<p>There is no simple answer to the question. It also depends on what an individual feels is “worth” it. In dollars and cents, you may be able to come up with some quantitative evidence, but when you start putting in other factors, it becomes quite complex.</p>
<p>I can tell you that I know any number of kids who had horrorific experiences at Columbia, Cornell, other top schools because they were not a good match for them. The heartache alone was not worth it. I am pretty sure in some of those cases a smaller, more personal, less intense school would have made a world of difference for the kids. But is this looking at things on a retroactive basis.</p>