<p>I’m sort of the perfect example here because I’m sending twins off, one to a top LAC and one to a top uni. They both basically cost the same, $55k. I don’t understand the question, though. Why would D’s LAC not be worth it but S’s uni worth it? I totally don’t get the logic of the question. A top school is a top school, regardless of whether it falls on the LAC or the uni side of the equation, and regardless of whether Uncle Fred and the guy at the post office have hears of it.</p>
<p>Well, we do. We make too much to qualify for any sort of assistance at the college S will attend as a freshman in a few weeks time. This college has zero name recognition in our country and its chief claim to fame in the US seems to come from its regularly topping the ‘most expensive college in the nation’ lists. I’m not happy about its appearance on these lists but it is the school where we believe S will flourish. </p>
<p>We’re fine with paying full sticker costs. . We’ve been fortunate and we’ve budgeted for US college tuition since our son was born. We are glad to think that our fullpay tuition will help the college to provide financial assistance to the students who need it. And paradoxically, our daughter attended one of the few universities which has international name recognition (Oxford) at a time when tuition and room and board cost us less than $10,000 per year. </p>
<p>Trying to gauge name recognition is a fruitless task. Believe me, here in the UK, the only American unis which have it are Harvard and Yale. Not Princeton, not Stanford. Maybe Brown a bit - not because of Emma Watson but because it shows up in the tabloids as a favourite destination for Eurotrash. I do think ‘name recognition’ is important if one is going to work internationally - but then you’re limited to a handful of places ( H,Y , Oxbridge, Todai, Sorbonne) which of course is completely absurd.</p>
<p>And please, the “sigh” of being full freight – you’re extraordinarily privileged if you are able to be full freight. It’s rather like sighing because it’s so tough being so good looking.</p>
<p>I am with Pizzagirl here, not quite understanding the question why Williams wouldn´t as good as any top tier Unis. It is a matter of if one likes LAC vs a larger school. D2 visited Williams, and it is off her list because of the size, not because of name recognition or quality of education.</p>
<p>Not trying to offend anyone, but if one have to ask whether something is worth the cost then one probably shouldn’t be spending that kind of money. Sigh, I made that mistake. Sorry that is not me.</p>
<p>Sewhappy…SCEA is not a binding acceptance if the student is accepted. An ED acceptance is (if the finances don’t work you can pull…but in your case…since you are a full pay…and know it…the finances are not part of this equation). </p>
<p>If you want your high school senior to have any CHOICES come May 1, an ED acceptance will take that OFF the table. Once that admission offer is made and accepted…she’s done. </p>
<p>With that SCEA school, your daughter can still apply to and get accepted at other schools…and then make her final decision by May 1. She just can’t make any other EARLY applications…no other ED or EA ones.</p>
<p>I know you said she loves that SCEA school…but kids DO change, and change their minds between October and May…just saying.</p>
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<p>This OP has indicated that they will be full pay. They aren’t sure about “paying” for a school that has what they view as “less name recognition”. They will be full pay no matter where their daughter matriculates UNLESS she chooses a school that awards her merit aid.</p>
<p>I respectfully disagree. Before I spend my money on anything, I mentally ask whether it is worth the cost (like cherries, at $6.99/lb). Wealthy people often remain that way because they are careful with their money.</p>
<p>basically knowing that you are full pay are you willing to pay 200K?? if the answer is yes…then let her visit wherever she wants… if the answer is no (id you dont have it…or the loans would be ridiculous) find cheaper schools…you dont want her to fall in love with one you will end up saying no to.</p>
<p>I’m glad you said “maybe”. Our kid applied only to schools that she viewed as match (with higher probability of acceptance than not) and safety schools. We were full pay. We let HER choose the schools she applied to…and we were not disappointed with her final choice at all (a school with name recognition where it’s located…but not on the East Coast).</p>
<p>“If it is a match or safety, then maybe not.”</p>
<p>Ah, and there’s the rub. How do you explain that to your senior? DH and I are trying to figure this out now. We’re happy paying full on the reaches, we’re insisting on affordable safeties, it’s the vast middle that has us tied up in knots…</p>
<p>hmmm if an academic reach… i would be a bit worried about that…alot of money if the child had to leave as couldnt handle it…if a reach due to selectivity and child has the stats to match…different story</p>
<p>I still keep getting back to trying to understand why top LAC’s have been pulled apart from top unis in a discussion of “things worth / not worth paying $55K for.” When you are at the level of quality we’re talking about, separating them into an LAC and a uni bucket and declaring one worth paying for and the other not is about as silly and arbitrary as separating Harvard, Princeton and Amherst into one bucket because there are 2 syllables in the name and Yale, Brown and Duke into another bucket because they only have 1 syllable. It’s a distinction without a difference.</p>
<p>I think you’d also be surprised how much less the brand power of the Ivies is outside the Northeast as well. Really, in Texas, not too many people care about either Princeton <em>or</em> Middlebury.</p>
<p>also do you need to consider grad school costs…is the money there for that too?? grad school funding is changing and may become more limited…does she see herself going to grad school?</p>
<p>But that’s a different question – is any UGrad school worth $55K. Either no school is worth $55K, or both top LAC’s and top unis are worth $55K. It makes no sense to say Harvard’s worth $55K but Williams isn’t. None. It’s like saying Harvard’s worth $55K but Yale isn’t.</p>
<p>Obviously it is important for posters to be able to brag about son goes to Harvard, and wouldn’t want to be asked what is that LACK that your daughter goes to? Just like the Bard would say, I sigh for the Lac of many a name I sought.</p>
<p>I agree with your #34, PG. Name recognition would be one factor to consider when determining whether $200K is a good value at any uni, not just LACs.</p>
<p>I think that sewhappy already knows very well all the stuff that we have been responding to her question with. I suspect she is just pondering out loud, wondering if there is any perspective she hasn’t considered yet. Maybe it is partially what Mutti2012 is grappling with, as I did.</p>
<p>It is one thing to pay top dollar for the dreamschool, whether that is the “One” school your child is is love with, or perhaps the big HYP. However, do you want to pay top dollar for the also-ran school that got plopped onto the list at the last minute? Would your child actually want to go there? Is it worth a trip?</p>
<p>We were extremely fortunate that my son was accepted ED at his absolute dream school, which costs over $55,000 at this writing, and we don’t qualify for financial aid either. We had no trouble choosing his safety, which was much, much cheaper. The problem was trying to find matches that felt palatable. I’m glad we never had to face that decision.</p>