Give up Princeton?

Colleges and Universities A-Z Princeton University
1

<p>Though I've been considering it since I began my college search, I'm starting to reconsider Princeton. It's just too much money: my family can't afford anywhere near what all the financial aid calculators say. Plus, if I got there on financial aid I'd be a second-class student working during the weeks and the summer while tons of other people got to do study abroad and research. I've sent in all my recs. and transcript but still have my app. to submit though it's mostly done. I'm applying to a lot of other places that are more within my financial reach esp. with the change of merit scholarships where I could actually enjoy college and get a chance to study abroad and start undergrad research. Two other brothers will be coming into college right after I leave so my parents will have to pay for college for 12 constant years. I'm interested in history and political science but not necessarily a high-paying career. Princeton would be great but is it really worth it? Someone try to convince me since I may just be in a rut here and could regret it later.</p>

2

<p>Yes (didn't read this post just thought I should say YEAH YEAH EYAH YEAH YEAH EYAH, YEAH!)</p>

3

<p>take it that studying at Princeton is an investment - an investment that will earn you double the amount that a second tier college education would get you, especially in field like history and political science. If you dont have the capital in the beginning, it might be tough. You are right in that going to Princeton for undergrad is a waste. Your final degree is what that counts. Do your Masters or PhD from there, and then it really makes a difference. You'l earn the same 2x regular if you have a masters from there.</p>

4

<p>And remember that there's always low-interest loans you can take out from Princeton - that's what I'm going to be doing. It's not the end of the world ;)</p>

5

<p>you've almost finished the application. it would be foolish to give up before you've even sent it. also: you might not even be accepted, so it's a waste of time panicking now about whether you would go if you were accepted. lastly, if you are accepted and can't afford it, princeton would be happy to supplement your financial aid. that's what: "guarantees to meet demonstrated need" means. good luck with your other RD schools.</p>

6

<p>Just go for it, Princeton is commonly more generous than you'd expect.</p>

7

<p>If you give up pton, then give up all the other ivies since they all charge more.</p>

8

<p>metra has said it all in one sentence.</p>

9

<p>yeah, the Ivies and nearly every other top school in the nation...you really can't get much better than Princeton when it comes to financial aid. I think callthecops said it best: Princeton is an investment. A huge one at that. You could use it as a springboard to so many other things. Besides, you can negotiate financial aid stuff (somewhat) if it ends up not being what you wanted. I say go for it, but it's up to you.</p>

10

<p>well, harvard and yale are better with aid
you just cant beat 22 billion and 10 billion endowments, its insane</p>

11

<p>
[quote]
well, harvard and yale are better with aid
you just cant beat 22 billion and 10 billion endowments, its insane

[/quote]
</p>

<p>Endowment size does not correlate with the amount of aid given. Princeton is all grants and no loans, which H and Y can't beat at all. It takes a mere 12 million to turn all loans into grants, but some schools just don't want to spare that money.</p>

<p>You fail to realize that most of an endowment is usually invested to generate a profit. Harvard, for example, recently sold off forest land in New Zealand for a huge profit.</p>

12

<p>what is princeton's endowment, btw? I've never known...</p>

13

<p>o yea i realize that endowment is not all financial aid
but its pretty much undisputed that harvard is the most generous in giving aid
no other school (including princeton) has their under 40K free plan</p>

14

<p>true, but let's not forget Princeton's quote:</p>

<p>
[quote]
Harvard may be saying it, but Princeton may be doing it.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>It's highly likely that most families with incomes </= $40,000 are not contributing beaucoup dollars to the cost of a Princeton education. Princeton meets the demonstrated need, and with NO LOANS.</p>

<p>Aside: I've heard that Princeton's no loan policy is actually targeted towards, and benefits, middle-income rather than low-income families. Your thoughts?</p>

15

<p>Such a question is best posted in the "College Admission & Search" or some other forum rather than the princeton forum, because you are likely to get semi-biased responses from die-hard princetonians. Just a thought.</p>

<p>EDIT: The above was intended for the original person who started this thread, not gianievve's question. :)</p>

16

<p>I agree, gianievve. Obviously those with the lowest incomes get the most financial aid. Those with the highest can usually foot most of the bill of a Princeton education after four years. The middle-income people are the ones that benefit from the no-loans policy the most; it only makes sense that because they don't receive as much financial aid as those with the lowest income, they have to find some alternate means of paying off the college bill (most of the time through loans). Princeton, in its efforts to create a more socioeconomically diverse student body, is trying to draw in this somewhat-excluded middle class, which is great (mostly because I fall in that bracket :D). Is it working? Well...to some degree. Princeton is still one of the least socioeconomically diverse campuses among the Ivies (especially compared with schools like Columbia), but they're trying to take the steps necessary to shed itself of its former elitist, exclusivist image.</p>

17

<p>Sure it may be from a hated source (USN&WR) but at least theyre (verifiable) stats:</p>

<p>Least Debt: National Universities</p>

<p>School % of grads with debt Average amount of debt
Princeton University (NJ) 25% $6,500
University of Texas–El Paso * 40% $7,704
California Institute of Technology 49% $7,906
Harvard University (MA) 51% $8,830
N.M. Inst. of Mining and Tech. * 42% $9,161
Clark Atlanta University 67% $10,808
University of South Alabama * 71% $11,000
Univ. of Southern Mississippi * 61% $11,202
Brigham Young Univ.–Provo (UT) 39% $11,301
Utah State University * 47% $11,500
U. of North Carolina–Chapel Hill * 24% $11,519
University of Alaska–Fairbanks * 50% $11,623
University of Utah * 42% $12,400
Southern Illinois U.–Carbondale * 37% $12,413
University of Texas–Dallas * 49% $12,605
Michigan Technological University * 56% $12,775
University of Central Florida * 36% $12,780
Univ. of California–Los Angeles * 44% $12,830
University of Texas–Arlington * 47% $12,934
Rice University (TX) 40% $12,942
San Diego State University * 47% $13,000
Univ. of California–Santa Cruz * 54% $13,116
University of Georgia * 47% $13,193
Johns Hopkins University (MD) 46% $13,300
Univ. of California–Riverside * 72% $13,414
University of Virginia * 31% $13,522
University of Hawaii–Manoa * 29% $13,707
University of Florida * 42% $13,744
Illinois State University * 59% $13,780
University of Delaware * 33% $13,806
University of Nevada–Las Vegas * 36% $13,860
University of Houston * 30% $13,961
Univ. of Maryland–College Park * 34% $14,076
Stevens Institute of Technology (NJ) 68% $14,113
Texas Woman's University * 16% $14,173
Univ. of California–San Diego * 54% $14,192
George Mason University (VA)* 42% $14,215
Louisiana Tech University * 37% $14,306
SUNY–Stony Brook * 50% $14,427
University of Illinois–Chicago * 39% $14,439
University of Louisville (KY)* 39% $14,498
U. of Maryland–Baltimore County * 29% $14,500
University of Rhode Island * 58% $14,500
SUNY–Binghamton * 61% $14,531
University of Tulsa (OK) 64% $14,546
New Jersey Inst. of Technology * 50% $14,600
Rutgers–Newark (NJ)* 73% $14,757
University of Washington * 50% $14,760
Ohio State University–Columbus * 47% $14,869
Tufts University (MA) 40% $14,925
Rutgers–New Brunswick (NJ)* 56% $15,018
U. of Illinois–Urbana-Champaign * 45% $15,100
Clemson University (SC)* 42% $15,125
Northwestern University (IL) 50% $15,136
University of Wyoming * 44% $15,250
Univ. of Massachusetts–Lowell * 67% $15,258
Univ. of Massachusetts–Amherst * 65% $15,374
Duquesne University (PA) 72% $15,437
University of North Texas * 43% $15,466
Univ. of Missouri–Kansas City * 80% $15,714
Texas Tech University * 56% $15,780
Central Michigan University * 63% $15,872
Univ. of Missouri–St. Louis * 62% $15,958
University of Nevada–Reno * 45% $16,000
University of Colorado–Boulder * 44% $16,002
Brown University (RI) 36% $16,040
Stanford University (CA) 44% $16,045
Colorado State University * 55% $16,075
Columbia University (NY) 41% $16,085
Western Michigan University * 46% $16,100
Univ. of South Carolina–Columbia * 71% $16,105
Loyola University Chicago 55% $16,168
Oklahoma State University * 54% $16,268
Ohio University * 49% $16,307
University of California–Berkeley * 33% $16,354
Univ. of Nebraska–Lincoln * 72% $16,376
Univ. of Wisconsin–Madison * 43% $16,395
University at Buffalo–SUNY * 70% $16,418
Alliant International University (CA) 42% $16,500
Texas A&M Univ.–College Station * 34% $16,500
University of Texas–Austin * 37% $16,500
Georgia Institute of Technology * 47% $16,576
University of Kentucky * 57% $16,584
Fordham University (NY) 66% $16,590
Purdue Univ.–West Lafayette (IN)* 50% $16,641
Yeshiva University (NY) 49% $16,642
University of Colorado–Denver * 40% $16,644
South Dakota State University * 80% $16,660
SUNY–Albany * 69% $16,700
Old Dominion University (VA)* 80% $16,750
University of Iowa * 59% $16,750
Seton Hall University (NJ) 69% $16,763
Lehigh University (PA) 52% $16,774
University of Arizona * 42% $16,881
Texas A&M University–Commerce * 60% $16,892
North Carolina State U.–Raleigh * 38% $16,897
Yale University (CT) 39% $16,911
Dartmouth College (NH) 51% $16,922
U. of North Carolina–Greensboro * 48% $16,942
University of South Florida * 50% $16,969
Ball State University (IN)*</p>

18

<p>Princeton's endowment is about $19 billion, I've heard. Thats larger than Yale's, and Princeton is a smaller school than Harvard and other top schools, with a relatively small grad program to eat up funds, so undergraduate at Pton is probably the best funded in the country. That's why there are no loans in fin aid, and they dont take your house into account.</p>

19

<p>Thank you metra. Evidence! And take a look at where Yale ranks, folks: not in the top three anymore!</p>

20

<p>
[quote]
they dont take your house into account.

[/quote]

?mind explaining this one? I've never heard of it.</p>

<p>And thanks for the 'middle-class no loan' break-down phil. I hadn't figured it that way. I'll expect a competitive econ classmate at Woody-Woo next year :)</p>