<p>I mean over like a state public school for substantially less money. The HYPSM schools and the ivy leagues sound like great schools. But what is the benefit of going to such an expensive school over a great public school (like UNC-Chapel Hill) for an undergraduate degree? Isn't graduate school selection more important in the long run?</p>
<p>Just wondering. I'm trying to justify Stanford over a cheaper public school to my parents. :-P</p>
<p>Well if you live in a state with a great public ivy (California, Washington, North Carolina, Virginia, Michigan, Vermont, Wisconsin, Florida, Texas, Ohio, NY, Penn, etc etc), there really isn’t too much reason.</p>
<p>However.</p>
<p>+Prestige
+Often greater career placement opportunity
+A graduate from Harvard looks better than a graduate from Western Washington University
+You may like the feel of the school more
+Location
+Asthetics
+If it’s stronger in your major
+Type of school (A smaller university, or a liberal arts college versus a large 30,000 kids at a state school).
+Better opportunity for placement into a better grad-school
+resources available</p>
<p>The private schools I’m looking at are a better fit for me than my flagship school (College Park). They have better financial aid, campus life, career placements opportunities, internship opportunities, and programs in my field. The private schools I’m looking at are also located better with considerably nicer campuses and facilities. The private schools also have better grad school placements. I have to disagree that a degree from a private school looks better than a degree from a public school, with a few exceptions - the Ivy League schools and certain private schools that excel in their field. It will be cheaper for me to go to a private school than to a public school because private schools have more extensive financial aid programs, for the most part. If your parents won’t or can’t pay, take on the responsibility yourself by taking out loans, working during breaks, and trying to find ways to save money (apply to be an RA, for example). If YOU are willing to pay for a private education, it’s worth it.</p>
<p>P.S. - I agree with the second poster in that some schools have better public schools than others, but I didn’t like his/her choices. Your state, NC, has an excellent in-state school system. I highly recommend UNC Chapel Hill. At LEAST apply there as a financial safety.</p>
<p>Its actually cheaper for me to go to Williams then it is to go to Cal or UCLA. The top LACs and top 5 and most top 10 universities have great fin aid policies, the only problem is getting in.</p>
<p>Umm, because it’s not actually more expensive. Don’t just look at sticker price.</p>
<p>With the extremely generous FA (100% of need) at top schools, the total tuition for middle and lower income students is often lower. (Ex. Harvard provides 100% of tuition for those making under $60k.)</p>
<p>Plus, there ARE dividends when it comes to employment and grad school opportunities. A top private is more prestigious than publics, and offers more value for the majority of applicants.</p>
<p>I’m actually asking myself the same question.</p>
<p>I’m toying with University of Washington (where tuition is much less) verse some great privates (Northwestern, Wake Forest, NYU). Honestly, UW is a fantastic public, so I may go there instead of using my whole college fund on my undergraduate education, instead of spending the majority on grad school.</p>
<p>But, I can understand going to a private if you’re paying less, if the private is much, much better, etc.</p>
<p>There are literally a handful of schools in America where the undergraduate experience is truly priceless. You cannot put a price tag, in my view, on having a class led by Paul Krugman, Madeleine Albright, Jeffrey Sachs or Martin Feldstein. If a college gives you access to former Cabinet Officers, Nobel Prize Winners and Heads of State, it is worth whatever you have to do financially to attend it. This leaves a very short list, but those places are worth the sacrifice IMHO.</p>
<p>Its like asking why buy a Mercedes (or BMW, Lexis, etc.) when a Chevy or Ford will provide the same type of transportation, get you there at the same time, etc. The experience is different, the prestige factor is different but in the end these things may not be important to you. To others, they are important.</p>
<p>There are other reasons: Some private schools may offer programs that your state university may not offer. My daughter is from Maryland and is studying Digital Design,which isn’t offered at any Maryland State University. Thus,she went elsewhere.</p>
<p>I have a son who has had some LD issues ( learning disabilities). No state university here was good for LD kids. He attended a private school, Fairliegh Dickenson, who had a VERY strong program for LD kids , and he graduated with honors. He then got his masters in accounting and is working at a mid size accounting firm. </p>
<p>Bottom Line: there are many reasons to attend a schools outside of your state university.</p>
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<p>Elie Wiesel is a professor at Boston University. The adjuncts at GW are incredible in their fields. Just thought I’d add.</p>
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<p>Elie Wiesel is a professor at Boston University. The adjuncts at GW are incredible in their fields. Just thought I’d add.</p>
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<p>In addition to better FA, private schools may also be easier from which to graduate in a timely fashion. You can look at the 4-year graduation rates of the private schools vs. the publics. Since UNC and Stanford are being used as examples, let’s discuss them. Only 71% of UNC students graduate in 4 years, compared to 80% at Stanford (and at Berkeley, a school that I know well, the rate is a conspicuously middling 61%). Heck, even UNC’s 6-year graduation rate of 83% is only slightly higher than Stanford’s 4-year rate. There is little point in saving money by going to a public school only to lose those savings by not only having to pay for extra years of tuition, but more importantly in losing the opportunity cost of still being stuck in school and not being in the workforce. </p>
<p>Then there’s the even more basic issue of being able to graduate at all. A significant percentage of college students, for whatever reason, never graduate, and this seems to be far less common at the private schools. The difference may have to do with the general skill level of the students at the private school, but may also have to do with the general philosophy of the school with regards to hand-holding and grade inflation. Stanford, as the example at hand, is a school that is (in)famous for high levels of grade inflation, such that it is almost impossible to flunk out. You might get mediocre grades, but you won’t flunk out. You know you’re going to pass, and you know you’re going to graduate. No such assurance exists at many public schools, wherein flunking out is a real possibility. Whatever savings may be rendered by choosing a public school are clearly not justified if you then flunk out.</p>
<p>Also, as an out of sate view point (such as arizona where there public schools suck a**) it is quite surprising how expensive the elite public schools can be. Like Michigan, UCLA, UC Berkely, they cost over $40,000 for out of state students. I mean private schools such as ivy league and those types of school even gives wayyy much more financial aid and it is actually CHEAPER than those great public schools in financial terms.</p>
<p>Is this just about getting into grad school, or preparing for a lifetime of interests, passions and achievement? The former doesn’t necessarily get you the latter, but the latter will offer a terrific boost to the former. The undergraduate experience is where adolescents turn into young adults. People get grad assistantships for graduate school. I wouldn’t shortchange the undergrad experience, and I’d make significant sacrifices to have it be as full and robust as it can be.</p>
<p>The original question on “Why go to an expensive private school?” …like Stanford over a less expensive public school.<br>
Truly… if you can sit down with your parents and look at the numbers and make a commitment to them (ie… I will work x amt of hours in the summer; I will work x amt of hrs during the school year, etc) and show them that you are willing to take on some of the financial burden, then you will have a better argument.<br>
Even though you can take out loans, your parents have to sign for them. And they stay with you for LIFE. You can’t bankrupt yourself out of student loans. They follow you forever. Read Suze Ormann’s website.</p>
<p>Also, the amount your parents have to pay is “after” taxes. So if they are paying $30K/year, that means they had to have earned at least $45K (or more) in income just to come up with that amount of money.<br>
Trust me, not all graduates are getting jobs these days. If you read the headlines you will see that many smart, intelligent, Ivy-league grads are not finding jobs or getting laid off from their jobs. </p>
<p>Also keep in mind that that companies are now cutting back on employee’s pay by 6-8% this year (which is better than a furlough or a layoff).<br>
Colleges and Universities should lower tuition. They are putting way too much financial pressure on students or creating these types of problems where the student-child is trying to pressure parents to take out a second mortgage to fund a college education that may lead to nowhere.<br>
Just food for thought. </p>
<p>ALso,… one more rant… Japan has been in a recession for 20 years. The US is following in its footsteps on major economic policy. So don’t believe the headlines that say we’ll be out of this downturn in 2009 or 2010. It just won’t happen so nicely. You really need to consider that, too. Sorry to be so negative, but you need to look at the whole picture.</p>
<p>There is always Stanford Graduate School… and then that loan may be a better investment. </p>
<p>But you probably won’t get that kind of support on these boards. Everyone is so caught up in the ‘prestige’ factor. If you are from California, the ‘prestige’ factor is not as big a deal as on the East Coast. Californian’s know that many a successful mega-mansion owner/deca-millionaire never went to any prestigious east coast school or to Stanford for that matter. </p>
<p>I remember reading a poll about the success rate of those who “were accepted” to elite schools and where they ended up. Turned out that the accepted student became successful later in life no matter where they went to college. So, you will probably do well in life, no matter where you go.</p>
<p>That said. I love Stanford. It’s a great college. :)</p>