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<p>You, POIH, are the best comedian on CC! 
ROFLMAO!!!</p>
<p>My point being that while the COA keeps going up, salaries have not kept pace. My engineering degree cost approx $10K total and my student loan payment was (I remember this distinctly) $52.25; I made about $20K at the time. So I paid about 5% of monthly take home. That same education would cost $80K today for a loan payment of over $900 or about 20% of take home (assuming $75K starting with 70% as take home). Add in that by the time I paid it off (10 years) I was making about $50K so it was down to less than 2%. Can new graduates (with only a BS) count on the same rate of increase? Or with they be paying 10% - 15% of their pay every month for a decade? Now double or triple the cost and theyll be paying 20% - 30% - 40% each and every month . Yikes.</p>
<p>DougBetsy: At least making this forum a better place by bringing laugh to others.</p>
<p>It is my upbringing that prevent me from attacking personally anyone but allow me to absorbs all comments.</p>
<p>Is it your upbringing or the fact that you went to a HMYSP school?</p>
<p>^^^: I think it is the upbringing that provide the basics to recognize the value of going to HMSPY schools.</p>
<p>But the decency of not resorting to personal attach is utter basics that you get from your parent or elementary education.</p>
<p>The POIH formula for college experience:</p>
<p>Intellectualism + “Academics” + Contacts = Win</p>
<p>I leave the reader to form their own impressions.</p>
<p>I think it’s fair to say that as long as those who are paying the costs and having the resulting “experiences” are satisifed with their particular value proposition there’s little to argue about. </p>
<p>However, it’s also important to acknowledge that “experiences” do not occur in a vacuum, and what’s deemed best for some should not in any way be construed as being best for all. </p>
<p>POIH, I do not find any of the indgredients you named as requisite for an ideal “experience” the exclusive domain of Ivy institutions. However, I do agree that at the lower end of the spectrum some of those elements probably do exist to a lesser extent. Then again, some of them are also fairly subjective and exists more or less according to the eye of the beholder, and I’d also argue that your list is not exhaustive. </p>
<p>But what’s most important, above all else, are the needs and sensibilities of the individual student, which as we know, are as varied as the number of people on the planet. Thus while HYP certainly serves its clientele very well, it does not in any way provide the best “experience” for “everyone” by a longshot. Nor does it fulfill the needs of all. If it does for your student, however, I certainly understand why it is considered money well spent for your family. </p>
<p>Yet, I also can understand why for others it would amount to little more than an extravagance, and might even be considered undesirable. The camp one to which one ascribes is largely dependent on the individuality of the student. Ultimately, there is no generically correct answer for “best experience.” Incredible experiences abound across vast landscapes in our country in venues large and small, east and west, north and south, and public and private alike.</p>
<p><<maybe the=“” children=“” i’ve=“” gone=“” high=“” school=“” or=“” college=“” with=“” outside=“” of=“” usa=“” were=“” different=“” because=“” most=“” those=“” aspired=“” to=“” be=“” at=“” hmspy=“” along=“” cambridge=“” oxford.=“”>></maybe></p>
<p>The HPYs of the world never appealed to me or my husband - altho he’s a GW and Duke grad which I guess are psuedo ivies. Similarly, the HPYs have absolutely no appeal to my sons. For my older son - heading off next fall - they just didn’t offer him what he wanted (academically or socially). </p>
<p>Of course, maybe their lack of interest comes from the years we spent living overseas where they went to international schools with the local rich elite - whose parents had dreams of HPY. Some of the kids were quite nice (and my sons are still in regular contact with them)- but most were obnoxious and arrogant.</p>
<p>For those who aspire to the HPYs of the world - that’s great. I wish them all the best. But those schools don’t have a monopoly on your 3 main points - (1) satisfaction of intellectual curiosity, (2) invaluable education, and (3) long term friendship/relations/contacts - all of which can be obtained at a variety of universities - public and private.</p>
<p>My kid’s at the University of Virginia. Since we enrolled her in Virginia’s prepaid tuition program when she was 7–which locked in tuition at $4500 a year–we’re paying approximately 12,000 a year. Only 7500 is out of pocket though since the tuition was prepaid.</p>
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Whoa, where did you get that number from? Tuition is $38k/year and room/board is $8k-$15k/year. So let’s say full cost is around $200k for 4 years - the scholarship covers half that, so where does the extra $40k come from?</p>
<p>I go to NYU and it costs $76k total for 4 years. That’s a lot of money, but my parents can afford it and it means no debt, so I’m grateful. I did get accepted to more elite schools which didn’t give me scholarships, but I wasn’t going to pay $200k or so. I also got good scholarships at a couple SUNY’s which I turned down. Sometimes I feel stupid for doing that. I might go to Grad school but PhD programs in Science/Engineering are generally free, plus a research stipend. </p>
<p>This private vs public college debate is silly. Obviously not everyone is going to be happy at an ivy or whatnot - I think we all realize that. No rational person thinks going to yale is the ticket to happiness or something - why does that even need to be pointed out?</p>
<p>The original intent of this thread, if I understand the OP, is for those who are willing to share how much they and/or their parents pay for the college education. </p>
<p>As many have said, there is no way that we could all reach the same view point as what is worth. Because all of our different culture back ground and economic situation. </p>
<p>For one, I could definitely understand where POIH is coming from. Within certain groups of people, HYP is the only thing they talked about. I have been on the other side too. Where the state flag U is THE desireable place and nothing else matters. </p>
<p>In any case, it is your money and your kids. Whatever you do, is your own business.</p>
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That’s a stupid thing to say when stern is not even NYU’s best program - it’s ranked something like 15 or so for undergrad business. NYU has other programs which are ranked #1-5 in the country, a lot better than stern…</p>
<p>Not that I think any of the programs are worth $200k or so! But like Dad II said, whatever people do with their money is their business.</p>
<p>^^^^</p>
<p>Rankings don’t really matter because they’re not accurate. Especially Businessweek. Those same rankings don’t have Wharton #1 either.</p>
<p>Prestige and job placement matter. A Stern grad will get plenty of job offers from recruiters with high starting salaries.</p>
<p>Do you really think Stern is the 15th best business school? Stern is generally considered a step below Wharton. </p>
<p>There is no question Stern is a Top 5 UG business school.</p>
<p>d cost us about 120 k for a ba at a fine (hats off, please) Midwest Liberal Arts College. wouldn’t be so bad if she’d just get a job. i know, i know - it’s our fault, but they don’t come with a user’s manual. suggest you start them off early - more part-time jobs, less enrichment</p>
<p>It cost our family over $100K for our S’s EE BS, but, we’re happy he has a job that he’ll be starting in the near future, in his field (chose one of the three firm offers he received).</p>
<p>For our D, it’s harder to calculate, because we’re not sure when she’ll actually graduate. She transferred in after 3 semesters at CC, which cost about $1K or less/semester. She also took summer school at flagship U, which cost $1-2K. She’s in the middle of her 3rd semester at expensive private U, which is full freight at about $50-55K or so. She HOPES to graduate next spring, but we’re thinking it may take longer. Her job prospects are more speculative because her field is not as much in demand as her brother’s.</p>
<p>I had 4 years of college & 3 years of law school & graduated with a loan of $3K total, which was to be paid quarterly @ $90/quarter. (I had received significant merit aid & some need-based aid, because I was one of a very large family & had been financially independent from early on, including all of law school.) I had that much in my savings account at that time, but was encouraged just to pay quarterly to boost my credit rating, since that was the only debt I had ever had. My salary after law school was somewhere around $35K+, so the debt was a miniscule portion of my salary. The entire debt was less than 10% of my starting salary.</p>
<p>Total cost for an engineering degree in-state at UVA was $82,890 (S1 graduates this spring). This was all-in: books, room, board, fees, tuition, and three summers plus one semester abroad, including flights, etc. The choice was a poor social fit, but stayed because of the good reputation, relatively low cost, and convenient location. </p>
<p>Total cost at WVU was $13,113 through end of freshman year. Although out of state, gets in-state tuition as a petroleum engineering major through the academic common market. Also gets some scholarship money based on high school GPA/SAT score. S2 is delighted with his school so far–both good academic and social fit for him. We wish it were a little closer, but at least it’s still drivable.</p>
<p>to HIMom:
your D sounds uncomfortably familiar (“She HOPES to graduate next spring, but we’re thinking it may take longer. Her job prospects are more speculative because her field is not as much in demand as her brother’s.”)</p>
<p>if we had it to do over again, we’d put more effort into urging (insisting?) our d include a minor that would be directly related to a real job description. beware the “gifted” creative student approach - a lot of expensive LACs don’t really care whether or not your D can get a job after she graduates - but believe me, you will care.</p>
<p>Yea, niece is getting a masters in teaching with a teaching certificate, so she can get a job that will pay wages. Her psych degree doesn’t & she didn’t know what else to do. Will talk more with D about what she plans to DO when she graduates & she’s working on getting more job skills so she is employable.</p>
<p>Wow. I don’t know if folks like me are silent on this thread, or just on CC in general. </p>
<p>Son’s COA is about 55K this year, I think. I pay $0 of that; the rest is covered by grants. I spend about $500 in related expenses for his education – I pay for some travel, clothes, incidentals. Daughter’s college choice is still pending. If it becomes necessary, I will spend the financial aid grants I get for living expenses on her, but that’s only about 2K available. </p>
<p>Neither one of my children was particularly interested in HYP and Ivies. They’ve grown up hearing that right fit should be the first priority. OTOH, this fall I will be applying to Harvard Divinity – but again, largely because it’s the best fitting program I can find that offers a fully funded graduate degree in my field.</p>
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<p>Just to clarify, grants cover all 55k?</p>