Anonymous
Post 06/11/2026 09:08     Subject: 100k+ COA is here
Anonymous wrote:Why on earth would anyone pay that much for these colleges?


Because that’s what it costs??? lol what kind of question is this.

Do you seriously doubt there are people with more money than you in the world?
Anonymous
Post 06/11/2026 09:05     Subject: 100k+ COA is here
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
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


Williams runs on $97k, Amherst about the same. These are as prestigious as Harvard and Yale, but at a lower cost than schools like NYU.

Williams nor Amherst are anywhere near Harvard level, are you crazy? They’re good generalist teaching colleges, but Ivy level they are not.


I chose Amherst over an Ivy as did many of my peers. Much easier to get into Harvard or Yale law from Amherst than from most ivies. Also into med school etc. it’s a major feeder to consulting, Wall Street, prestigious post grad fellowships, and grad schools.
Anonymous
Post 06/11/2026 08:59     Subject: 100k+ COA is here
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:All colleges should be tuition free for domestic students. I cannot imagine how schools with massive endowments still have the nerve to charge more than $100K a year.


All those administrators making $500k a year adds up to a lot.


Most administrators in higher ed are making closer to $50k.


This. There are actually very few administrators who make the big bucks.
The 100K kids are subsidizing the 50% of kids who go for free.
Anonymous
Post 06/11/2026 06:33     Subject: 100k+ COA is here
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:All colleges should be tuition free for domestic students. I cannot imagine how schools with massive endowments still have the nerve to charge more than $100K a year.


People do not understand how endowments work. They are mostly restricted to purpose and cannot be used as people wish them used.


This comment doesn’t understand how endowments work. Mostly restricted doesn’t mean entirely restricted, and even the restricted parts free up other funds to be used for other purposes. In fact, the endowments are often what makes possible the large tuition discounts offered to a huge chunk of students.
Anonymous
Post 06/11/2026 06:20     Subject: 100k+ COA is here
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:All colleges should be tuition free for domestic students. I cannot imagine how schools with massive endowments still have the nerve to charge more than $100K a year.


All those administrators making $500k a year adds up to a lot.


Most administrators in higher ed are making closer to $50k.
Anonymous
Post 06/11/2026 05:54     Subject: 100k+ COA is here
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
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


Williams runs on $97k, Amherst about the same. These are as prestigious as Harvard and Yale, but at a lower cost than schools like NYU.

Williams nor Amherst are anywhere near Harvard level, are you crazy? They’re good generalist teaching colleges, but Ivy level they are not.


Both are better than any Ivy for undergraduate education. About 20 years ago Harvard actually set up a task force and produced a report in an attempt to improve their teaching to the levels of the top SLACs.


Link?
Anonymous
Post 06/11/2026 05:54     Subject: 100k+ COA is here
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
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?






NP - these 12:

1. Harvey Mudd College $104,512
2. Duke University $103,975
3. University of Chicago $103,821
4. Wesleyan University $101,030
5. New York University $100,998
6. Georgetown University $100,864
7. Brown University $99,994
8. Northwestern University $99,375
9. Amherst College $98,840
10. Wellesley College $98,186
11. Rice University $97,309
12. Columbia University (2025-26) $95,946



Why Wesleyan? not WashU or CMC?


Read before posting. Neither WashU nor CMC were on the list in OP’s article.


I think it is possible WashU was as it is titled Washington University and costs about that much. Makes sense that is the school meant, UDub is neither that price nor that name.
Anonymous
Post 06/11/2026 03:16     Subject: 100k+ COA is here
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Why $100,000 on an LAC? I get Harvey Mudd and Claremont McKenna, but smith? Really?


And exactly why are HMC and Mudd superior to Smith? Smith has a far more storied history than either and has consistently outranked HMC.

For engineering? For mathematics? For computer science? For physics? For degrees you can actually get a return on the investment? Same with CMC. Go check out CMC’s economics department then smith’s and come back with your findings about its “storied history,” whatever tf that means
Anonymous
Post 06/11/2026 03:14     Subject: 100k+ COA is here
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
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?




NP - these 12:

1. Harvey Mudd College $104,512
2. Duke University $103,975
3. University of Chicago $103,821
4. Wesleyan University $101,030
5. New York University $100,998
6. Georgetown University $100,864
7. Brown University $99,994
8. Northwestern University $99,375
9. Amherst College $98,840
10. Wellesley College $98,186
11. Rice University $97,309
12. Columbia University (2025-26) $95,946



Why Wesleyan? not WashU or CMC?


Read before posting. Neither WashU nor CMC were on the list in OP’s article.

CMC is ranked 9th on OP’s article
Anonymous
Post 06/11/2026 03:13     Subject: 100k+ COA is here
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
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


Williams runs on $97k, Amherst about the same. These are as prestigious as Harvard and Yale, but at a lower cost than schools like NYU.

Williams nor Amherst are anywhere near Harvard level, are you crazy? They’re good generalist teaching colleges, but Ivy level they are not.


Both are better than any Ivy for undergraduate education. About 20 years ago Harvard actually set up a task force and produced a report in an attempt to improve their teaching to the levels of the top SLACs.

Princeton is much better than Amherst and Williams for undergraduate education. Same with Yale. And Brown. And frankly, Columbia.
Anonymous
Post 06/11/2026 01:17     Subject: Re:100k+ COA is here
Anonymous wrote:Well upper income brackets can keep subsidizing the lower income brackets until the former says enough is enough. Absolutely nuts to have income level “cut-offs” by the way! We are priced out like most UMC families, but that’s OK because outcomes in the U.S. are based on intelligence and work ethic anyway. Not a popular opinion on dcum, but true!

100% I've got a top 1% income and NW coming from a non-selective SUNY.
Anonymous
Post 06/11/2026 00:49     Subject: Re:100k+ COA is here
Well upper income brackets can keep subsidizing the lower income brackets until the former says enough is enough. Absolutely nuts to have income level “cut-offs” by the way! We are priced out like most UMC families, but that’s OK because outcomes in the U.S. are based on intelligence and work ethic anyway. Not a popular opinion on dcum, but true!
Anonymous
Post 06/11/2026 00:47     Subject: 100k+ COA is here
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
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?




NP - these 12:

1. Harvey Mudd College $104,512
2. Duke University $103,975
3. University of Chicago $103,821
4. Wesleyan University $101,030
5. New York University $100,998
6. Georgetown University $100,864
7. Brown University $99,994
8. Northwestern University $99,375
9. Amherst College $98,840
10. Wellesley College $98,186
11. Rice University $97,309
12. Columbia University (2025-26) $95,946



Why Wesleyan? not WashU or CMC?


Read before posting. Neither WashU nor CMC were on the list in OP’s article.
Anonymous
Post 06/11/2026 00:43     Subject: 100k+ COA is here
Anonymous wrote:All colleges should be tuition free for domestic students. I cannot imagine how schools with massive endowments still have the nerve to charge more than $100K a year.


People do not understand how endowments work. They are mostly restricted to purpose and cannot be used as people wish them used.
Anonymous
Post 06/11/2026 00:41     Subject: 100k+ COA is here
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
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


Williams runs on $97k, Amherst about the same. These are as prestigious as Harvard and Yale, but at a lower cost than schools like NYU.

Williams nor Amherst are anywhere near Harvard level, are you crazy? They’re good generalist teaching colleges, but Ivy level they are not.


Both are better than any Ivy for undergraduate education. About 20 years ago Harvard actually set up a task force and produced a report in an attempt to improve their teaching to the levels of the top SLACs.