<p>I saved this</a> post by jmmom in my bookmarks almost two years ago, which only goes to show that being compulsively organized does come in useful:
In the hopes that it might be of use to those in decision quandaries, I thought I would share a decision rubric which has served me well over the years in all aspects of life. It serves both the right- and left-brained among us. Some might use just the one method, some just the other, but I recommend the combination of both, analytic and gut.</p>
<ol>
<li>Make a list of all your criteria (location, offerings in majors of interest, strength of program, cost...). Value each school for each criterion. Use whatever method you want: assign point values to each on 1-10 scale; give it a yes or no; id the Best school for each). Add up your values, your yeses and nos, your count of Bests for each school.</li>
<li>Looking over the results, note your reactions. Do you find yourself annoyed that Princeton got "only" 78 points and Harvard got 88? That tells you something. Do you find yourself tempted to go back over Carleton's results and add a bit here and there? That tells you something.</li>
<li>Look over the results again. Do you "know" that the answers the rankings give you just won't work? Because your mother would never be happy if you don't go to Duke? Because your dad will be furious if you go to Reed? Because the cost is just plain prohibitive for the winner? Then, go back and add whatever criteria these issues raise: "Mom's favorite," "Dad's view." Or, add more weight to the cost criterion.</li>
<li><p>Study the final results. Perhaps you now have your answer, and you are done.</p></li>
<li><p>To me this is the most important step. If you do not have your answer, put the tables and analyses away. Now, imagine that the decision has been taken completely out of your hands: a Big Boss has swooped in and told you that your acceptances to Earlham, JHU and UNC have been revoked. You have to go to Amherst. How do you feel? Relieved? Thrilled? Incensed? Ready to fight for that JHU acceptance? </p></li>
</ol>
<p>Test out this scenario for each college you're still considering. Believing that the decision has been taken out of your hands, and monitoring your reactions should give you your answer. If it doesn't narrow it down to one school (I think it will), it should at least eliminate some and you can redo the process for the remaining.
<p>My D ended up at the school she was least interested in when applying. Accepted at 7, easily eliminated 4, did accepted student visits and overnights, easily eliminated 1 more....was very torn between 1 and 2. 1 was her original first choice, 2 was the school she was originally least interested in....final decision was based on opportunities for growth she felt available at both schools. Hands down 2 had more to offer her....she is now there and absolutely loves it with no regret! We hadn't even considered it would be difficult to make a final choice.</p>
<p>My D was accepted to 7 colleges, but was very busy when the decisions arrived. I think she was also overwhelmed at having to make a choice. I shipped her off to an accepted students weekend at the college I thought suited her best (academically and socially). She groused about missing play rehearsals, but loved the weekend and loved the college. Decision made.</p>
<p>I'd have sent her to visit her other top choices, but she didn't have much time in her schedule (important note - keep April dates AVAILABLE) and she felt the one she visited was just right for her. And it is.</p>
<p>Once the financial aid pkgs are in, there's not much more to discuss. My D was accepted to an oos school that had rolling admissions and it followed up with a full tuition scholarship. That was it, the deciding factor, for our household. My D is contented - and I'm very relieved that this all worked out in terms of finances. Her other choices were in-state schools - but the tuition/fees/rm&board would still have turned out to be more $$. But every family is different and has various goals and objectives as well as other responsibilities. I have a friend who maintains that "everyone takes out loans" and she doesn't see it as any obstacle nor hardship....</p>
<p>LBP, I am with you. I was just talking to a parent the other day. Her freshman is at an expensive private college, and they received nothing in aid. She was offered full tuition at not one, but two other wonderful private colleges. She wanted to go to the school that required that her parents pay the full sticker price (she felt "most comfortable" at that school). They allowed it, and now they regret it. They have 2 other kids that will need college as well. These are upper middle class parents, but far from wealthy. The mother told me that her other 2 won't have the same choices. Her middle child is the same caliber student, so if he is offered full tuition that is where he will be required to attend.</p>
<p>Its all so personal. I think it depends on if the private school offers a terrrific program in your child's field of interest. My S got no merit at his chosen college, tho step-down schools offered $10,000 and state U was free. Summer jobs thru college made up the $10,000, and now, as an upper classman, he has a substantial merit award. Some things cannot be predicted. </p>
<p>Having younger children in HS would make a difference. Having a child with specific needs matters. Decisions are personal.</p>
<p>bookworm, I agree. Every family is different. There are many factors at play including but not limited to grandparent or rich uncle contributions, family savings and debt, family earning power, assets, values, potential earnings of student including their talents and abilities, specific college offerings/programs for that student, other family members needing support (ie: sick grandparents), younger children, and so on. I do think that many students and families get swept up and the process and don't think their decisions through, feel pressure to make a decision within 30 days, and then regret it. I know 2 families that were forced to sell their homes b/c of college debt.</p>
<p>Whew! Northeastmom, I agree with you, too. But many people out there will do whatever it takes - selling their homes, if need be - to have their kids go to the college of choice, perhaps an Ivy/prestige name school. And some students are burdened with huge loans after graduation, as well...Again, it's a matter of personal values.</p>
<p>Sell my house? No way, unless I was ready to move to a smaller place as an empty nester.</p>
<p>I remember making choice of grad school vs med school, thinking about NIMH grant vs $100,000 in loans. I was too young to realize how quickly I could have paid off that loan.</p>
<p>Future plans of child also make a difference, as so many advanced degrees cost a lot of money.</p>
<p>Well, I know 2 families that made choices that ended up with both selling their homes. One family is encouraging their second child to go to a trade school. The first child received everything from this middle class family...the car (not new), the expensive private school without financial aid grants or scholarships (only loans). The middle child does not have a car, had to move where he does not know anyone, and has spent the last year in his new home figuring out where he is going, b/c the college FA packages were not doable for him. Parents are talking to him about trade schools. There is a third child too.</p>
<p>The second family is sending their son to a private school which they did for child #1, but they needed to relocate to a less expensive state to make this all happen. Both parents are in jobs where relocation is possible.</p>
<p>My DH justified his grad school loans as "a mortgage on my brain," which, I suppose, is one way to look at it. Personally, I would have a tough time asking my kids to take on more than Stafford for their undergrad debt. One of my kids is looking at serious post-grad work, so it will likely be an even bigger issue for him. </p>
<p>We would like them to launch into their own lives after college rather than coming back home, and I think the undergrad debt load has more than a bit to do with those decisions. Just like we parents are getting hit in the face with EFCs representing major proportions of income, our kids will get a taste of that reality when they graduate. </p>
<p>Starting salaries don't often cover the expenses of starting life!</p>
<p>My son knew from day one that the bottom line is money. This gave him a little more motivation when it came to writing essays and also helped him in choosing which schools to apply. He has been accepted to all four schools, has receieved some nice scholarships from three of them and so when he gets the results from all of the outside scholarships, we will sit down and see which one will cost the least. Right now he practically has a full ride at our state school (which is his last choice) but knowing that it is a real possibility that this is where he will end up, he has time to get used to the idea. Fortunately, he is real easy going, would be happy almost anywhere he goes and all four have excellent programs in his field of study. I do feel that being up front with him (about the money) from the beginning has helped make it easier.</p>
<p>Onne more suggestion:
Look through the course catalog!</p>
<p>This was helpful not only in terms of the numbers and choices of courses available for S's intended major (some of the smaller LACs seemed somewhat limited in this respect), but also by realizing that some schools seem to take a more abstract approach to the subjects, with others more pragmatic, current, etc.
Visits helped immensely. For our son, the schools that seemed like good matches via his research were also usually the ones he liked best in person.</p>
<p>Another issue here, besides the financial, is campus security. It's worth looking up the stats of the schools to which the student has been accepted:<a href="http://securityoncampus.org%5B/url%5D">http://securityoncampus.org</a> This could be a real eye-opener, and for some, perhaps a deciding factor.</p>
<p>Yes, I consider this a very important issue. I looked up the prominent, flagship school for my state - and they had too many reported rapes, in my opinion...Very disturbing... Although a school might rank high on the USNWR -you have to create your own list of priorities/concerns....</p>
<p>D hasn't gotten responses from most of the schools she applied to yet (she applied RD everywhere), but I know that if her #1 choice accepts her, she is planning to go no matter what. Since this involves a move overseas, I am not sure whether I want her #1 choice to accept her or not! But her #1 choice is one of the less expensive schools on her list, even when you consider exchange rates, so I'm sure we will find a way to make it work.</p>
<p>Not to highjack this thread, bu wow, LBP-- what an important website. The figures re: alcohol related deaths each year, (not to mention almost 600,000 injuries!) are staggering.<br>
And yes it does certainly tie into decision-making Aside from safety, there's also the general atmosphere on campus. S was not interested in any schools with heavy partying/drinking reps, which made his choices all that much easier to support. They have to be careful no matter where they are, though.</p>