<p>Provided that you don't achieve a scholarship, is there a point to pay around $40,000+ in tuition and fees for private colleges or universities if you're gonna be in debt from Student loans?</p>
<p>I really wanna go out-of-state, but I don't know if its really worth it.
I live in New Jersey so my choices (for me) is limited to basically Rutgers. Almost anywhere I go out of state would be at least $20,000+ for something on par to Rutgers as far as education goes. And it would be $40,000+ for Carnegie Mellon University (2012-2013 Tuition
$45,124 tuition and fees).</p>
<p>If you go to military college or community college, you'll basically be financially better off because you won't be in debt; besides your salary won't be that different from someone from a middle-tier college.</p>
<p>Some will say that colleges don’t mean that much job employers, and when it comes down to it, it won’t be the college that makes the difference. I disagree. Think of it this way. You have a guy that graduated from say Carnegie Mellon and another from Rutgers. Who will give the better first impression? Obviously the guy from Carnegie Mellon. So basically for the rest of the time he’s looking through your application, he’s already in favor of the guy from Carnegie Mellon.</p>
<p>The education you get is also very vital. Obviously it’s what you make of it, and I don’t know the specifics from college to college but a guy from a top tier college will get better education and more connections than a guy at a huge state university.</p>
<p>Besides the name of the college, what other benefactors are there?
I know a high school diploma compared to a college degree has great difference (in salary & education). But how about with colleges? I know connections may be important or like pride in going to a top-tier college, but its also how you use the money.
Of course you can do internships and whatever, but still… “The average annual tuition (plus expenses) at a private nonprofit four-year college is about $35,000.” At least 4 years would be $140,000.</p>
<p>"The underlying thesis is if I get a better degree I should get a better job, but that only really works if the economy really recovers to support all of those job wannabes,” he says. “People borrow up and then if the economy isn’t strong enough [for] the repayment of it all, you have this big upsurge in borrowing.”</p>
<p>It depends on your career goals. Some types of work are very school-prestige-conscious, while others are much less so. Also, general rankings and prestige may not necessarily match those of specific majors.</p>
<p>In any case, try the net price calculators on each school’s web site to get estimates of financial aid and net cost for your situation.</p>
<p>In general, the return-on-investment for top private schools is better than public schools, so financially it can make a difference if you go to a top-tier college. Really it all comes down to your family’s finances and what your tuition cost will be compared to how valuable you think the education will be.</p>
<p>The top companies have settled this debate. </p>
<p>Tip-top investment banks and management consulting companies (GS, McKinsey, etc.) see good school prestige as a pre-requesite for hiring. The vast majority of their interns and associates come from the top 25 schools. Below a certain point (rank 40 or below), they won’t even consider an applicant.</p>
<p>There is such a variety of opinions on prestige that it is probably the most misunderstood attribute of colleges. If you are going to do things your own way (such as opening a company), then college prestige or even college itself could be entirely redundant. If you are going to follow a standard path to success, college prestige is essential.</p>
<p>Top-tier colleges do offer opportunities that other universities don’t or can’t. Sometimes the co-curricular options like studying abroad, extern/internships, and exchange programs are better - because of their reputations they can attract more beneficial liaisons with other schools and employers. Recruiting may be better - Wall Street firms and top firms in other fields may be lined up to recruit Harvard and Amherst students but not so much at the state flagship. Top schools attract top scholars as professors, so the professors may be better-versed in their fields and dedicated to research and scholarship and (in the case of teaching-focused schools) very passionate about teaching. Libraries are often better, and on-campus facilities may surpass those of the local public.</p>
<p>However, you have to weigh those against the costs of debt. Over about $30-50K in total debt is too much for undergrad, period. And even when weighting smaller amounts, one must consider the comparison. I would say it would be worth it to pay a little more to go to Carnegie Mellon over Rutgers, especially in technical/computer science related fields. But Rutgers is a good public university with a lot of opportunities and good name recognition, so unless it’s affordable to your family to send you somewhere significantly better, it’s probably your best option.</p>
<p>I disagree that the guy from CMU automatically gives a better first impression than the kid from Rutgers. It really depends on the person reading the application and other factors. Yes, in certain fields (technical and CS) CMU will warrant a closer look. But what will be far more important is the experiences you have. Someone who expects the name of their school to speak for them and doesn’t take advantage of their opportunities won’t be competitive against someone who takes advantage of any opportunities presented and seeks out more, even if the second person went to a theoretically less prestigious institution.</p>
<p>You should add “for investment banking and management consulting” to this sentence. It is not that way for many other industries or types of jobs.</p>
<p>I don’t really have a problem with paying for colleges, but I think it is sometimes a ‘rip-off’? Economically, I view college / universities as an investment. If I can find something else to invest into, that’s stable and that’s not educational schooling, I’d do it.</p>
<p>Question for those who might know? You are accepted to two schools to study engineering. One is a prestigous university but doesn’t encourage coops, the other a mid tier state u with a mandatory coop program. The prestigous U will cost you twice what the state u will even after figuring in scholarships. Your goal is to get your undergraduate degree and work in industry. All else being equal which will more likely land you a job in industry after graduation?</p>
<p>Military colleges make you go into the military for the “free” tuition, so most people wouldn’t work well there. Community college is for people who, to be completely honest, usually were too lazy or not smart enough to get into regular college, and it usually confers less academic degrees. They also aren’t taken seriously by a lot of big companies for many jobs (i.e. if you want to be an engineer at GM don’t plan on getting your degree from a community college).</p>
<p>College isn’t for everyone; there are plenty of jobs that don’t require bachelor’s or above, that many people could get, enjoy, and thrive in. But college provides education, skills, etc. that many employers are looking for, and you surely couldn’t become a doctor/engineer/lawyer/etc without college. Plus, college is a great time for most people, so most people would say that’s a great benefit in and of itself.</p>
<p>Now that I’ve answered some of the other questions… Yes, there is a point to top tier colleges, but if there is a $100,000 difference, then weighing your options is a good idea. Look into whatever you want to do to see if a better college will get you a better job. If you’re going to grad school, most won’t care what undergrad you went to. If you want to be a engineer, most places will take any accredited school. Basically, unless your undergrad degree will matter in your chosen field, I wouldn’t spend that much more, unless you really loved the school you wanted to go to.</p>
<p>While one would not be able to get an engineering degree as one’s final degree at a community college, many students start at community college, transfer to four year schools, complete engineering degrees, and then work at good engineering jobs and/or go on to top PhD programs in their majors.</p>
<p>For some, it is a low cost option after not getting enough financial aid and scholarships to afford all four years at a four year school. For others, it is a chance at redemption after being flaky and doing poorly in high school but then “growing up” and taking school work seriously.</p>
<p>If you have a four-year degree, no one will ever know or care that you did the first two years at CC unless you choose to disclose it. There is no asterisk on your diploma saying that you transferred.</p>
<p>In my heart of hearts, I believe that going to Rutgers will let you open just as many doors for yourself as going to CMU. Once you get past your first job or two, what matters is your experience and what you can do - NOT where you went to college 5 years ago. Cream always rises to the top. Be the cream at Rutgers and you’ll do just fine :)</p>
<p>Honestly, I don’t really want to go to Rutgers, but I feel like that’ll be the best choice, financially and economically. It’ll be cheaper and it’ll be closer to home.
Has anyone received any Rutgers scholarships before?</p>
<p>Going to a top tier college also counts if you plan to do graduate work. Where you got your undergraduate degree counts. Your education like your life is frequently what you make of it. At least apply to your preferred college and have Rutgers as an option. See how the finances play out, don’t get yourself into debt that you can never dig out of.</p>
<p>Where you get your undergraduate degree counts some in terms of doing graduate work, that’s true. But doing well during your undergraduate study is more important than where you go. I know lots of Rutgers grads who have graduated with high GPA’s and have gone on to very prestigious graduate programs, including my husband who went to Harvard Law I think that in many ways if you’re planning to go to grad school, it’s even more important to be frugal with spending on your undergraduate degree. Just my two cents.</p>
I think that in many ways if you’re planning to go to grad school, it’s even more important to be frugal with spending on your undergraduate degree. Just my two cents.</p>