Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Often you read parents touting the vast resources at the most selective colleges, funded by multi-billion endowments and pricy tuition. Nobody ever details what those resources actually are and how often they’re used.

Our DD is at a top 10 and the only resource seems to be a boundless amount of staff who email her or forward her to another staff member, who will email her or offer to jump on a zoom, to detail things they will later email her. They don’t really offer bespoke help, they just email her copy and paste text and links into emails. Is this one example of the alleged resources?

I am sorry, but I am tired of all the folks with a kid that attends a Top 10 and expects some VIP level of service with zero effort on behalf of the kid.

My kid attends a top 10 that opened an incredible lab to incubate new student ventures. My kid has attended numerous sessions where they have met the Managing Partner of one of the largest VC firms in the world and met the founder/CEO of a prominent unicorn company (both alums). Both agreed to 30 minute one-on-ones with students that signed up with the lab for announcements and then signed up for these events. My kid now has a nice little back-and-forth with the unicorn company CEO.

My kid is a freshman and this happened just in the 1st semester. My kid appreciates all the other students that don't bother to investigate these events, as mentioned they are not nearly as well attended as one might expect.

Say you go to Stanford without saying you go to Stanford.

You are probably the same person that posts this phrase over and over…no, it’s not Stanford

I assumed Harvard or maybe Princeton b/c of biotech and the VCs that are in Boston for the MIT/ resesrch expertise.

This whole thread is bizarre. The value of a high end item - any item - a car, watch, house - is intangible in many ways and unique to each person. What they get out of it may be different than someone else. You’re asking us to quantify these things but really it’s a bunch of small things that make the difference between a BMW and a Kia. As we list them, any one of you could be like, “I don’t care about dual zone AC!” or whatever…. If you don’t get it or don’t want to get it there is nothing we can say to convince you otherwise. And I guess if literally, all you want is coursework, a dorm room and a degree, yes you can get that anywhere, don’t bother paying up for the ‘ritzy college’.

Anonymous wrote:At a minimum, you get a great campus, great professors, more attentive administrators, and great financial aid.

The financial aid is all grants, not loans. Also, there are “scholarships/grants” for study abroad and about any project you want to undertake.

There is funding to keep kids on campus for jobs and research opportunities during the summer. If there are better opportunities elsewhere, students can apply for stipends to subsidize rent, airfare and other costs, especially in big cities.

The overall atmosphere is nicer. When you live and work in a great physical environment with great students, professors, and administrators, everyone is happier. There is a synergy that creates optimism and supports and encourages initiative and achievement. Everyone wants good things for each other because there are so many opportunities for everyone. This extends to alumni, who readily support the university with financial gifts, but also hire graduates.

Students get the lifelong tailwind of such bounty through their education, connections, jobs/careers, and graduate school admissions.

You might want to read the fine print. You need to be poorest of the poor. Plus zero debt requires maximizing all work study job hours all school year, you are expected to get a summer job after freshman year to contribute, and you're expected to contribute more as you progress to upperclassman -- or you will have to take on some loans or parents have to cough up cash.

Anonymous wrote:Nobody can detail the supposed resources because it's not about the resources at all. People are just status and prestige whores but want to dance around it and act like they're not.

Yes, this is why 4 yr public university is overrated when they can go to a community college. It's not about the resources at all. People are just status and prestige whores but want to dance around it and act like they're not.

Nobody can detail the supposed resources because it's not about the resources at all. People are just status and prestige whores but want to dance around it and act like they're not.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does she
Have an advisor who will proactively review her course selections, ensure she on track? (Or is the advisor non existent or hard to schedule (most colleges))
Ever email a professor or advisor indicating that a class she wants at the time she wants is booked... and a space is opened up for her?
Have the opportunity to enter a bespoke mentoring program, matched with an industry professional?
Have access to bespoke international experiences (aside from the semester study abroad that everyone else has), for example winter break in hong kong, spring break in colombia?
Ever have a professor say, if you don't have an internship lined up, just email me, we will find one for you?

I went to HYP and there was nothing like this, and I think this whole list is wildly unrealistic (maybe a one-off once in awhile for a particularly beloved student, but nothing like this for 99%.)

To me “great resources” is not advising or personal services, it’s about an incredible library, amazing art collections, world famous speakers coming to give talks, professors who are top in their field, etc.

The “famous speakers” is an insider racket. They are paid big bucks for this. You can watch the same speech on YouTube. They give the same speech word for word everywhere. Kids are yawning at them and kids only show up because a professor gives them course credit or they’re brownnosing.

You're way off base. Professors at my Ivy never gave me extra credit for going to anything. That's such an odd assumption. The opportunities are there, and it's up to the students to take advantage of them or not. Some do, some don't. I don't recall anyone yawning. The students were there because they wanted to be there. I remember one world famous speaker and there were way less seats than those who wanted them.

And it's not just lectures either. I recall lunches and cocktails parties with bold names too.

My DC gets credit from professors for going to speaker events held by the department he's majoring in. Often a course will request students go to at least two dept events per term. The events are full of kids seeking credit and/or seeking to brownnose. A handful of "gunners" go to every event trying to kiss ass and hog the mic. The rest of the kids are yawning. Meanwhile the speaker is mailing in a speech they've given 50 times and are paid $20K or whatever it is. It's a racket!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Kid at HYP now. Amazing resources yes, but it’s not in form of excessive handholding it’s more like opportunities and funding are everywhere if you ask.

Again no actual examples. Just more vagueness.

It's like asking what is the benefit of the smartphone over a flip phone. They both make and receive phone calls. They both do what phones are designed to do. That's what someone who's never had a smartphone would ask. A successful GED might question the value of a college education. A community college graduate likewise might question the value of a 4 year public university. A 4 yr public university grad might question the value of an ivy education. All I can say is PP doesn't know what s/he doesn't know.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Kid at HYP now. Amazing resources yes, but it’s not in form of excessive handholding it’s more like opportunities and funding are everywhere if you ask.

Again no actual examples. Just more vagueness.

I mean it’s kid specific but if it really makes a difference to you to know - summer abroad and spring break abroad last year all on the university’s dime ( with plenty of money left over, she was actually turning down money they were throwing at her because her budgeted projects were all covered), small in-person gatherings with various famous folk from different disciplines she’s interested in ( “ reach out if you’re interested in talking about a job someday” type of stuff, fancy dinners with faculty in her major/program. You could go to one of these schools and not access this stuff, but it’s so readily available and these ridiculously well resourced schools make it easy for kids to benefit from the resources.

It’s not that clear cut and depends on what you mean by resources. Some of the lower ranked schools I think have less of a resting on their laurels attitude, a lot really has to do with size - easier to take advantage of the resources that do exist at a smaller school, some of the publics actually have great facilities, dorms and gyms, so it really depends.

I went to an Ivy and I’m sure some things have improved since the 90s but the academic advising was basically nonexistent, there was little career support outside of the obvious consulting type path, professors were great lecturers but a mixed bag in terms of accessibility and interest in undergrads. There were always interesting speakers and events and I took advantage of some of it but certainly could have done more.

Anonymous wrote:One kid went to a T10 and I was floored at the lack of student services. It was during COVID but from what i heard it's pretty typical - focus is on professional schools and research. My kid is an introvert and not a self-promoter. Only good was the name helped them land a good job.

My other kid went to a "lesser" state public (great fit and no shade on the school). Fewer resources, but this kid is a super go-getter and actively reached out to the president, dean of their major etc and worked what was available. Interviewing now, but suspect will land a good job.

In the end, it's what your kid makes of the opportunities they have.

This is absolutely true. One of the criteria top schools look for is whether the kid has the ability to take advantage of the resources they offer. Opportunities will not be handed to them just by breathing and sleep walking through the campus. Given the resources, will a student thrive there? Resource-rich schools are looking for go-getters who will seek out what the schools have to offer. To achieve, it's that much easier in resource-rich schools. That's not to say it can't happen at cash-strapped state universities. It's that much harder there.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP I hate to break it to you but people at Princeton benefiting from the incredible resources there, do not have parent on DCUM and if they do, they don't care to share the information. That's just how it is.

One huge advantage with Princeton is if you take Toni Morrison’s writing class and she likes your work you are essentially guaranteed a book deal.

Except Toni Morrison died in 2019 so that's a tough call getting in her class now.

I have a child with special needs at a ritzy college.

He has a lovely single room with private bath in a nice dorm - because this college has the money to renovate and build modern dorms with central A/C that look like hotels, and make single rooms available to kids who need them. He also met with the director of the Disability office and received all the accommodations he asked for without the slightest difficulty. The professors understand his accommodations and the process has been very smooth so far.

Since he has autism, it will be difficult for him to partake of the social perks of this college: the sports amenities, the socials, and even the career counseling, which is all within his reach...except he has difficulty in social situations. He has pushed him to belong to one club, which I was very happy about. Small victories!

In short, we pay a ton of money (and get merit aid) in the hope that at some point he will use all those services. His academic advisor reviews his course choices and meets with him one-on-one frequently, so there's that for now.

One kid went to a T10 and I was floored at the lack of student services. It was during COVID but from what i heard it's pretty typical - focus is on professional schools and research. My kid is an introvert and not a self-promoter. Only good was the name helped them land a good job.

My other kid went to a "lesser" state public (great fit and no shade on the school). Fewer resources, but this kid is a super go-getter and actively reached out to the president, dean of their major etc and worked what was available. Interviewing now, but suspect will land a good job.

In the end, it's what your kid makes of the opportunities they have.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP I hate to break it to you but people at Princeton benefiting from the incredible resources there, do not have parent on DCUM and if they do, they don't care to share the information. That's just how it is.

One huge advantage with Princeton is if you take Toni Morrison’s writing class and she likes your work you are essentially guaranteed a book deal.

Or Yale Law, you meet tiger mom and she turns you into a right wing grifter! lol

A) that was never true at Princeton and B) a tad difficult now since Toni died in 2019

Don’t tell that to the former Mrs Bezos who was recommended to Toni’s publisher while at Princeton and landed a book deal (prior to even knowing Jeff Bezos).

Speaking of resources-rich schools, it does not include UChicago:


https://chicago.suntimes.com/2024/2/2/24059391/uchicago-rush-medical-center-layoffs