Anonymous
03/08/2019 13:27
Subject: Re:cheap vs. expensive universities
OP, this has nothing to do with the price of the universities.
She has to decide if she wants to be an Artist, a Pianist, a Financial wizard or an accountant.
To this point she has been all 4. She might be able to mix two like Art or Pianist and accountant.
Now she has to decide what to do NEXT year. She doesn't have to stick with it forever but she has to decide what to try first.
We can't help with that.
My guess is that in asking you, she is looking to get out of the Financial wizard/Columbia track.
At this point, it seems to me that for either Art or Piano exposure to the world would help her determine where she stands.
I don't know if her teacher and mentor are better to deal with that exposure or Columbia.
But I would guess that at Columbia she would be around people with similar interests that are going through a similar process.
She has to decide if she wants to be an Artist, a Pianist, a Financial wizard or an accountant.
To this point she has been all 4. She might be able to mix two like Art or Pianist and accountant.
Now she has to decide what to do NEXT year. She doesn't have to stick with it forever but she has to decide what to try first.
We can't help with that.
My guess is that in asking you, she is looking to get out of the Financial wizard/Columbia track.
At this point, it seems to me that for either Art or Piano exposure to the world would help her determine where she stands.
I don't know if her teacher and mentor are better to deal with that exposure or Columbia.
But I would guess that at Columbia she would be around people with similar interests that are going through a similar process.
Anonymous
03/08/2019 13:05
Subject: cheap vs. expensive universities
Why no other choices? I find this extremely odd. It's almost like you set her up to attend Mason. I think you did. Or this is a troll.
There is still time to find other options. Keep an eye on the NACA Space Available Survey, comes out in early May. Have her go to her HS counselor now, and express an interest in what else may be available.
There is still time to find other options. Keep an eye on the NACA Space Available Survey, comes out in early May. Have her go to her HS counselor now, and express an interest in what else may be available.
Anonymous
03/08/2019 11:43
Subject: Re:cheap vs. expensive universities
How much a year are these if va resident?
Anonymous
03/08/2019 11:16
Subject: cheap vs. expensive universities
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Columbia will open up jobs GMU may not such as Wall Street jobs and certain high paid consulting jobs. If her goal is doing typical taxes yeah I can see your pt.
OP here. I really do not care about Wall Street jobs. I have many clients who work on Wall Streets and private equity and they will give my daughter an internship as a gateway into Wall Street jobs if she wants to. My daughter is also a "cheap skate". She has questioned the cost of attending Columbia University vs. George Mason in the past two weeks. She realizes that not everyone has 320k in the bank for college tuition.
She asked for my opinion and I've told her what I think but I said to her that she will have to decide herself. Whatever she decides will fine with my wife and I.
In this case, I'd tell her go to GM, live on campus, and save the rest of the college fund for grad school.
Are there no other options between GMU and Columbia? I would think other in-state VA public options might make more sense--UVA and W&M both have excellent business schools if they were options (I'm assuming if she got into Columbia she could get into these, but I could be wrong).
This is the part I don’t understand and makes me think op is a troll.
UVA is perfect compromise for the dilemma.
+1
Surely a budget minded student with strong scores would apply to and get accepted at schools from the UVA, W and M, Virginia Tech list.
Anonymous
03/08/2019 11:12
Subject: cheap vs. expensive universities
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Columbia will open up jobs GMU may not such as Wall Street jobs and certain high paid consulting jobs. If her goal is doing typical taxes yeah I can see your pt.
+1. But, since you have they money, if she goes to Mason, she should live on campus. You definitely miss a big part of the experience living at home. DH did that and it's a big regret for him.
I am much like OPs daughter and even went to GMU and lived at home. I have absolutely no regrets. Guess what I did at age 23 in 2000? I purchased a SFH in Vienna woods as soon as I got my first professional job. I immediately got roommates and loved for free.
I have no regrets. At age 41 I have a home that is paid off and a job that pays just shy of 300k and have invested heavily in real estate. I know people my same age still paying college loans! I'd much rather of not had a college "experience" and have what I do today.
Anonymous
03/08/2019 11:11
Subject: cheap vs. expensive universities
Op - I was going to root for you - what a huge financial head start to give her over $200k in cash. Plus you can get her the Wall Street type internships and connections (which would be the advantage of an Ivy). Plus she can intern in NYC (and get the full experience of living there).
But then you said if she does not need the money you will give it to charity. So now I think you are a weird troll.
But then you said if she does not need the money you will give it to charity. So now I think you are a weird troll.
Anonymous
03/08/2019 11:02
Subject: cheap vs. expensive universities
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:I find this post extremely hard to believe. I also find it hard to believe your friends will turn down Ivy League finance students to give your kid a spot as an intern. And sure her Ivy League co-interns won’t notice at all and assume she’s completely unqualified and just had an in. I turned down a higher ranked law school for a full ride scholarship but both schools were top 15. Here they are far apart.
Just because someone doesn't go to one, they're automatically "unqualified"? These Ivy League schools sure pump their all kinds of weird ideas into people's heads.
OP here. My DD visited both UVA and WM. She didn't like either one of them. She visited Columbia and she likes it because it is in an urban area. She just questions the cost of the education at Columbia vs. Mason. I am fine if she wants attend Columbia if she chooses to. The money is for her education no matter what.
Things get a bit complicated in our family situation as well. DD is a accomplished pianist and artist. She is working on her Royal Conservatory Music (RCM) ARCT level and she does not want to leave her current piano teacher. She also has a very good relationship with her art mentor and does not want to leave her mentor either. We purchased a 100K grand piano for her two years ago and she wants to stay @home to practice on that piano for her ARCT music level. My wife and I also adopted a 1 year old baby girl so my DD wants to stay close to bond with her baby sister. DD is also very close to her mother. That's the reason why she applied to Mason.
I have enough to live so I don't need the money I save for DD. Whatever is left over, DD can decide what to do with it. If she does not need it, I will donate it to charity.
OK, now I'm kicking myself for answering earlier because you are obviously a troll OP.
This. First he said, "I want her to go to a good school but I just can not justify spending 320k for a 4 year degree." Then he said what is bolded above. Then he said, she'll have access to whatever is left over (first post) and now again he said she can decide what to do with what is left over. But then he says also now, he'll donate it to charity if she doesn't need it. How would you know if and when she'd need it? Troll.
Anonymous
03/08/2019 10:08
Subject: cheap vs. expensive universities
Anonymous wrote:If she wants to be an accountant then go to GMU. The cheapest/easiest and fastest route to a CPA. Accounting is a field where you decide how much money you want to make. Once you have a CPA nobody cares what school you went to.
Ahhhh...most CPAs I know may about $60k per year so you statement in false. Some will take a temp job just to get a foot in the door. CPAs used to allow you to make as much as you wanted...but that was back in the 70s and 80s.
Anonymous
03/08/2019 09:55
Subject: cheap vs. expensive universities
I encourage you to take the long view. Will GM help you DD get to her long term goals, or not really? Part of growing up is giving up short term fun for long term goals. Or, are you having a hard time letting DD go? Not being snarky -ask yourself this seriously. Someday you will not be here and your DD will still have a life to live. How will you best equip her?
That said, I went to school on scholarship and received the college savings from my parents for investment. I eventually bought a condo and then sold it which helped my DH and I buy a house. No college loans + home down payment has given us a start in our own families life For which we are grateful. This post-graduate money puts a person at least 10 years ahead in savings opportunities than most without that advantage, prestigious college or not.
If GM is fine and you have contacts then I would seriously consider that option. She can always attend a great grad school.
I do agree that living at least the last two years on her own is a valuable experience / even if she just rents near you
That said, I went to school on scholarship and received the college savings from my parents for investment. I eventually bought a condo and then sold it which helped my DH and I buy a house. No college loans + home down payment has given us a start in our own families life For which we are grateful. This post-graduate money puts a person at least 10 years ahead in savings opportunities than most without that advantage, prestigious college or not.
If GM is fine and you have contacts then I would seriously consider that option. She can always attend a great grad school.
I do agree that living at least the last two years on her own is a valuable experience / even if she just rents near you
Anonymous
03/08/2019 09:36
Subject: cheap vs. expensive universities
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:I find this post extremely hard to believe. I also find it hard to believe your friends will turn down Ivy League finance students to give your kid a spot as an intern. And sure her Ivy League co-interns won’t notice at all and assume she’s completely unqualified and just had an in. I turned down a higher ranked law school for a full ride scholarship but both schools were top 15. Here they are far apart.
Just because someone doesn't go to one, they're automatically "unqualified"? These Ivy League schools sure pump their all kinds of weird ideas into people's heads.
OP here. My DD visited both UVA and WM. She didn't like either one of them. She visited Columbia and she likes it because it is in an urban area. She just questions the cost of the education at Columbia vs. Mason. I am fine if she wants attend Columbia if she chooses to. The money is for her education no matter what.
Things get a bit complicated in our family situation as well. DD is a accomplished pianist and artist. She is working on her Royal Conservatory Music (RCM) ARCT level and she does not want to leave her current piano teacher. She also has a very good relationship with her art mentor and does not want to leave her mentor either. We purchased a 100K grand piano for her two years ago and she wants to stay @home to practice on that piano for her ARCT music level. My wife and I also adopted a 1 year old baby girl so my DD wants to stay close to bond with her baby sister. DD is also very close to her mother. That's the reason why she applied to Mason.
I have enough to live so I don't need the money I save for DD. Whatever is left over, DD can decide what to do with it. If she does not need it, I will donate it to charity.
OK, now I'm kicking myself for answering earlier because you are obviously a troll OP.
Anonymous
03/08/2019 09:27
Subject: cheap vs. expensive universities
Anonymous wrote:This is a no-brainer to me - Columbia for sure. It's not like the choice is between Columbia and UVA, where I think it would be higher. There is a huge differential between the quality of education at Columbia and GMU. Also, your child can go in thinking she knows what she wants to do after and then change her mind; that happens a lot in college. And having a very strong liberal arts education is key. You have the money saved, and I would use it.
+1
Although if the choice was between uva and Columbia I'd say the parent would be very justified in pushing uva. But as others have said you cannot, at the acceptance phase, say you won't pay for Columbia. If you won't pay, don't apply.
Anonymous
03/08/2019 09:25
Subject: cheap vs. expensive universities
This is a no-brainer to me - Columbia for sure. It's not like the choice is between Columbia and UVA, where I think it would be higher. There is a huge differential between the quality of education at Columbia and GMU. Also, your child can go in thinking she knows what she wants to do after and then change her mind; that happens a lot in college. And having a very strong liberal arts education is key. You have the money saved, and I would use it.
Anonymous
03/08/2019 09:16
Subject: cheap vs. expensive universities
OP, if you saved all that money for her college, why don't you want to spend it on her college?
She's an adult-she chooses where to go. And where to work someday.
This is so weird.
She's an adult-she chooses where to go. And where to work someday.
This is so weird.
Anonymous
03/08/2019 09:15
Subject: cheap vs. expensive universities
Anonymous wrote:If she wants to be an accountant then go to GMU. The cheapest/easiest and fastest route to a CPA. Accounting is a field where you decide how much money you want to make. Once you have a CPA nobody cares what school you went to.
I agree. The only downside is that going to GMU and then being an accountant is a pretty depressing way to spend your life.
Anonymous
03/08/2019 09:10
Subject: cheap vs. expensive universities
If she wants to be an accountant then go to GMU. The cheapest/easiest and fastest route to a CPA. Accounting is a field where you decide how much money you want to make. Once you have a CPA nobody cares what school you went to.