<p>LAFALUM84 said: “You could have been at UNC with Michael Jordan!” Telling him that no one knew who Michael Jordan was at the time makes no difference in his opinion… "</p>
<p>I beg to differ. I am the same age and I grew up about 60 miles away from MJ and they talked about him on the 11 o’clock news in Wilmington. I went to UNC and we ALL knew who Michael Jordan was, even before his game-winning shot his freshman year. Saw him once in the Math Library. So, except for cheering him on during BB games, I can’t really say I went to school WITH him, I can say we went to school at the same time.</p>
<p>Sorry, grew up in NJ. Perhaps I shouldn’t say “no one” knew who MJ was… <em>I</em> didn’t know who MJ was. I also could have gone to Princeton at the same time as Brooke Shields and Dean Cain. Princeton even called me to ask if I wanted to apply. I said no. I was afraid it would be full of snotty rich kids who were smarter than me. If I could go back in time to my 17 year old self and slap myself in the face… I’d NEVER get into Princeton now, of course.</p>
<p>With a 1510 SAT (recentered would be 1570), 4.0, and #5 out of 750, I don’t think I’d have any problem getting into my alma mater or anywhere S was accepted. Then again, neither of us went for any real reach schools, just matches.</p>
<p>As far as paying for it, my alma mater (a small LAC in PA) was $3000 per year and my parents paid maybe $200 plus books. Grants covered the rest, half need-based and half merit. This year, it costs $38,288. Not a chance.</p>
<p>Even without adjusting my SAT scores to account for the differences between then and now, I could easily get into my alma mater. My law school might be a little tougher, but if they were looking at scores alone I’d probably get in. If they wanted college EC’s I’d be in trouble because I spent all my free time earning money to pay for school and didn’t have any. I had better stats than my kids do, so I suspect I could get whatever schools they get into also. </p>
<p>However, there is no way I could pay for any of my schools today. The old FAF form in use when I was in school counted both my dad’s income AND the inventory from his business (without which he would have no income), so I didn’t qualify for any financial aid even though my parents couldn’t contribute a single penny to my education. After freshman year my dad wouldn’t even fill in the form. 30 years ago I could work my way through school; today it would not be remotely possible for me to pay the COA of my schools with minimum wage jobs. My kids don’t have to worry about that - DH and I will be able to pay to send them wherever they want to go.</p>
<p>I would still get into my alma mater–Mizzou Journalism–although the standards are now much, much higher than they were then. Some of my classmates would not get in now–and many of them are respected, still-practing journalists in major markets. I was also accepted at Penn and Smith but went to Mizzou due to our family financial situtation at the time. I have never, ever regretted that choice.</p>
<p>Husband would likely still get into Tulane but they eliminated his major after Katrina so there would be no reason for him to apply! </p>
<p>Both of us would be a real stretch to near impossibility at the schools that our junior son is considering–MIT, Purdue, Wisconsin, Michigan (engineering/OOS for all of them).</p>
<p>My school? Easily. (I took NM scholarship at state u.) Kids’ schools? Certainly. Could H still get into his Ivy? Scores would be marginal now (1400ish) but he had some excellent hooks–so, maybe.</p>