<p>Someone who used to post here several years ago and is now gone ({{hugs}}}) still accuses me of “buying” my son’s way into his college. I WISH I had that kind of money and influence!</p>
<p>Taking another look at the original article, I noticed the following:</p>
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<p>I’m skeptical that inflation-adusted net tuition has dropped, or even remained steady, for full-pay families.</p>
<p>Yeah, really. Being full-pay and “buying your way in” are two ENTIRELY different things. Happy to be the former, but wishing I could be the latter! LOL.</p>
<p>I think Brandeis is handling the issue well. </p>
<p>Unless a school is truly need-blind, then of course being full-pay makes a student more attractive and it is a form of buying the student a slot. I have no idea what is shocking or offensive about that.</p>
<p>I I hope so, saving for your kids education from the start and being able to be full pay should have its advantages.</p>
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<p>I agree, Pugmadkate. For a school which is clearly NOT need blind, it is hard for me to see any distinction between the advantage given to “full-pay” students and “donor” students. It is interesting that some full-pay parents here cannot see this.</p>
<p>Has anyone ever asked an admissions officer to distinguish between the two ^^^?</p>
<p>What do they say OR do they just ignore the subject?</p>
<p>“it is hard for me to see any distinction between the advantage given to “full-pay” students and “donor” students.”</p>
<p>I am not familiar with the expression “donor” student. Is that like “developmental”. Does that mean there is no distinction between full pay kids and those that have donated a great deal of money? </p>
<p>Interesting. </p>
<p>I’ve always heard that the weight of donations vary with schools. I imagine the same would be true of parents paying full tuition. I have to remind myself “we” are talking about “elites”. Sure doesn’t seem to matter at Cal Poly!</p>
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<p>Yes Shrinkwrap. Pardon my slang.</p>
<p>Ok, so bear with me here. I don’t usually try to participate in the “elite” admission discussions. </p>
<p>I think of a developmental admit as someone who can donate enough money to build a wing or something. I think of it as something like a “hook”. Something unusual, that only a small percentage can “bring to the table”. If every family who paid full price had a significant advantage, wouldn’t that mean than more than half the students at the elites have a significant advantage? Would it still be considered significant if more than half the students had it?</p>
<p>Those making snarky comments about full-pay folks getting an “advantage” should remember: a portion of a full-pay tuition goes back into the FA pot to pay for other students who can’t afford full-pay. So I’m not only paying for MY kid, but a portion of YOUR kid as well.</p>
<p>You’re welcome. </p>
<p>(I used to think that all FA money came from endowment earnings, but I have learned that’s not true. Colleges with bigger endowments have more FA money available, but most colleges also take a portion of incoming tuition $ and apply it to the amount of FA money available).</p>
<p>^I think that’s the “noblesse oblige” part. So that you are not walking by someone being beheaded (wrongfully perhaps! *) and thinking “there but for the grace of God”.</p>
<p>*They blamed the wrong Marie!
<a href=“http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Let_them_eat_cake[/url]”>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Let_them_eat_cake</a>
Author Vincent Cronin also agrees that Marie-Th</p>
<p>Lafalum - it is a rare day that I disagree with you but today is going to be one. I found your post above to be very mean-spirited and unpleasant. If we had the ability to be a full pay family - we would be. I hate applying for FA every year - while I am grateful for it - it is somewhat demeaning and comments like yours don’t help. I really don’t begrudge full pay students a small admissions boost, but don’t ask me to thank you for contributing to my student’s education.</p>
<h1>71–That is why we no longer donate to give to Alma maters. We paid full fare–that was our donation. We cannot afford to keep funding more students! My position with regards to donations (unless you are filthy rich and so inclined to give!) is to ask (when schools are making those annual calls) for donations of those students that did receive the scholarships etc. I guess that what I’m saying is that for full price, I don’t feel in any way indebted. We just don’t have any more money to continue giving.</h1>
<p>And agree w/Shrinkrap–we do not consider ourselves having a developmental admit…we paid the full price for tuition. We did not donate enough tuition money for a wing or a building! Much like paying full price for a house or car, but hopefully, with those items, you feel like maybe you haven’t entirely paid full price!</p>
<p>[News:</a> Presidents Plot Push for Aid Changes - Inside Higher Ed](<a href=“http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2011/01/07/college_presidents_aim_to_restore_focus_on_need_based_student_aid]News:”>http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2011/01/07/college_presidents_aim_to_restore_focus_on_need_based_student_aid)</p>
<p>Another interesting article on the topic. Does it make sense to give merit aid to students from wealthy families who do not “need” the money? Would it be better to eliminate merit aid entirely?</p>
<p>And this was ^^ my earlier post…merit aid will not be decided fairly either. </p>
<p>We pay for what we can afford; I think this economy has caused many to rethink the college issue. And, not just colleges–can we really afford that house, car, or vacation?</p>
<p>It’s all so convoluted. What is “need” really? I am sure I am considered wealthy by some here (but not the hubs!), but my kid doesn’t have the stats for our public UC, and I don’t have enough assets to retire before I die. So what I NEED, is to send him (or hope he will choose to go to ) to a part of the country where schools costs a bit less, and discounts his tuition for bringing something different to the campus.</p>
<p>At least that’s what I think today…</p>
<p>PS I just ate CAKE!</p>
<p>If you call paying full tuition “buying your way in”, then you should call being a URM “genetically-tailoring your way in”.</p>
<p>:D ^^^Thanks for a different perspective!</p>
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<p>This is exactly what we did with S1 and to a certain extent S2. But we are full pay at those colleges…they are just less expensive than the closer to home options once you consider the tuition discounts in the form of scholarship. I for one would like to see an end to tuition discounting. I have no problem with unilaterally awarding tuition discounts for published GPA/SAT achievements but the volume of “scholarships” with fancy names that are really thin covers for tuition discounting and required nothing on the part of the kids is rather eyebrow raising. Goodness knows I’ll take every one of them, but if they do away with them, it simply makes things very transparent. Should also stem the 10 application or more trend from kids that are fishing for “tuition discounting” and the “best deal.”</p>