All of this talk about money spent on college gets me thinkin.
-
Comparing Bates and Binghamton or any small LAC is comparing apples and oranges. Even though you come out of each with a diploma, you simply aren’t getting the same thing. If a diploma is all you want, go to SUNY or any other state school. But do so
knowing that you’re getting something different than what you’d get at the othe end of I-88 at Colgate or Hamilton. I’ve never thought that it’s a good expenditure of money to pay less for something that is not what you really wanted in the first place. OTOH, I’m cheap and don’t like paying more than I have to.
-
I think of the other things we spend money on, like a car. If I want good, basic transportation, I could buy a Smart car for $15,000. It’s made by Mercedes and gets great gas mileage. Why should I spend more? Or I could walk across the showroom and spend $100K for one of their luxury models. No one would ridicule me for doing so. It’s my money, I can spend it however I want.
-
Or a house. In the right community, I can put a roof over my head for $150-200 thousand. Why should I spend more? Or I could spend 3-4 times that without necessarily getting something grand. In fact, in some communities I’d be getting something pretty basic. Or I could spend millions. No one is criticized for going into debt to buy a house. In fact, it’s expected. Lots of people take loans to buy a car and do so repeatedly throughout their lifetime.
-
Buying a college education is an investment in the next generation, someone we care deeply about. It’s very personal. I don’t necessarily want to go the budget route for that. Personally I’d rather cheap out on the house and the car, which are also big expenditures.
Just my 2 cents.
8 Likes
Another way to summarize:
1)
Social science majors from Bates get jobs after graduation. If you need examples, @Lindagaf can tell about her child and her friends.
They may go to grad school, not because they cannot find a job but because they want to and got into a PHD program with a stipend (ie., they don’t need parents’ savings for it.)
LACs have a lot of students who have social science and not-directly-on an obvious- job path majors. Their career centers have trained counselors for that demographic, are well funded, and have resources for these students in equal measure with the stem majors. Whatever your major, they’ll help you all 4 years with professional plans.
It’s harder to find a job as a social science student from Binghamton, which some of you show by assuming what is common at state schools applies to all colleges.
It may also come from the perception of social majors from state universities, also displayed in this thread, and from career centers at large public universities not being as attuned to the needs of “not obviously directed to a job” majors as LACs or not having enough financial resources for their specific needs.
It is, however, not impossible to find a job with a bachelors degree in sociology from Bing, just harder.
-
overall test scores don’t tell the story. At Bates social science students are strong students. At Binghamton, strong students mostly concentrate in premed, engineering and stem in general, plus business. If you don’t think it’s true, ask anyone if they think it’s easier to get into sociology or cs at Binghamton. Or if they think psychology or engineering is more selective. (At Bates, students aren’t placed into specific colleges they have to get into. They’re admitted to Bates, or not. Once there they have 2 years to figure out what they want to major in, which may well be sociology AND cs btw.)
All in all, they’re not the same thing with one being cheaper. There’s actual added value at Bates.
If anything I wrote could lead one to think I was referring to the 60s concept of mrs.degree, I apologize, as it hadn’t even entered my mind so I hadn’t thought what I was writing could be understood that way.
Btw Macalester is a great college too. 
3 Likes
“Do you not think that your daughter would have been able to apply for and get the same jobs coming from a flagship state U such as Binghamton?”
No. For her, I do not believe she would have developed the confidence and critical thinking skills in the same way she did at Bates. She would have most likely bumbled along, probably not being particularly happy and not feeling fulfilled with the educational aspect for sure. She needed to be in that smaller environment for numerous reasons and once she was in it, she thrived. We are very fortunate that we were able to pay for that.
3 Likes
Then clearly you made the right decision for her, and no one is in a better position to compare the two schools, having sent one kid to each!
@Lindagaf May I ask what your son is majoring in at Bing? It’s a prospect for S22, who is interested in math and physics.
Currently, Econ. But he might change.
1 Like
Good analogies and you’re correct it is personal. I guess for me, an intangible - education - is why I struggle.
And there are very good “lesser pedigree” schools where you can get similar to a Bates - but more bang for your buck - like a Beloit, a Wooster, a Kalamazoo, etc.
But you are correct - some shop at Target, some at Nordstrom. I appreciate your examples - good stuff.
Totally agree. I made the choice for lesser pedigree but better fit for myself and so did a couple of my kids.
I’m also of the opinion these days that LACs have their limits in terms of practicality. With the high cost of college these days + the burden of student loans, it’s a plus for middle class kids to have the option of coming out of college with a degree in something they can get a job in right way - even if it’s just teacher certification to go along with their English, History, Math, or Science degree.
It’s also a plus for someone who’s interest is medicine to be able to decide that s/he would be just fine with nursing or other health care career like physician’s assistant or medical technician. Having a Business School on campus creates options for accounting and the like.
So, I don’t want to give the impression that I’m exclusively a LAC guy. It’s right fit and knowing the differences in what you’re actually being offered by different colleges.
2 Likes
Can i pick your brain about bates and bing.
My daughter is trying to decide between both. She’s admitted to Harper school at bing but has interest in business and marketing. Looks like it would be a hassle to switch into school or management at bing? She loves admitted students day at bates- and feels she would do well there. Would love your thoughts
Can you start a new thread about this please? This thread is old by now and the original poster hasn’t been on CC since April 2021. Meanwhile, I will send you a message.
1 Like