<p>Haystack said:</p>
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<p>I agree. And I would add that this statement would apply to many so called 3rd tier schools as well. No school no matter what their tier is good at everything</p>
<p>If my D got accepted to UVA I’d take the acceptance and run, no questions asked.
Talk about looking a gift horse in the mouth.
But that’s just me.
YMMV.</p>
<p>Well I think this depends almost exclusively on the need. If you are willing to pay for the more expensive one, it will not cause any financial hardship, and your daughter prefers that one, then you should pick it.</p>
<p>Going to admit I’m starting to find this thread a little disturbing. Not so much responses to the OP, who asked a question specifically about his child, but to the idea that certain careers are best served by lower tier schools. Seems we’re a mere step away from a de facto caste system where teachers, nurses, and locally trained business people are second tier and lower.</p>
<p>Some of you would probably laugh in my face if I told you my undergrad institution. I’d wager that it has never been on any ranking list. However, I have contacted approximately half of the only 43 CAHME accredited MHA programs in the country and specifically asked if my school will be a hindrance to getting accepted. Every reply has been that as long as it is regionally accredited, it does not matter. Of course, I have more on my resume that just my undergrad degree. Luckily, most grad programs take a holistic approach to admissions.</p>
<p>Well, I guess we can forget this option. D laughed and said “there is no way on earth I would go there” LOL. DW tried to explain why it might be a good idea and was shot down quicker than a Cessna against an F-18. If it had been a true tier 2 school like I originally thought, instead of a tier 4, I might have contemplated it a bit more.</p>
<p>I appreciate all the responses and it has been interesting to see the thought processes that go on under various individual circumstances. It certainly isn’t a black and white decision when you talk about weighing the pros and cons of various scenarios. I particularly enjoyed the people saying that we ought to get our financial house in order first. </p>
<p>For example, we are blessed enough to have enough in savings to pay for all 3 kids college educations but doing that would deplete the money that we were hoping to use for retirement in about 10 years, and might need even sooner if my job situation works out like we think it might. Obviously there is a distinct camp that says you should put the kids first and gladly spend the money. On the other hand, there is another group that says providing a quality education while still maintaining your retirement cushion is the way to go. Being fiscally conservative I am in that camp.</p>
<p>Anyway, for now this isn’t an issue but it could again become one if/when some of these other better schools start offering money like they have already unofficially offered. </p>
<p>Thanks again everyone !</p>
<p>D attends a university in the bottom 25% of the top 100. Her high scores earned her a very generous merit award, although she chose to attend this school for other reasons. While she is hardly the brightest bulb in this particular chandelier, she often expresses her dismay at the intellectual level/work ethic of many of her classmates. She feels they frequently drag down the level of discourse in seminar-style classes, and are a particular problem when group projects are assigned on a random basis. I think she would be entirely miserable at the college OP describes. I’m glad OP’s D had the good sense to say no.</p>
<p>Schools are what you make of them. There are many students today that wind up attending community colleges for two years to complete course requisites and then transfer to larger schools in an effort to save money. Are they embarrassed, feel lowly? No. They are hustling, trying to make it, in a world and within an economy that makes no promises. Remember those insurance illustrations years ago that promised 8% yields forever? These students are learning about the world. They should be supported and encouraged. Its important that students not have regrets about their choices, and it is about their choices. It begins with providing the student a wide vista with respect to knowing and understanding their choices. Its important to be supportive of their choices and efforts. I have known students who go off to big name colleges and “flunk out”, but return to community college and try again. Having said all of this, I believe it is important to have the “fit” that many speak about. Honestly, begin the discussion with the community college including the economics and the academics. Let the student describe why or why not? And bring it up the ladder. Its a conversation that if you have a relationship with the student, it will deepen, build trust and provide some mutual insight and understanding. Even about the college food chain, if you will. Also an opportunity for the student to get your perspective and what you have gone through and what you value. There hasn’t been much mention of what values are being taught or seen as important here, as “ordinarylives” has hinted. True story, years ago I helped a female student from a tough childhood earn a full scholarship to a well regarded liberal arts school in New England. During the summer before she was to go to school she became pregnant. She had to put off school. She dealt with the things in her life. About three years later, I ran into her, with growing child. She stopped and thanked me for having helped her during the prior years. And she wanted me to know that she had begun going to community college and taking courses. I told her how great that was and asked about what she had for supports. She detailed a solid network. That was most important to hear. She’s a bright young woman and I’m confident that she will make it, and it won’t be easy. I believe it is important for all students to understand the context that they will go into. Look at retention rates, 5 and 6 year graduation rates, and overall, the percent of students who begin college and end with a degree. Recent statistics estimate that only one in every two students who begin college eventually earn a degree. In 1995 the U.S. led the world in college graduates, today the US ranks no better than 10th among industrial nations in the rate of college completion by 25 to 44 year olds. Our kids futures are no longer according to Hoyle - finding work is a whole different challenge today. Mr. VC</p>
<p>OP - good to see your D has some spunk. It must have been nice for 24 hours to think about how much money you could have saved. Our older daughter was offered a full ride at a LAC, I was thinking what we could do with that money until D1 said “No.” It was nice while it lasted, I was dreaming about - few more handbags, trip around the world, and that diamond necklace I always wanted. Now D1 is out of school and is working, I am reminding her of all the things I have given up.</p>
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<p>George Mason University
Virginia Commonwealth University
Old Dominion University
Radford University
Longwood University
Christopher Newport University
UVA-Wise</p>
<p>all meet the 1000-ish criteria for 25th percentile. They vary on the 75th range, from just over 1000 to mid 1200s</p>
<p>^^^^BTW- this college wasn’t in VA. It was in FL.</p>
<p>I’ve been watching the Jeopardy College Championship. Although most of the contestants are from Tier 1 schools, advancing to the finals, today, was a student from North Texas. She defeated students from Cal Poly and Columbia. If you browse through lists of notable alumni, you will find that some of the most notable people came from some of the most obscure colleges–granted there are more from the elites. </p>
<p>Can your daughter get the education worthy of her abilities? Will she excel on the Graduate Record Exams in order to even the playing field with the Tier 1 schools? Will she miss the competition at a big-time school? Or does she like the big fish, small pond idea? Does the low-tier school have compensations–e.g., a cool location?</p>
<p>TV4caster - you might as well give up the name, CC’ers are very good with Google.</p>
<p>I’ll wait and see just how many schools in FL fit the bill ;-)</p>
<p>Sent from my VM670 using CC App</p>
<p>Bethune-Cookman College
Palm Beach Atlantic University</p>
<p>Was it Barry University? One of my kids got an unsolicited scholarship offer from them last week. He did not consider it seriously.</p>
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<p>We prefer to call them 2.5/25/2500/25000, aka, 2.5 gpa, 25 ACT, 2500 students, 25000 dollars a year cost :)</p>
<p>One suggestion that I would offer would be to randomly Google the school’s name and the word “resume” next to it, i.e. “Northwest Elbonia A&M” + “resume” and see what you get in terms of where graduates from NWE A&M are actually working in real life, or have worked. Not scientific, obviously, but may be a good indication if NWE A&M produces people that can do things, or not…</p>
<p>Barry -
SAT Critical Reading: 440 - 520 75%
SAT Math: 420 - 520 75%</p>
<p>Lynn University appears to meet the hinted parameters with respect to location, being private, size, and SAT score ranges.</p>
<p>According to its 2010 common data set, 57.7% of its undergraduates major in business/marketing, and most of the rest major in other obviously pre-professional subjects.</p>