<p>So… there has been a raging debate the past few days in our house over this topic. So not upset about where this thread has gone. Along with the school where she may now have a slot, Daugthter did also apply to one of the four schools you just mentioned Varska: “Colgate, Bucknell, Amherst and Williams.” </p>
<p>The call which made me start this thread is NOT from one of those schools, but it is a school she is still waiting to hear from too and where she will swim if she gets in. Unlike what we thought when she first decided to apply, we are now, most likely, going to be responsible for paying the WHOLE thing at that school as well. My husband and I got our undergrads at Big Ten schools. Still don’t quite get the whole Ivy/small LAC thing and maybe never will. All we can do is wait and see where she gets in.</p>
<p>On another note her high school and club teammate who is in 11th grade is the number one swimmer in the country, for her age in two strokes. She is in the top ten in others. Her academics are pretty low though. Where as my daughter barely has junior cuts but great academics. The difference their paths to swimming in college is taking is amazing. They both should end up where they belong in the end, hopefully. Her parents and I joke that if we could combine the two they would be swimming at Stanford for sure, lol.</p>
<p>Doesn’t matter if she is olympic quality, a member of the olympic team from our zone was red-lighted at Stanford bc she isn’t a good student. She is now at a major swim factory and will be a factor for the US in London–but not as a Stanford swimmer…</p>
<p>You’re right for Stanford, you need the entire package–athletics or academics is insufficient…</p>
<p>I agree that finanical is but one measure. The other measures are academic and athletic for my 3 sons and our college education situation. I have come to the conclusion that the Greeks, classical scholars, and philosphers will NOT be paying for my 3 sons college education. It has fallen on my shoulders. I’m middle class which means I’ll get some help with my oldest son’s Ivy tuition. We’ve told our middle son (hs junior) that he has to score in the top 25% to get institution merit aid if he wants to play baseball. I’m not sending him to a $50K (without merit aid) so he can play D3 baseball and study engineering. If he can’t prove that he is deserving of a great D3 school then he can study engineering at one of our great state schools (and we have many). So he has to perform in the classroom & SATs to get that aid to play athletics. It is a reality in our house. Call it “tough love” or carrot and stick" but my wife and I have to adjust to world economics. And by the way, I don’t see our national education system getting better any time soon. Folks like us have to get practical.</p>
<p>Everyone has to do what is best for them in their circumstances. I was merely pointing out that published measures such as Forbes magazine which see the value of a degree in merely financial terms are myopic. I suppose that Phoenix is probably dollar for dollar the best value, but I have no idea to be truthful…</p>
<p>When I hire folks I want to know two things-- can you think and can you communicate. I don’t hire engineers as I am not a technical firm and frankly I have found them to be not particularly creative in the ways I need/want. I hire philosophy, English, History, Math and other majors because they have learned critical thinking. Given that data is now unimportant to have stored away --as it is merely a couple of key strokes away, the so called "left brain " (ugh, I hate that term) kids aren’t as valuable as the "right brained " (ugh, again…).<br>
I have told my kids-- that if they learn to write a proper English sentence that they will never want for employment, because so few people can–or do.</p>
<p>Can we agree that paying for 3 kids to go to college requires creativity in today’s world? Frankly, it has become very “thought consuming” in our house as you can probably tell.</p>
<p>BTW…I’m not an engineer by trade, but it appears I have two sons that will be. I have learned quite a bit about engineering, engineers and how they operate. Engineering is an extremely broad field. Both sons attended the same magnate high school or Governors School for Engineering. I have to tell you that I’m incredibily impressed with the creativity and problem solving of my son’s classmates using robotics, rocketry, chemistry, mechanical & electrical devices. It is typically very project and team oriented, which is very real world.</p>
<p>IMHO…What sets great engineers apart from other engineers is their social skills and ability to communicate…just as in any other profession.</p>
<p>So, it is now a month and a half after the last post on this thread and DD has still not made a decision. She had 1 rejection, 2 waitlists and 3 acceptances. Not to bad considering the schools she applied to. We only have a few more weeks until a decision has to be made. 1 full ride and 2 with 100% EFC. </p>
<p>She is going to an accepted student overnight this week so I think the end is near. Hopefully, by early next week, she can call the coaches from her 3 acceptances and give them her answer. School she is visiting is ranked in the top ten in the country and would be an amazing experience I am sure. However, as expected, our EFC is 100%. We still are not convinced it is worth almost a quarter million dollars. </p>
<p>I applied to exactly one school in 1984, went there and had the time of my life. Oh for things to be so simple.</p>
<p>We used the house /car formula. For some people $200,000 it the price of a house for others it is the price of a car. To us we didn’t think we could go into debt the price of a house but more ok with going into debt the price of a car. That price is dependent on your family situation. If you are a rolls Royce family then dropping 200,000 is in that zone. If you are a BMW family then maybe 80,000 or so. If you are a Honda family then maybe 30,000. And so on.</p>
<p>I’m hopin’ my 2003 minivan holds out for 2 more years-that car payment money sure does help with tuition bills…Also the $1000 less in groceries a month when they are away…(2 young men)
Congrats, Tay and to your D</p>
Frankly, it has become very “thought consuming” in our house as you can probably tell.</p>