<p>This article seems to shed light on what really goes on in colleges. 10</a> Reasons to Skip the Expensive Colleges Enjoy!</p>
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Maybe so. However, the average debt at graduation is lower at many of the “expensive” private colleges than it is at many public schools. Compare the following debt figures from the Kiplinger college ranking ([Best</a> Values in Public Colleges, 2010-11](<a href=“http://www.kiplinger.com/tools/colleges/]Best”>Best College Values, 2019 | Kiplinger))</p>
<p>Private Schools (average debt at graduation)
Princeton ($4957)
Williams ($7960)
CalTech ($8218)
Yale ($10717)
Harvard ($10871)
Amherst ($11347)</p>
<p>Public Universities (average debt at graduation)
UVa ($19939)
UT-Austin ($22102)
Michigan ($26819)
UNH-Durham ($30760)</p>
<p>Some of the other assertions are a little off-base, in my opinion, at least if we’re comparing top 20 (or so) private schools with the average public university.</p>
<p>As I recall, I had ONE teaching assistant in all my 4 years at an expensive private university. We had many seminars where 15 to 20 people sat around a table (actually, they were often smaller than that.) It’s true that the superstar professors featured in the brochures did not always teach undergrads; nevertheless, the undergraduate faculty quality was superb. </p>
<p>See [Awards</a> for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching | The University of Chicago](<a href=“http://www.uchicago.edu/about/accolades/quantrell.shtml]Awards”>http://www.uchicago.edu/about/accolades/quantrell.shtml). This list of faculty cited for excellent undergraduate teaching includes:
a former President of the University (Hanna Gray)
a Nobel laureate in physics (James Cronin)
a former University Provost and Chair of the economics department (D. Gale Johnson)
a former Dean of Admissions (Ted Cohen)</p>
<p>I think you’d find less bureaucratic red-tape at Ivies and other selective private schools than you would at the average state school. High-powered athletic programs? With a few exceptions (Duke, ND), these are not particularly a hallmark of expensive, private schools. Chicago banned intercollegiate football for decades. When was the last time you saw an Ivy League team in a televised playoff game? </p>
<p>As for food and dorm accommodations, you should be able to arrange your own impromptu visit to a college dining hall or dorm if you think they’re pulling the wool over your eyes. Since tours happen throughout the year, it would be pretty hard to fake the quality of dining hall food. </p>
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Absolutely true!</p>
<p>Note on avg debt. Usually about half half or more have ZERO debt at top publics. That is ther average for those graduating with debt.
But if you can get into:
Princeton ($4957)
Williams ($7960)
CalTech ($8218)
Yale ($10717)
Harvard ($10871)
Amherst ($11347)</p>
<p>Go for it. Also prepare for a little culture shock if you are a middleclass kid.</p>
<p>I am frankly a bit tired of this misconception that schools like Harvard should be automatically ruled out due to their sticker price costs without even factoring in the <em>extremely</em> generous financial aid packages these schools offer that make them cheaper (even free) than some state schools.</p>
<p>For low income people. </p>
<p>Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I897 using CC App</p>
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<p>Absolutely, one hundred percent true.</p>
<p>I agree CheesePuffPoppin, there are 3 myths that I commonly see on this board:</p>
<ol>
<li>Private universities cost too much and I cannot pay the full sticker price (tons of financial aid in reality)</li>
<li>You cannot get a good education at a public institution (not true, you can get a good education anywhere and honors colleges at many schools are amazing).</li>
<li>That college rankings are the Gospel (they’re not, they’re just based on factors that are important to whoever makes the rankings. Use many other sources beside US News!)</li>
</ol>
<p>Is “name recognition” the only definition of success? I could go on and on about how this article is trash.</p>
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<p>And typically, roughly half receive need-based aid at top private schools. Which usually means either they have the low average debt levels of the private schools cited above, or they have debt roughly in line with the public schools cited above and below.</p>
<p> Average Debt at Graduation (for more public schools)
Penn State ($28,680)
Vermont ($27,696)
Indiana ($25,522)
Purdue ($23,924)
Virginia Tech ($22.070)
Wisconsin ($21,552)
Berkeley ($14,493)
UNC ($14,262)</p>
<p>Private universities that fall well within the above range include Yeshiva, Boston College, Vanderbilt, Northwestern, University of Richmond, Duke, Tufts, Chicago, Wake Forest, Georgetown, and Brandeis. As for LACs, Pomona, CMK and Wellesley (in addition to Williams and Amherst) have average debt lower than any of the above. LACs falling within the above range (but still below $20K) include Barnard, Swarthmore, Colorado College, Harvey Mudd, Haverford, Whitman, Lewis & Clark, Centre, Macalester, Occidental, Beloit, Bates, Bowdoin, … and more.</p>
<p>Now, I’m not disputing the point that many families can afford a top public school with zero debt. Obviously, a prospective full-pay (but still middle class) family is more likely to be able to afford $25K without debt than $55K without debt. You have to do a little research and number crunching (if not actually apply) to see how it plays out for your situation.</p>
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Many middle class kids (as well as lower income kids) attend the private schools I’ve mentioned here and in my previous post. Yes, they do get exposed to a fair number of upper income kids, too. For some people, that may be part of their appeal; for others, a turn-off.</p>
<p>The author’s point #2: attend a LAC. Anyone know of a LAC that is not “expensive”?</p>
<p>Points 2-8 could apply equally to a public, less expensive college. Thus, 8 of the 10 points are not points at all. I would have expected better from national publication such as RD.</p>
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<p>SUNY Geneseo, St. Mary’s College of Maryland, and New College of Florida are public LACs.</p>
<p>Truman State in Missouri, while technically a university, is actually a LAC with a couple hundred grad students. COA ~21K. </p>
<p>Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I897 using CC App</p>
<p>College Of Charleston, UNC-Asheville.</p>
<p>Public LAC’s are really underrated. You want cheap prices? They are cheap. You want small classes? They have them.</p>
<p>CoC, a LAC??? Not according to them:</p>
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<p>The others are good suggestions, but you can see that the list is rather short and a pretty good deal instate. Note however, that they are not necessarily “cheap” for OOS: St. Mary’s is pushing $40k, and New College of Florida is $42k all-in.</p>
<p>University of Minnesota Morris is a great public liberal arts school and is reasonably priced. $11.322 annual tuition. No surcharge for out of state.
<a href=“http://www.morris.umn.edu/about/[/url]”>http://www.morris.umn.edu/about/</a>
<a href=“http://www.morris.umn.edu/financialaid/costofattendance/[/url]”>http://www.morris.umn.edu/financialaid/costofattendance/</a></p>
<p>I think New College Of Florida offers scholarships to almost every out of state student who is accepted anywhere from $1,000-$12,500 ([New</a> College of Florida - Paying for College](<a href=“http://www.ncf.edu/admissions/financial-aid/scholarships/out-of-state-students]New”>http://www.ncf.edu/admissions/financial-aid/scholarships/out-of-state-students))</p>
<p>However, FA-wise, there are a lot of applicants where, on paper, it looks like they have more than enough money to pay for college, whereas in real life there are circumstances that would hinder the applicant’s ability to pay. (divorce, private school, stock market, etc)</p>
<p>My daughter was able to go to Brown debt free, where the Berkeley offer included $20k debt. Still a couple of nice choices.</p>
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<p>Not so much. Due to the generous financial aid at such institutions, there are a lot of middle and lower class kids on campus.</p>
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<p>LACs that are relatively inexpensive (in-state, out-of-state, even without aid) include the military service academies, Hillsdale, Thomas Aquinas College, Berea, and Goshen College. The academies are free (with a service commitment). The others are under $35K at full sticker (but would be too conservative or religious for some people.)</p>