<p>"That's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard. Because someone is intelligent and motivated, s/he must have NO life, NO friends, and NO social skills, right?"</p>
<p>I didn't say that. I was saying statistically, if you look at a kid at Harvard they will have less social skill than a kid at a lower ranked school. I'm not saying kids at great schools are socially inept. Sorry if it came off that way.</p>
<p>Basically all I've heard so far is the prestige. Also, a lot of you have stated that FA can make private schools cheaper than public. But what about that huge group of people that are rich enough to not be able to get financial aid but not affluent enough to pay without taking out serious loans?</p>
<p>"Just to let you know, private schools may be more expensive but they offer more financial aid than large public schools."</p>
<p>Private schools may give more financial aid, but your out of pocket expense may still be more. Other than the relative handful of privates that pledge to meet full demonstrated need, most privates offer top scholarships in the $15K range. $50K a year less $15K is still a heck of a lot more than State U.</p>
<p>How was she able to get a full ride at Rutgers, but close to nothing at Princeton? That doesn't really make any sense, considering that Princeton gives arguably the best financial aid in the country.</p>
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And lastly, which I think is a point people just don't seem to be able to accept, is that the school itself does little or nothing to add or subtract from the financial success a high achieving high school student will achieve in life... an Ivy quality student who goes to the Ivy will do no better than an Ivy quality student who chooses for financial, family or other personal reasons to attend a lower ranked school.
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</p>
<p>One of the most false statements posted on this board. Many studies have confirmed that attending an Ivy league school in comparison to a school that is not as good (rutgers) has a very large implication on their financial success. The job offers and starting salary differences between schools alone substantiate this. My 2 cousins who graduated Yale started out with a 100k Salary, tell me can a Rutgers grad do that? In general private schools are better than publics and in my opinion provide better undergraduate experiences. But the debate is not private vs public schools, but rather good vs bad. There are many of both in both groups.</p>
<p>"But what about that huge group of people that are rich enough to not be able to get financial aid but not affluent enough to pay without taking out serious loans?"
There in the same boat as the much larger group that are poor enough to get financial aid but not enough to pay for college without taking out serious loans.</p>
<p>^that's what i'm saying about the good vs. bad. i'm not saying your local public school that any average student can get into is as good as Tufts.(I'm also not arguing Rutgers is as good as Princeton.) I just don't understand why someone who could get into Tufts or Rice wouldn't choose to go to UC Berkeley, SUNY Binghamton, U of Chicago, or UVA. Besides the fancy private school prestige, the only difference is price.</p>
<p>I'm kinda confused, are we talking about Princeton vs Rutgers specifically or public vs private in General?</p>
<p>Though not everyone can come out of an IVY and make in the 6 figures but i'm guessing the average starting salary is around 70 to 80 k while lesser colleges are around 50 to 60k. So in about 4 years you should be able to pay off your IVY loans. But you have to graduate and do something with that degree or else you'll be in big trouble.</p>
<p>To answer Phishfans' question: Why would someone reject an Ivy and go to a lesser school besides the factor of having scholarship and financial aid? MANY Reasons! May it be they want to be in a religious college, closer to home, near somewhere, wants a big party scene, FOOTBALL!, doesn't want to be around nerdy kids, climate, or have a good academic program. IVY's just can't have everything that every student wants.</p>
<p>"One of the most false statements posted on this board. Many studies have confirmed that attending an Ivy league school in comparison to a school that is not as good (rutgers) has a very large implication on their financial success. The job offers and starting salary differences between schools alone substantiate this. My 2 cousins who graduated Yale started out with a 100k Salary, tell me can a Rutgers grad do that? In general private schools are better than publics and in my opinion provide better undergraduate experiences. But the debate is not private vs public schools, but rather good vs bad. There are many of both in both groups."</p>
<p>They didn't get 100 k salaries because they went to yale, they got it because they were qualified.
someone in the bottom quarter at dartmouth wouldn't appear that much more qualified than the valedictorian of UNC.</p>
<p>Anyways, employers care way more about where you went to grad school compared to where you went to undergrad. my mom went to rice and my dad went to cornell and they are both fairly rich successful doctors, and they both say they'd be in the exact same position even if they had gone to less prestigious schools. my friend's sister is a undergrad harvard grad and she is an average substitute teacher looking for a steady job.</p>
<p>the fact is that if you have a 2150 sat, good grades, but get rejected by the ivies and have to go to Brandeis or Carnegie mellon instead, it won't really make a difference in the long run regarding employment opportunites.</p>
<p>Firecube...that was the opposite of my question. My question is why public schools are so looked down upon when really, IMO, they're a much better dea.</p>
<p>Oh, well I was just answering your question in post #1:</p>
<p>"I don't mean to be bashing anyone's desicions, but does anyone else have any insight as to why, other than scholarships or financial aid, someone would go to a non-ivy private school? I'm boggled."</p>
<p>Why are public schools are so looked down upon when really they're a much better idea? It just all depends on the person. Like I said, it can be the fact that public have better campus opportunity and much more fun than private (not always the case though). Maybe students like BIG classrooms with professors or else they like to remain anonymous on campus.</p>
<p>"ferryboat, how are they in the same boat? One group can get FA and the other can't..."
Financial aid is not the great equalizer. At 99% of colleges, full need is not met through financial aid (and the few that do meet full need make up their own estimates). The very poor to the very rich are in the same boat of having to pay their way with substantial loans.</p>
<p>At most colleges, the most substantial scholarships are merit-based, not need-based.</p>
<p>^^ Along the same lines, a private school might be much better for a particular student's personality. I know that I could succeed academically at a public school, but I would be a lot HAPPIER and involved at a small LAC.</p>
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[quote]
hey didn't get 100 k salaries because they went to yale, they got it because they were qualified.
someone in the bottom quarter at dartmouth wouldn't appear that much more qualified than the valedictorian of UNC.</p>
<p>Anyways, employers care way more about where you went to grad school compared to where you went to undergrad. my mom went to rice and my dad went to cornell and they are both fairly rich successful doctors, and they both say they'd be in the exact same position even if they had gone to less prestigious schools. my friend's sister is a undergrad harvard grad and she is an average substitute teacher looking for a steady job.</p>
<p>the fact is that if you have a 2150 sat, good grades, but get rejected by the ivies and have to go to Brandeis or Carnegie mellon instead, it won't really make a difference in the long run regarding employment opportunites.</p>
<p>get it?
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That is simply not true. There are exceptions of course but where you go to school is absolutely important to your long term financial situation. My dad went to Maryland undergrad and then to Stanford grad and he credits Stanford for a lot of the successes he has had in becoming a lawyer. His story was rare, almost never do kids from Maryland get into Stanford or Harvard for grad school. The top grad schools are predominantly made up of kids from the top undergrad schools, because thats where the smartest kids go. It opens doors. Trust me the ibank they went too did not recruit anywhere but elite privates. It makes a big different where companies recruit from, the social netowkring at top schools as well as the starting salary. If your point were true there would be absolutely no reason to be a smart person going to a top school, you might as well go anywhere, but obviously thats not the case. The ivy league and Stanford are so popular for a reason. prestige matters...</p>
<p>Also for business many kids are not going to get MBAS now so where you go for undergrad is all that matters....</p>
<p>Undergraduates from YALE starting at $100,000 and from schools just below starting salaries at $50,000-$60,000?? From those parents whose children just graduated or are soon to graduate from ANY school: please share what fields and types of jobs these students have.</p>
<p>most good private schools are usually pretty good with financial aid and academic scholarships. I go to private school in the top 50 of all national universities and i only take out about 5k in loans a year.</p>
<p>I don't think public schools are "looked down upon" but i just think the major thing is that a lot of people say that you get treated like a number at those big ivy league schools and they wouldn't have smaller classes and more access to their professors like at most private schools. I dont think this applies for all schools but most. I chose Syracuse University over Maryland college park. Yeah even tho syracuse is ranked 50th and college park 54th, and even tho college park has a better economics and finance program(i am an econ major, finance minor). I chose syracuse cus i don't think undergrad matters as much as my actual work experence, grades, and school i choose for my mba in the long run. Until grad school, i think i prefer private. Actually maryland is on the top of my list for where i want to go to get my mba.</p>
<p>The best reason I can some up my reason for prefering a private over a public has to do with the service a school gives you. Obviously every school is different, but just try emailing admissions a question at UCLA and USC, and get ready to be surprised at the kind of response you get.</p>
<p>Really it depends on what the individual wants, like for me I want to go to law school, so it doesn't matter where I go for undergrad so I just want a school that is cheap so I don't have to take out loans. They top privates Ivy and Ivy caliber are a better option to ALOT of students. But for grad school it 100% matters ALOT.</p>