I have been agonizing over this topic for a while and could really use a variety of perspectives.
Basically, this top LAC I have in mind I believe fits me in almost all aspects; the only concern I have is financial. No loans would need to be taken out and my college fund covers it, but I don’t want to attend a top institution simply because I can afford it without weighing the value of that degree. The thing is I’d get merit scholarships from other lower-ranked schools. So I guess I’m asking, in the long run, is a degree from an elite LAC (in a social sciences major) worth the extra money?
What are the advantages to a degree from such an institution?
Also, are the job prospects comparable to lower-Ivies such as Dartmouth/Cornell; or are liberal arts grads (even from the elites like WASP) generally less-employable?
Sorry, I just have a lot of questions that are always keeping me up at night:/ and I want to make the best possible decision I can for my undergrad education:)
IMHO “top” LACs are worth even the top Ivies … in fact having attended one of each I can tell you that the teaching at the top LAC was better than at the top Ivy. Top Ivy relied on more lecture halls–big lectures–and the individualized teaching was done by TAs. I learned from that experience that being smart doesn’t make you a good teacher. Teaching is a skill. The quality of the teaching at the LAC was much more individualized. If you’re asking about name brands, many of the top LACs has as much panache as an Ivy or Ivy equivalent. As far as what sort of tuition dollar amount you should spend, how much you value that, that’s up to you, but studies have shown that it’s not the school that makes or breaks a person. It’s the person who makes or breaks the person. For example, one study looked at SAT scorers at various institutions–using SAT scores as a stand-in for a measure of achievement seeking. Top SAT scorers at lower-ranked schools outperformed lower SAT scorers at higher-ranked institutions. The name of a school might help you get your first job and if it’s fancy enough it may get you a look at other jobs in the future, but as you move along your career track your performance and skill set starts to take over more and more. Each school has its alumni network and if you’re into Greek life or another subgroup at the school, there are those networks too. Those networks that you build will help your career too.
I agree with the above with the caveat of this, will you be needing to go to grad school ? If so it might be wise to save some of the college dollars for that. What schools are in the mix and what is the cost involved?
This is Household Economics 101. Everyone has a favorite soap or shampoo or some other personal hygiene product. We’re willing to pay a premium for a product that makes us feel “squeaky clean” or makes our hair and gums feel and smell a certain way. At the same time, we all know that for a fraction of the price an ordinary bar of soap can probably perform all the same functions (including cleaning your teeth, TBH) pretty efficiently.
The question is, at what level of economic anxiety must you experience before that cheap bar of soap starts to look so enticing that you are willing to overturn a lifetime of personal hygiene in order to save a few dollars?
I’m not here to sell you on your dream college. A top LAC degree with no debt at the end of four years is a wonderful thing.
Of course it depends upon how one defines “top LAC”, but if that definition is the Top 25 LACs, then yes, there is significant value intellectually & financially in attending a top LAC.
But, everything is relative. What are your options ?