generous financial aid typically with minimal or no loans in the package.

Wow, paying $100K for Smith, Vassar, Bates or Colgate is insanity.

And Colgate, Bates and Vassar offer ZERO merit aid.

Why on earth would anyone pay that much for these colleges?

Only 30-40% pay full price, and income threshold for full ride keep going up, someone have to pay the bill.

I kind of like the current system, but it needs fine tune. Top kids of low income get into top colleges for free, top 1% gets 20% seats by paying full tuition+donation, trade off is some high stats HMC kids were kept out even lots are full pay.

Why $100,000 on an LAC? I get Harvey Mudd and Claremont McKenna, but smith? Really?

Anonymous wrote:Why are colleges in super high cost of living areas like NYU the same price as colleges in the middle of nowhere New England? Those dorm prices cannot be the same

Building materials skyrocketing and low inventory drive housing costs. Those low cost of living places often don’t have the off campus inventory to house thousands of students. The off campus available is often horribly maintained and really scrubby for what is charged because the demand exceeds supply.

I was already spending that the last year or 2.

Why are colleges in super high cost of living areas like NYU the same price as colleges in the middle of nowhere New England? Those dorm prices cannot be the same

Anonymous wrote:Tuition keeps going up, employment rate keeps going down.

Whose to blame for that? MAGA/Republicans

Tuition keeps going up, employment rate keeps going down.

Nothing mind blowing other than people keep paying!

https://www.cnbc.com/2026/06/10/college-six-figure-sticker-price.html