Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DS has an opportunity to go to Williams - he has the grades but not quite the test scores, but is an athlete and is being recruited. He wants to study something they don't teach at Williams. We qualify for a very small amount of grant aid, according to the net price calculator. We would have to take out loans to make it work. Not sure it's worth it. Another kid we know who is going as a recruited athlete next year is constantly getting the "Williams?" (blank look) from people - which makes me doubt that its name recognition and reputation sis o great that it's worth going into debt for, if they don't have what DS wants to study (so he'd have to go to graduate school). I am getting the "Williams is worth it" from a few people, but not sure its name recognition is even there, or worth it.
Thoughts?

It is worth it. You are paying for an education not name recognition by fiends Williams offers an exceptional undergraduate education. Maybe better than HYP for undergraduate. Believe me Williams is very well known by recruiters and graduate schools. If your friends have no heard of Williams they know very little about higher education. Go for it.

Don't listen to this advice "IF" the area of study for your DC is not offered at Williams. Note, however, that the information included herein about a good education and recognition by employers is indeed correct. But, it has to be about DC's desires and well being....NOT the name of the school on a diploma for a degree DC never wanted in the first place.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:HYPSM Period

Once you get beyond that pedigree, it's better to go for the merit aid a slightly lower ranked school.

What is HYPSM?

Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Stanford and Maryland. The M could stand for MIT I suppose.

Good one.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:HYPSM Period

Once you get beyond that pedigree, it's better to go for the merit aid a slightly lower ranked school.

What is HYPSM?

Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Stanford, MIT.

This list is all about name recognition. I disagree that name recognition is what's most important - it's about schools that have great, engaged profs and/or or any school that will give your kid an education that's highly regarded in the field of his/her choice. In some fields, where you got your degree is very important. In other fields, not so much.

As an economist, I also have to point out that the basic equation is about maximizing your happiness (well, that's a short word for it) subject to your budget constraint. So, if you can easily pay for great SLACs or "2nd tier" Ivies without batting an eyelash, and what they offer is important to you, then go for it. If paying $55-60k/year will cause your family much distress in the form of taking a second job, delaying retirement, fewer options for the other kids, selling the house - then even though you value what the SLACs/Ivies have to offer you might, or might not, see this trade-off as being worth it. It's a highly individual decision, depending on your values and your budget.

I'm bumping this thread. I have good friends who are making an incredible sacrifice (delaying a well-earned chance to ease up working so hard) in order to work to send their son to an Ivy where he was accepted into a combination undergrad/medical program.

It is an extraordinary program where he won't have the stress of applying to medical school admission. I am hoping that their son receives some sort of aid for medical school. They have good jobs and will live off one salary with the other dedicated to paying the tuition. They feel it's worth the full pay but I doubt if they would be doing this if it weren't for that program.

Basically anywhere. I want them to be totally excited about the school they choose and to have the traditional liberal arts experience. We've been saving though and have the $ set aside.

Anonymous wrote:We will only be able to afford in state rates and it's going to suck to do that..

Why? It totally depends on what your kid is going to study.

For Engineering I would pay for a top school in a heartbeat - because it is only a 4 year deal. However, for most other fields a graduate degree is a must. I would rather pay the top dollars for that.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:HYPSM Period

Once you get beyond that pedigree, it's better to go for the merit aid a slightly lower ranked school.

What is HYPSM?

Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Stanford and Maryland. The M could stand for MIT I suppose.

Anonymous wrote:HYPSM Period

Once you get beyond that pedigree, it's better to go for the merit aid a slightly lower ranked school.

What is HYPSM?

“People who have never heard of Williams are ignorant.”

Why yes, they are ignorant of the greatness that is Williams. Most people are ignorant of many (most) things – people tend to focus upon and become knowledgeable about things that interest them. I’d hazard a guess that the universe of people who are interested in a small college in rural Massachusetts is pretty limited – even if it is a “potted Ivy.” The school has been around for well over 200 years and has produced a pretty uninteresting list of alumni (in comparison to University of Maryland, for example). It’s safe to say that if Williams College had never existed our world would be pretty much the same as it is today. Perhaps that’s why most people outside of those directly associated with Williams College are ignorant of the greatness that is Williams. Rank schools however you like, I’d prefer to associate with schools that make a difference.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DS has an opportunity to go to Williams - he has the grades but not quite the test scores, but is an athlete and is being recruited. He wants to study something they don't teach at Williams. We qualify for a very small amount of grant aid, according to the net price calculator. We would have to take out loans to make it work. Not sure it's worth it. Another kid we know who is going as a recruited athlete next year is constantly getting the "Williams?" (blank look) from people - which makes me doubt that its name recognition and reputation sis o great that it's worth going into debt for, if they don't have what DS wants to study (so he'd have to go to graduate school). I am getting the "Williams is worth it" from a few people, but not sure its name recognition is even there, or worth it.
Thoughts?

It is worth it. You are paying for an education not name recognition by fiends Williams offers an exceptional undergraduate education. Maybe better than HYP for undergraduate. Believe me Williams is very well known by recruiters and graduate schools. If your friends have no heard of Williams they know very little about higher education. Go for it.

People who have never heard of Williams are ignorant.

It's one of the very top schools. It's a potted Ivy -- Williams, Amherst and Wesleyan.

Your child will get a stellar education at Williams, probably better than he'll get at an Ivy because it's smaller. But the education can't be beat anywhere.