<p>Gonzalo: I am one of the families that pays full fair at Stanford. I’m not affluent by any means, so paying full is very difficult and tough. However, my dh and I feel that Stanford has been worth every penny of our blood, sweat and tears. I’m not putting down any other schools but at the end of the day, nothing compares to Stanford. The school is the full package. Are there schools out there with equal academics/world renown professors? Yes, Harvard, Princeton, Yale, MIT etc. Are there schools out there with great sports? Yes, Duke, Notre Dame, LSU, etc etc… Are there schools out there with lots of research? Yes, Cargnie Mellon, Harvard, MIT, etc etc etc. Are there schools out there with lots of school spirit and pride? Yes!!! And are there schools out there that are fun-socially, enjoy the frat scene, have a great neighboring town to enjoy etc.? Yes! The list could go on forever…But the bottomline is that only Stanford has all those things. Thats what makes it so unique and great. Thats what makes it worth every penny and at the end of the day not comparable to anything else out there.</p>
<p>Normally, I would vote for the free ride as W & L is commendable and starting life w that much debt is killer. However, given the other choice to be Harvard, Princeton, Yale or Stanford, I would have recomended going with the top tier school. There is a lifelong edge to having attended one of those uber schools.</p>
<p>If your plan is to attend law school after undergraduate, attending a school like Stanford us a huge advantage, not only in terms of law school admissions, but also in terms of the connections you will establish for life.</p>
<p>Are you sure that attending Stanford for undergraduate school would help with law school admissions ? If so, any source or even anecdotal experience ? Law schools are primarily concerned with one’s LSAT score & GPA.</p>
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I’m pretty sure Duke has all those things too: academics, school spirit, research, pride, etc. Notre Dame and Vandy would be a bigger drop academically but they meet the basic criteria as well.</p>
<p>first time seeing this thread and wonder where the heck OP ended up!</p>
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<p>Northwestern is another school that offers amazing academics, world class research, beautiful waterfront campus, Big 10 sports, great social and Greek scene, fantastic college town, etc.</p>
<p>That said, we’re also a middle class family paying full freight for our D’s first choice top tier school, and two years in we don’t regret the decision one bit. </p>
<p>First off, if you’re at a school like Stanford or NU that promises to meet 100% of the demonstrated financial need of every admitted student, the tuition may be more than your family WANTS to pay, but it’s probably not more than you can actually afford or you would have been given financial aid. </p>
<p>Second, remember that some kids who opt for a less expensive alternative end up unhappy there and transfer and/or need an extra year to get all their required classes, either of which can offset tuition differences.</p>
<p>Lastly, an undergrad degree involves not only an investment of $, but also of four prime years of your life. Within your budget (I’m not a fan of college loans), choose a school that makes those years count.</p>
<p>Stanford all the way. There are no substitutes to a great education.</p>
<p>Also - virtually every kid at a school like Stanford had full-ride options elsewhere, or could have if they’d applied to more mid-tier schools.</p>
<p>Stanford offers need based grants… If you really need it you should get it</p>
<p>W&L is a better deal. Save the money!</p>
<p>Washington & Lee.</p>
<p>This thread is old. No need for mor input.</p>
<p>Message deleted.</p>