<p>I’m a senior in high school too trying to make the choice between Bryn Mawr and Rutgers (if anyone wants to input please do–I will be an English and Psych double major) and I whole heartedly agree with your generalization. I come from a very competitive high school in New Jersey and most of my classmates have given into feeling the need to drive themselves (and their parents) into debt partly because they don’t want to accumulate MORE debt for grad school and therefore go to the pricier, more pretigious school over Rutgers in hopes of paying off their original debt and starting off with a better salary and a more comfortable lifestyle quicker than those who feel the need to go to grad school. Our town is generally upper-middle class, but that puts almost all of us in this awkward–we’re comfortable enough to buy you a car but we’ll go into debt paying for your degree-- limbo that forces us as students to make a difficult choice. </p>
<p>Many of my friends who have been admitted to various top LACs and Ivies are opting to go to Rutgers on scholarships, simply because it would be silly not to take the money given to you in this recession. Many have decided to go to the cheaper, less prestigious schools or our state university (although according to some people outside of NJ, Rutgers is prestigious as well, it just has a bad reputation in NJ at the competitive high schools) in order to save money in the long run and because they are aware that there is always the possibility of working hard at this school, obtaining a good GPA, attending for almost nothing, and transfering to the more prestigious schools into which they were initally admitted. I feel as though more and more of my peers are compromising by following this plan of action and are a little regretful because of all they’ve done and all the money spent from minimum wage jobs to pay for applications, etc., but feel secure knowing that they either will have no debt or can splurge on graduate school–parents around here seem to like that plan a lot better, especially knowing how hard it is to get a job without a master’s at times.</p>
<p>To repeat an earlier reply to a similar situation,i know of very few people who actually paid out of pocket for their Masters…Paid for by their employer after graduating and getting their 1st job…Yes, it is more difficult working AND getting your Masters PT,but the savings makes it well worth it…So,imho,if you think you can afford the LAC ,this may be a path for you…Best of luck</p>
<p>At least one study has shown that there is no difference in future success/earning potential between people who attended Ivies (I forget the details; it may have been specifically one school such as Harvard) and people who were admitted but attended their state university instead.</p>
<p>In other words, the determinant of success is that you are already, at 18, the type of person who has the talent and work ethic to qualify for admission to a top school. </p>
<p>So is it “worth it” from a financial perspective? Probably not. Will it introduce you to different people, different experiences, perhaps a different path? Probably. But will carrying hundreds of thousands of debt with you into your adult life limit your options? Definitely.</p>
<p>DeskPotato referring to an Ivy league school, “Will it introduce you to different people, different experiences, perhaps a different path? Probably. But will carrying hundreds of thousands of debt with you into your adult life limit your options? Definitely.” </p>
<p>I think DeskPotato does a good job of summing up the choice of attending an Ivy vs. an instate school when the family can’t afford the big ticket price. I attended a state school (honors pgm) and had plenty of opportunities. My college years were fun and full and seemed challenging enough at the time. I had a good job upon graduation. My son attends an Ivy. I see NOW how much I missed in my college experience. You simply don’t know what you don’t know… </p>
<p>In NO way, did I have the same experiences that he has. The exposure to top lecturers both in and out of class, small classes, the intellectual level of fellow students, the focus, climate, opportunities and expectations really don’t compare. Not that my experience was bad; it wasn’t. But I know it could have been richer.</p>
<p>We are not wealthy and can not afford full price. My 1st DD’s private college FA was ok, not great (still cheaper than our instate). My son’s FA pkg was better and made his school cost workable. Now we are facing child #3’s college search. Her stats are similar but maybe not be quite as impressive overall in ECs. More importantly, the economic climate has changed in the past few years. Our income is slightly higher but will probably impact FA since schools have less to give. Like others, I don’t feel it’s wise to graduate with large loans. I will not cosign. </p>
<p>I will acknowledge that my DD may have to settle for a lesser college experience than if she/we could afford a top school (if she’s admitted). I think what irks some people is when parents act like all schools offer the same level of education and won’t acknowledge that there may be a reason to pay more for top schools. In my view, there is certainly a difference and it MAY be worth paying full price if that’s affordable. Unfortunately we don’t have that luxury so it simply won’t be a choice.</p>
<p>“I think what irks some people is when parents act like all schools offer the same level of education and won’t acknowledge that there may be a reason to pay more for top schools. In my view, there is certainly a difference and it MAY be worth paying full price if that’s affordable.”</p>
<p>I fully agree that, all other things being equal, an education at an Ivy League school or other top university is superior to the typical flagship State U. The problem is, for many of us in today’s economy, it’s not affordable unless we or our child take on tens of thousands of dollars in additional debt.</p>
<p>And, no, we do not own any yachts, vacation homes or fancy cars, etc. that we could sell, or annual vacations that we could cut back expenses for. Some of us are just middle-class folks with modest homes, trying to get by and pay the bills while saving a few bucks for retirement. We’re still fortunate to have jobs, but the take-home pay is less now due to a lack of raises in recent years and annual increases in our health care and other benefit contributions. We don’t qualify for Pell grants, and the good folks who designed the FAFSA formulas think that folks like us can just take on the equivalent of another mortgage payment to put our kid through school. </p>
<p>We’ll tighten our belts further and somehow find a way pay for our son to have a proper undergraduate college experience at a good university instead of being a commuter student the way I was. Unfortunately, though, that may mean having to say no to the best schools he was accepted to.</p>
<p>Happykid’s suburban Maryland HS sounds a lot like yours. Every single year more students choose our own local community college than any other college/university. The second largest group go to UM-CP. The third largest group is composed of students who opt for another public community college or university in Maryland. In almost every case, money is the biggest factor in this choice. Even “Ivy-quality” students choose in-state publics because of the lower cost. Sometimes a special honors program is the lure, but the truth is money talks.</p>
<p>You are truly fortunate to have acceptances from two fine, well-respected institutions. They are very different from each other, but each has distinct advantages (and not just in the cost differential). I’ve studied at both types, and I know that there are good experiences, and not so good experiences to be had in both kinds of place. If you find yourself choosing Bryn Mawr over Rutgers, remember that it is possibly one of the few colleges that are so different from the mainstream that for a student who really truly feels drawn there, the difference in price may be justified. If you end up choosing Rutgers over Bryn Mawr, do so with no regrets and no looking back. </p>
<p>Wherever you do enroll next fall, you are going to be just fine.</p>