Is an private undergrad degree worth paying more for vs a CSU or UC undergrad degree?

Paying for College
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I don’t think that SDSU is really going to be in contention. The OP wrote, " Waiting for Cal Poly Slo and UC decisions". I assume that OP’s daughter wouldn’t have applied to those schools without meeting basic requirements, and so daughter is probably in the position of being guaranteed a slot at some UC campus, if not her top choices.

I think it is probably worth paying the extra cost for a UC over a CSU for a family with the resources to do so, for a variety of reasons – (though still not the job thing)-- so the real question is whether it’s worth paying the premium for the private school – and the OP doesn’t seem to have any qualms about paying for a UC (" with the States and UC’s we are able to help her with a masters when that time comes.")

I fully understand the differences between a small college, LAC environment and a big-school atmosphere – but as a UC graduate, I have a very hard time with anyone suggesting that the schools that the OP listed could be considered preferable to UC’s for either academics or prestige/name-recognition of the degree. So assuming acceptances at one or more UC campuses and/or Cal Poly … the question is going to come down to, what does Santa Clara or Loyola offer over the UC — and is that worth spending +$60K over the course of four years. For some students the intimacy of the private college environment might very well be worth the money.

Anyway, my point is simply that I think that SDSU is a safety that probably won’t be in consideration once all results are in, so no need to diss the school. The CSU’s tend to serve a different overall clientele than the UC’s, but they do provide opportunities for those who are motivated to seek them out and take advantage of them.

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“So assuming acceptances at one or more UC campuses and/or Cal Poly … the question is going to come down to, what does Santa Clara or Loyola offer over the UC — and is that worth spending +$60K over the course of four years”
@calmom I have really gained a lot of helpful information from everyone and all the comments, but this was exactly what I was trying to figure out all along. :slight_smile:

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We will visit her top schools again once we have all the decisions and spend time focusing on what environment best fits her. I believe that she can, and will seek the opportunities she desires on her own.

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The process is much easier once you know what schools have accepted your daughter and you can narrow things down to the top two or three choices.

If it were me – and if I had plenty of money to spare – then I’d easily pay for Santa Clara or Loyola over SDSU – but I’d pick just about any UC over those privates. But you and your daughter have to figure out your own priorities and preferences. My point is that it isn’t just about the money, it’s also about qualitative differences in the schools and their offerings.