Anonymous
04/30/2025 16:01
Subject: How do you steer your dc from not getting caught up on private/$$ schools versus good in state public options?
Anonymous wrote:Dc is a junior and really not very mature or focused on specific academic programs, but suddenly he is obsessed with pricey colleges (not necessarily the very highest ranked ones, either, but ones in nice areas and/or pretty campuses and wealthy students) as ‘better’ and dismissing basically every in state affordable option as ‘shit’. Yes, this is my dc. He has caught the ‘prestige’ buzz, and I don’t know how to talk him out of it. I’ve explained that I can pay for in state in full with some extra to give him when he graduates, but he will likely need to take partial loans for a private school. He’s got an athlete hook and otherwise is a good student but not top, and I doubt he’ll get much if any merit money. And we will get no FA.
This is maybe not the best crowd to ask this question of…
Thoughts? Ideas?
He may get a lot of aid. My kids are not eligible for financial aid (we make too much) but they were offered merit aid at a few good colleges. It is possible. You won't know until he applies.
Anonymous
04/29/2025 11:28
Subject: How do you steer your dc from not getting caught up on private/$$ schools versus good in state public options?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Dc is a junior and really not very mature or focused on specific academic programs, but suddenly he is obsessed with pricey colleges (not necessarily the very highest ranked ones, either, but ones in nice areas and/or pretty campuses and wealthy students) as ‘better’ and dismissing basically every in state affordable option as ‘shit’. Yes, this is my dc. He has caught the ‘prestige’ buzz, and I don’t know how to talk him out of it. I’ve explained that I can pay for in state in full with some extra to give him when he graduates, but he will likely need to take partial loans for a private school. He’s got an athlete hook and otherwise is a good student but not top, and I doubt he’ll get much if any merit money. And we will get no FA.
This is maybe not the best crowd to ask this question of…
Thoughts? Ideas?
It would help if you named a few of the schools (SMU, Pepperdine, USC, Colorado College, NYU, Wake Forest, Tufts, Tulane or ???) So that more tailored advice / suggestions can be offered.
He only has an "athlete hook" if he is a recruited athlete or if he was a varsity team captain (leadership hook).
Does he plan to continue with his sport during college ?
Unlikely that he will receive merit aid if just "a good student".
Op here. I’m not going to start giving tons of details here for obvious reasons, but I’ll say that Tulane is the type of school he’s focused on- fun, popular, expensive. He’s also been drawn to pretty SLAC with classic beautiful campuses. A few of them are highly ranked, sure, but it’s not like he is focused much on academics.
And yes, he’s being recruited. It is still playing out but this issue is in the mix with these schools.
I cannot think of any obvious reason that one is afraid to name a few colleges or universities on an anonymous website that is read throughout the nation. Garbage in, garbage out.
I can. Look at the other recent thread on top20 recruiting. People are desperately trying to figure out the school and the sport the OP posted about. Who wants that?
Anonymous
04/29/2025 10:57
Subject: Re:How do you steer your dc from not getting caught up on private/$$ schools versus good in state public options?
Anonymous wrote:I would just not st all entertain the idea. State schools for us. Get over yourself.
Op here. I tend to agree with you. The recruiting issue has added an extra layer though bc he’s hearing from some prestigious $ schools about his sport. My sense is that he would have a decent entry in (putting aside the fairness of that) but that would be contingent on us paying full freight or close to it. I really don’t know though. I’ve said this for years but some of these college sports seem designed like affirmative action for rich kids. My dc isn’t actually in one of those typical UMC sports, but I can see how it plays out.
Anonymous
04/29/2025 10:52
Subject: How do you steer your dc from not getting caught up on private/$$ schools versus good in state public options?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Dc is a junior and really not very mature or focused on specific academic programs, but suddenly he is obsessed with pricey colleges (not necessarily the very highest ranked ones, either, but ones in nice areas and/or pretty campuses and wealthy students) as ‘better’ and dismissing basically every in state affordable option as ‘shit’. Yes, this is my dc. He has caught the ‘prestige’ buzz, and I don’t know how to talk him out of it. I’ve explained that I can pay for in state in full with some extra to give him when he graduates, but he will likely need to take partial loans for a private school. He’s got an athlete hook and otherwise is a good student but not top, and I doubt he’ll get much if any merit money. And we will get no FA.
This is maybe not the best crowd to ask this question of…
Thoughts? Ideas?
It would help if you named a few of the schools (SMU, Pepperdine, USC, Colorado College, NYU, Wake Forest, Tufts, Tulane or ???) So that more tailored advice / suggestions can be offered.
He only has an "athlete hook" if he is a recruited athlete or if he was a varsity team captain (leadership hook).
Does he plan to continue with his sport during college ?
Unlikely that he will receive merit aid if just "a good student".
Op here. I’m not going to start giving tons of details here for obvious reasons, but I’ll say that Tulane is the type of school he’s focused on- fun, popular, expensive. He’s also been drawn to pretty SLAC with classic beautiful campuses. A few of them are highly ranked, sure, but it’s not like he is focused much on academics.
And yes, he’s being recruited. It is still playing out but this issue is in the mix with these schools.
I cannot think of any obvious reason that one is afraid to name a few colleges or universities on an anonymous website that is read throughout the nation. Garbage in, garbage out.
You are way too invested.
Anonymous
04/29/2025 10:51
Subject: How do you steer your dc from not getting caught up on private/$$ schools versus good in state public options?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Dc is a junior and really not very mature or focused on specific academic programs, but suddenly he is obsessed with pricey colleges (not necessarily the very highest ranked ones, either, but ones in nice areas and/or pretty campuses and wealthy students) as ‘better’ and dismissing basically every in state affordable option as ‘shit’. Yes, this is my dc. He has caught the ‘prestige’ buzz, and I don’t know how to talk him out of it. I’ve explained that I can pay for in state in full with some extra to give him when he graduates, but he will likely need to take partial loans for a private school. He’s got an athlete hook and otherwise is a good student but not top, and I doubt he’ll get much if any merit money. And we will get no FA.
This is maybe not the best crowd to ask this question of…
Thoughts? Ideas?
It would help if you named a few of the schools (SMU, Pepperdine, USC, Colorado College, NYU, Wake Forest, Tufts, Tulane or ???) So that more tailored advice / suggestions can be offered.
He only has an "athlete hook" if he is a recruited athlete or if he was a varsity team captain (leadership hook).
Does he plan to continue with his sport during college ?
Unlikely that he will receive merit aid if just "a good student".
Op here. I’m not going to start giving tons of details here for obvious reasons, but I’ll say that Tulane is the type of school he’s focused on- fun, popular, expensive. He’s also been drawn to pretty SLAC with classic beautiful campuses. A few of them are highly ranked, sure, but it’s not like he is focused much on academics.
And yes, he’s being recruited. It is still playing out but this issue is in the mix with these schools.
I cannot think of any obvious reason that one is afraid to name a few colleges or universities on an anonymous website that is read throughout the nation. Garbage in, garbage out.
Anonymous
04/29/2025 10:51
Subject: How do you steer your dc from not getting caught up on private/$$ schools versus good in state public options?
Anonymous wrote:We just had a candid conversation about finances and not getting caught up in names, etc. You can be successful anywhere and boards like this act like it's not possible, but I can assure you, it very much is and happens all the time.
My son chose a large state school over a small private one.
+1