<p>My son is struggling between these two choices and I'd appreciate your insight. He is talented in math and science, but seeks liberal arts during his college career. UT has offered him a full ride; we pay the full freight at Princeton. He will go on to grad school, just no concept in which field. UT will accept his approximately 70 hours of AP/college courses.
Thoughts?</p>
<p>Full freight at Princeton? Even with their generous financial aid? Hmmm...you must be high income.</p>
<p>Would you be able to comfortably pay for the Princeton degree, or would your son need to take out student loans? If your family can afford it, I would definitely choose Princeton. </p>
<p>However, if the Princeton costs are too much, UT is giving your son a fantastic opportunity. I would save the money and go to UT, then look at Ivy League for grad school. </p>
<p>Congrats to you and your son!</p>
<p>I'm asking for help in deciding between colleges too, so I think it's only fair for me to spout my opinion to others as well. University of Texas is considered one of the good public schools out there, so I think you should consider it. However, like the previous poster said - if you're able to pay for Princeton comfortably then go for it - if not...its probably isn't worth it.</p>
<p>I wouldn't factor in the ap/college credits. Rushing through undergrad is usually a mistake, especially if you want to go onto grad school.</p>
<p>Some families do this. They say, we'll pay for FANCY PRIVATE SCHOOL, but if you go to FREE RIDE SCHOOL, will give you half the difference in cold hard cash. Then they let the kid decide.</p>
<p>Princeton has an edge in ibanking. Does he look to get out of Texas?</p>
<p>Academically, I don't think any school can beat Princeton if you're looking for a well-rounded education. Some schools can match up, but none are better. Princeton offers unbelievable internship opportunities and a very strong alumni network, and it is also better for grad school admission. Has your son visited Princeton?</p>
<p>
[quote]
Academically, I don't think any school can beat Princeton if you're looking for a well-rounded education
[/quote]
</p>
<p>$200K better?</p>
<p>What kind of educational opportunites can $200K provide? What kind of internship opportunities? What kind of start-my-own-business opportunities? $200K? Not just $200K, but $200K after-tax money invested?</p>
<p>
[quote]
it is also better for grad school admission
[/quote]
</p>
<p>I strongly doubt this. A top student at UT is going to do just fine in grad school admissions. Princeton students are stronger to begin with, so of course they are going to do better on average than UT students, but a top student at UT is going to do just as well.</p>
<p>Even if a Princeton education is worth $200K, is it worth $200K more than a UT education?</p>
<p>Does your son want to stay in Texas, or experience the east coast? The two schools are very different in their size, location, and general atmosphere. Since finances are not a major issue, where does your son feel more drawn to in terms of the kind of undergraduate life he'll have?</p>
<p>Dean Scholars is heck awesome. He can also apply to Plan II, and double major there to get his liberal arts education.
Most DSers get into their top choices for grad school, and these are very prestigious grad programs. </p>
<p>I'd say go to UT and save the $$$ for Grad school.
=/</p>
<p>Really depends on the worth of 200k to you.</p>
<p>200k vs Prestige, your choice</p>
<p>
[quote]
$200K better?</p>
<p>What kind of educational opportunites can $200K provide? What kind of internship opportunities? What kind of start-my-own-business opportunities? $200K? Not just $200K, but $200K after-tax money invested?
[/quote]
</p>
<p>If you notice, I said nothing about money. I was just expressing my personal opinion about a school. But while we're on the subject: yes, 200k better, to some people. And, alumni networks can help in grad school admission and job placement.</p>
<p>It sounds like he is an excellent student so he will stand out at UT and have no problem with grad school admissions. We are not talking University of Dallas here, we are talking UT. The advantage of UT taking his units is that if they knock out GE's he can explore more with his education and that is attractive. Now if 200K is no biggie for your family, then Princeton is very very intriguing. I don't think it is 200K over UT but think of the 200K over the long term. There is also more margin for error at Princeton oddly enough. A 3.2 Princeton GPA is probably worth a 3.8 UT GPA at least. Grad schools rank universities just like universities rank high schools.</p>
<p>You all seem to hit on the very issues my son and I are considering. Location, future, value of 200k after-tax....great but tough decision....</p>
<p>Not close. UTexas plus $200k in other educational experiences (three years in law or med school; 5 trips around the world, grad school, 5 years working in public health in Africa, couple of years learning to paint in Italy, etc.) is FAR better educationally than Princeton.</p>
<p>Of course, if you have this $200k extra after Princeton anyway for him to spend, or are unwilling to spend any of it in addition to paying nothing at Texas, that is another story.</p>
<p>But straight up, educationally this isn't even close.</p>
<p>Don't leave us hanging let us know what he decides haha.</p>
<p>Princeton is one of those places where paying the extra cash can very much be worth it. Texas is one of those places that sometimes doesn't give a hoot about Princeton or any fancy Ivy college. </p>
<p>I personally would opt for Princeton because you really only get one shot at this and IMO Princeton is the pinnacle for undergraduate academic education in the USA. But if he plans to live and work in Texas after graduation, the Princeton advantage is somewhat reduced.</p>
<p>"Not close. UTexas plus $200k in other educational experiences (three years in law or med school; 5 trips around the world, grad school, 5 years working in public health in Africa, couple of years learning to paint in Italy, etc.) is FAR better educationally than Princeton."</p>
<p>Supposing the student made the decision to go to UT, that doesn't necessarily mean that the parents would then give him the $200K he "saved" by not going to Princeton. I don't know about anyone else here, but if my child chooses (for whatever reason) a lower-cost college (whether that lower cost is because the school itself is less expensive, or there's a scholarship) over a higher-cost one, it's not as though he gets the difference as to what I would have paid if he went to a higher-cost school. I'm going to fund his education, not allocate a set sum of money that he gets to keep the balance of.<br>
I have two high schoolers and if one goes to an in-state school that's $20K a year and the other goes to a school that's $45K a year, the first one doesn't "get" $25K in play money or anything. </p>
<p>I agree it's a tough decision, but if the family can afford it I'd say go for Princeton.</p>
<p>
[quote]
I have two high schoolers and if one goes to an in-state school that's $20K a year and the other goes to a school that's $45K a year, the first one doesn't "get" $25K in play money or anything.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>It depends on the family. I know cases, and I think this is very reasonable, where the parents did give the kid cash if he takes the free ride. This lets the kid make an informed choice. It's easy to spend someone else's money, much harder to spend your own.</p>
<p>"Supposing the student made the decision to go to UT, that doesn't necessarily mean that the parents would then give him the $200K he "saved" by not going to Princeton."</p>
<p>Princeton is better than UT. That's simple.</p>
<p>But that's not the situation with which the OP is faced. </p>
<p>What I posed was essentially a "thought-experiment". How parents choose to spend their money is none of my business. But if they chose to spend it on their kid's education, then this really is a no-brainer.</p>
<p>UT (Austin) is an excellent school, and he really should have no problem standing out and getting into an excellent graduate program... save the money for that</p>