Which college would you choose?

[Plucky]

Say your son was accepted to two universities?

 

#1 is 9th in the country for the field he wants to study. Rigorous, challenging, a really good school. No guarantee he'll get into his program there. He may have to take $20,000 in student loans over the course of 4 years to cover what we cannot.

 

#2 is 79th in the country for the field he wants to study. He is offered the honor program plus 50% scholarship or better. We can probably foot most of the bill depending on a few factors.

 

 

Which would you choose? Are there any other factors we should think about?

Edited April 26, 2011 by True Blue

[Mrs Mungo]

If you can do it without student loans or taking on an unreasonable work load during school, so much the better. Better to choose the school where you are likely to be able to finish.

 

eta: Also, those in honor programs generally find them a tremendous source of help and support. Another factor in actually graduating.

[Plucky]

If you can do it without student loans or taking on an unreasonable work load during school, so much the better. Better to choose the school where you are likely to be able to finish.

 

eta: Also, those in honor programs generally find them a tremendous source of help and support. Another factor in actually graduating.

 

True. Is $20,000 (hopefully less) a lot of student loan? Now he could switch into a side program and still get almost the same job. The school is very prestigious.

[regentrude]

Say your son was accepted to two universities?

 

#1 is 9th in the country for the field he wants to study. Rigorous, challenging, a really good school. No guarantee he'll get into his program there. He may have to take $20,000 in student loans over the course of 4 years to cover what we cannot.

 

#2 is 79th in the country for the field he wants to study. He is offered the honor program plus 50% scholarship or better. We can probably foot most of the bill depending on a few factors.

Which would you choose? Are there any other factors we should think about?

 

I would base the decision on the major.

There are fields where you can easily pay back $20k within the first year of employment - and then there are fields where this is the whole annual income.

If he enters a field with good job prospects, go for #1.

If the future is very uncertain, play it safe and do #2.

[Plucky]

I would base the decision on the major.

There are fields where you can easily pay back $20k within the first year of employment - and then there are fields where this is the whole annual income.

If he enters a field with good job prospects, go for #1.

If the future is very uncertain, play it safe and do #2.

 

Good points. More research to do since this is a crazy economy. :001_smile:

[Mrs Mungo]

True. Is $20,000 (hopefully less) a lot of student loan? Now he could switch into a side program and still get almost the same job. The school is very prestigious.

 

I worked my way through college. It was *extremely* stressful, especially my last year. I seriously thought I was going to have a nervous breakdown at some point and I'm an extremely strong person. I do not recommend that method. Most people trying to do it that way do not manage to graduate because it becomes too much.

[Lisa in Jax]

It depends. (Not helpful, I know!)

 

Is your son planning to go on to a master's degree or Ph.D or the like? If so, the better-ranked school might be a better idea. DH went to a local university for his undergrad, and got a 4.0 with a rigorous course of study. He did very well on the entrance test to law school. When it came time to apply to law schools, he got in everywhere he applied -- except the ivy-league schools. He'll always wonder if going to the "local" university (a good school, but not nationally ranked) handicapped him in terms of getting into the "big" law schools. (He ultimately got a nice scholarship to a fantastic school, so in the long run it wasn't big deal, but he did wonder if his undergrad school was the reason he was not admitted to Harvard and the like.)

 

If your ds' chosen field often leads to a higher degree, consider the better-ranked school, especially if the graduate degrees are very competitive (medicine, law, etc.)

 

Other things to consider: Are there more costs for travel, etc., to get to the less expensive school? What's the campus/town like? Does he like the milieu of one school better?

 

It comes down to this: which school does your SON want to go to? If he has a strong preference for one or the other, that's probably where he should go.

 

Lisa

[OLG]

Easy, #2. Undergrad is akin to high school these days wherever you go and if he is entering a field that require as masters or beyond, the pay the bucks for that not underg. I know....a high quality underg can bring good scholarship offers for grad but there are NO guarantees of that happening.WIth this economy and the economic future, don't take on debt, is my mantra.

[Plucky]

I worked my way through college. It was *extremely* stressful, especially my last year. I seriously thought I was going to have a nervous breakdown at some point and I'm an extremely strong person. I do not recommend that method. Most people trying to do it that way do not manage to graduate because it becomes too much.

 

I totally agree. I only want my son to work summers, especially since it is a science/math field.

[Plucky]

It depends. (Not helpful, I know!)

 

Is your son planning to go on to a master's degree or Ph.D or the like? If so, the better-ranked school might be a better idea. DH went to a local university for his undergrad, and got a 4.0 with a rigorous course of study. He did very well on the entrance test to law school. When it came time to apply to law schools, he got in everywhere he applied -- except the ivy-league schools. He'll always wonder if going to the "local" university (a good school, but not nationally ranked) handicapped him in terms of getting into the "big" law schools. (He ultimately got a nice scholarship to a fantastic school, so in the long run it wasn't big deal, but he did wonder if his undergrad school was the reason he was not admitted to Harvard and the like.)

 

If your ds' chosen field often leads to a higher degree, consider the better-ranked school, especially if the graduate degrees are very competitive (medicine, law, etc.)

 

Other things to consider: Are there more costs for travel, etc., to get to the less expensive school? What's the campus/town like? Does he like the milieu of one school better?

 

It comes down to this: which school does your SON want to go to? If he has a strong preference for one or the other, that's probably where he should go.

 

Lisa

 

We don't know if he'll go beyond a BS. He does love learning so I wouldn't put it past him. He wants to go to school #1. We are going to sit down today and really talk about what this all means financially. He's very frugal, and so the nitty-gritty of $ may change his mind, but I don't know.

 

Thanks for the questions. There is so much to consider.

[Pretty in Pink]

What does your ds want to do?

[Plucky]

Easy, #2. Undergrad is akin to high school these days wherever you go and if he is entering a field that require as masters or beyond, the pay the bucks for that not underg. I know....a high quality underg can bring good scholarship offers for grad but there are NO guarantees of that happening.WIth this economy and the economic future, don't take on debt, is my mantra.

 

I kind of thought that, too, but when you visit a prestigious school the students are very, very convincing about how great it is compared to others. :001_smile:

[Plucky]

What does your ds want to do?

 

The 1st school, but he also hasn't been told what the realities are, yet. I'm just starting to figure this out myself. He needs to know what his financial part will be. He is frugal and great with money so it will be interesting to see what he thinks about all this.

[CAMom]

Is he planning on going on to graduate school? I'd say it's more "important" to have the more prestigious school as your grad school. Pay the "big bucks" for grad school.

 

My son just turned down his top choice school because he didn't get accepted into his major but was accepted as undeclared. He'll be going to UCLA this fall as a molecular and cell biology major.

[Plucky]

Is he planning on going on to graduate school? I'd say it's more "important" to have the more prestigious school as your grad school. Pay the "big bucks" for grad school.

 

My son just turned down his top choice school because he didn't get accepted into his major but was accepted as undeclared. He'll be going to UCLA this fall as a molecular and cell biology major.

 

Do many kids already know if they'll go to grad school? Congrats to you and your son!

[justasque]

We have found that going to the "Accepted Students Day" at each college helped us to find a good fit each time. You get to learn a lot of details about the program/department, and also get a sense of life on campus. However, you've got about 4 days to make this decision, right? May 1? So that makes it a lot harder.

 

Ask things like:

How many of the students in this major are honors students?

Are there honors classes in this major?

What % of kids who start in this major stay there?

What % graduate in 5 years?

What are the career prospects for your graduates in this major?

How many go on to grad school?

What is the campus alcohol policy?

What happens if my kid gets sick?

What is the crime in the area like?

How long can my kid live on campus, and how does that work?

How much do kids interact with the town (as opposed to staying on campus)?

What is a typical class size?

What kinds of extracurriculars are available? Do kids have time for them?

 

Meet some current students. Ask them questions - what do they like, what don't they like, what activities do they do, what is their major, where did they get accepted and how did they choose.

 

Eat in the dining hall where most of the kids eat.

 

No guarantee he'll get into his program there.

This concerns me.

Edited April 26, 2011 by askPauline

[creekland]

$20,000 (total) is acceptable debt for us in a field that will pay for it easily. Since you mention science/math, I assume this is such a field. If it were my son, he'd be going to school #1 - esp since that's his first choice himself.

 

Note: Hubby is an engineer and in this economy, a sub-par school will not even get an application looked at for an entry level job. You want a school well regarded for his major. There's a big difference between #9 and #79 (if I'm remembering the #'s correctly). There are plenty of graduates from sub-par schools without job offers in their field in today's economy. Having just heard from a local recent engineering grad from a decent school, everyone in his senior class had at least one decent offer. He, himself, had three.

[OLG]

I kind of thought that, too, but when you visit a prestigious school the students are very, very convincing about how great it is compared to others. :001_smile:

 

And how many of those kids have actually been to another school, I'd ask? I've spent twenty years on the campuses of those prestigious schools and yes, there are some outstanding students but the same applies to the non- Ivies as well. Bottom line though is where the best fit is for your child, prestige aside.

[Denise in Florida]

I voted for college #1.

 

I agree with the other posters that it does depend on the field. Some fields it really matters where they go, not just for the rigorous academics but for the contacts they make. My dd19 has already benefited from the connections her advisor has.

 

If the field warrants it, and his interest/abilities are high, $20,000 is not that much.

 

If he is not sure or the field doesn't have 'name-brand' schools then pick a lower cost general education.

 

Does that help? :001_smile:

[yellowperch]

Someone recently told me that her son chose his university based on a specific professor. He bascally chose among already great schools based on who he wanted his mentor to be. I thought that was incredibly wise.

I know it's not a alot of help, but I thought I'd mention it. Who your son will be studying with be studying with can matter a lot.

[rlugbill]

IMHO, once you go to grad school or professional school, no one will care what undergraduate school you went to. Sounds like he is smart and will do well in school, so here's what I suggest. Don't go into debt.

 

Recommend the lower-ranked undergraduate school with the idea that then, he will go to grad school at the best school he gets into. Grad schools often offer assistantships and other aid that help pay for the education.

 

I don't know what field he will be in, but a graduate degree is going to make him more competetive in the job market and he will get a better paying job than a 4 year degree.

 

And if he goes to undergraduate school with the idea that he will then try to get into a great graduate school, he will be motivated to do well in undergraduate school to get into a top grad school. He will be in the honors program and is apparently smart, so he should do well in undergrad and should be able to get into a top grad school.

 

I will not take on any unsecured debt for any reason, including college, as a matter of principle. I think if you can't pay for something, you shouldn't get it and this applies to college also. I do allow an exception for a house, since it's backed up by collateral and has low interest. Unlike student loans, if you ever want to get out of a mortgage, you can just sell the house.

 

A lot of young people get trapped by student loans. I don't think it's a good way to start out your adult life. It's a modern form of slavery. You don't have any choice but to work for a big corporation. It's extremely hard to get out of the loans for any reason, even in bankruptcy.

 

Be glad that he has these choices. Many people rack up student loans in programs that don't lead to high-paying careers and they are really stuck. At least he has two good options. Some people only have poor options.

 

Best wishes.

[Dobela]

Call someone already working in the field he has chosen and have him ask them for advice. They may be able to give great recommendations. I would ask for alumni references from both colleges, preferable fairly recent graduates, and have him ask them for advice.

 

I left a top notch school for a not so top notch school in my major between my soph and jr year. I wanted to spend less on my education. It was a big mistake. The not so great school simply did not have the reputation to attract top notch professors. Or, if it did, they didn't stay long. I really really believe my undergrad work was subpar and did not prepare me for my job. When I compare my education to friends who stayed at the top notch school, they were way better prepared. Their instructors were well respected in the communities and had lots of influence when it came time for jobs. The name of the school on their undergrad diploma definately gave them a boost when it came time for a job and when it came time to apply for grad schools. I regret not staying with the better school even though it cost more.

[OnTheBrink]

If the degree is in something like the sciences, the medical field, or the computer field, I'd go for the better college because of the competition. Having the better school could give him an edge.

[Dmmetler]

check and find out who actually will be teaching his classes, particularly in the first two years.

 

I ended up accepting a scholarship offer from a less prestigious school because I discovered that most of the lower division courses were taught by graduate assistants, including ones which were key in my major. The prestige of the school was heavily weighted by the faculty, but undergraduate students would rarely even get to SEE those prestigious faculty members until maybe their last year.

 

 

I chose, instead, a less well known school which had a reputation for undergraduate research and publication in many fields and where students worked with the same professor through most of their major-and where I found a faculty adviser who truly was a great fit for me. It ended up being a wonderful experience, and the fact that I HAD a large portfolio of writings and publications as an undergraduate made getting into a strong grad program quite simple, even without a big-name school.

[Momling]

If he's entering a 4 year university as a freshman, I'd look more at the reputation of the university rather than the reputation of the department. Lots of kids change majors midway through their undergrad years (sometimes more than once).

 

The reputation of the department absolutely matters once he's looking for a grad school.

[TechWife]

Say your son was accepted to two universities?

 

#1 is 9th in the country for the field he wants to study. Rigorous, challenging, a really good school. No guarantee he'll get into his program there. He may have to take $20,000 in student loans over the course of 4 years to cover what we cannot.

 

#2 is 79th in the country for the field he wants to study. He is offered the honor program plus 50% scholarship or better. We can probably foot most of the bill depending on a few factors.

 

 

Which would you choose? Are there any other factors we should think about?

 

Can he work while he is in school? My dh held down three jobs (one on campus, two off) in order to graduate from a tier one university without debt - tops in his field, too. He says he wouldn't recommend working that hard if it can be avoided, but thinks his education was well worth it. He gave up a "free ride" at a lower ranked university in order to go to the tier one university.

 

His undergraduate degree opened doors for him as he was first getting a job and then as he was applying for grad. school. He occasionally functions as adjunct faculty for two of the universities in our area (one tier one and the other tier two) and the profs always ask where he did his undergrad and grad work, even all these years later.

 

Additionally, his work experience during college opened doors for him when he was looking for that first job. He recommends that every student work at least one job in their field during college.

 

He often sees his former profs at conferences & they act as contact points for each other when they are looking for research materials, information on new technologies and the occasional new employee.

 

He recommends that your son pay attention to the reputation of the school by the experts in the field, not just the ranking in US News & World Report.

 

In our economy, it's really easy to default to the less expensive option, thinking that it won't matter in the long run. Depending on the field that your ds is entering, it just might be worth it in the long run. I recommend he talk to some established professionals in the area he is considering majoring in and see what they think.

[ScoutTN]

#2 hands-down

[FaithManor]

Agreeing with others:

 

Find out about the graduation rates for all majors, vs. your son's major.

Find out the employment statistics for your son's majors and for graduates of that major from each school. Sometimes you need the big name school to get employed, sometimes it's not that big of a plus.

 

Grad school immediately following the BS may indicate a need for the big name because of lack of work experience. Work and experience and where that took place, can get one into a top notch grad school without an ivy/top tier name on the diploma. Lots of variables.

 

Look at the fit of the school for your child's temperament. If he isn't happy, if it doesn't click, if he feels like a fish out of water, this will make it harder for him to finish and finish well. Campus visits, spending a weekend with a host student majoring in his field, personal interviews with professors froml the department, etc. may make the choice easy. For me, of the nine top tier LAC's I applied to, the head of the piano department and the head of the music department at my Alma Mater, sold me and made me feel that I really would survive the rigors of Piano Performance.

 

Faith

[TechWife]

If the degree is in something like the sciences, the medical field, or the computer field, I'd go for the better college because of the competition. Having the better school could give him an edge.

 

I would add law to this list as well.

[jenL]

I worked my way through college. It was *extremely* stressful, especially my last year. I seriously thought I was going to have a nervous breakdown at some point and I'm an extremely strong person. I do not recommend that method. Most people trying to do it that way do not manage to graduate because it becomes too much.

 

:iagree: I agree, except I *did* have a nervous breakdown that forced me to stop during my 1st semester of my senior year. I went back for a scaled down second semester, took a summer course, and then had to complete everything during the first semester of my 5th year. Taking on a side job at a noteably challenging school would not be a good idea (imho). If it were up to me, having went through college the way I did, I would try to not work during school unless it was directly related to my major as some of my peers were able to do. This benefited them financially, in the classroom, and when trying to obtain a job after graduation.

[creekland]

 

He recommends that your son pay attention to the reputation of the school by the experts in the field, not just the ranking in US News & World Report.

 

In our economy, it's really easy to default to the less expensive option, thinking that it won't matter in the long run. Depending on the field that your ds is entering, it just might be worth it in the long run. I recommend he talk to some established professionals in the area he is considering majoring in and see what they think.

 

Just bolding what you wrote as I fully agree with it.

[ChristineW]

$20,000 (total) is acceptable debt for us in a field that will pay for it easily. Since you mention science/math, I assume this is such a field. If it were my son, he'd be going to school #1 - esp since that's his first choice himself.

 

Note: Hubby is an engineer and in this economy, a sub-par school will not even get an application looked at for an entry level job. You want a school well regarded for his major. There's a big difference between #9 and #79 (if I'm remembering the #'s correctly). There are plenty of graduates from sub-par schools without job offers in their field in today's economy. Having just heard from a local recent engineering grad from a decent school, everyone in his senior class had at least one decent offer. He, himself, had three.

 

ITA. The difference between #9 and #79 is huge. At a #9 school, he will have companies trying to recruit him; at a middle of the road school he will have to be the best at his class and chase hard for the jobs. He might even lose out on them to middle of the road students at the school he turned down--I've seen it happen with law schools and with grad schools.

 

The difference in price for the education could be made up within the first year, or the fellowship opportunities. Some of it could probably be made up for in summer internships directly in his field. In some fields, top schools can offer opportunities that frankly don't exist at other schools. My FIL interviews for one of the top science fellowships in the country; it is very difficult (pretty much impossible) to get an interview if you aren't from a select group of elite science/engineering schools and those slots usually go to kids at top tier state schools with strong professor recommendations.

 

 

Its hard to judge without knowing the field, but I truly believe that the elite science degree will pay for itself.

 

Christine W

Edited April 26, 2011 by ChristineW

[JFSinIL]

number 2 hands down. Being in Honors is a big deal and he may be a bigger fish in school two than a minnow in school one.

[bettyandbob]

I've come to the conclusion, the least amount of loans the better. Even if he gets into the field he thinks he wants now, when he graduates he's on the hook for the loans. What happens if he determines he doesn't like it after all. He's trapped. What happens if he doesn't get into his field of interest, he's trapped again because of the loans.

 

At the less competitive school he's more likely to be a standout who develops great contacts with professors who can recommend him to people they know in the field. He start a great professional network and cast his net far.

[Kim in Appalachia]

If it can be avoided, you should not go into debt for undergrad. It just isn't worth it. I know sometimes it can't be avoided, but if possible you should avoid it, especially if grad school is being considered or needed. The accumulating debt can be crushing.

[Satori]

... I truly believe that the elite science degree will pay for itself.

 

Christine W

 

 

I voted #1. If it is that good of a school, and he is frugal with his money, he should be able to pay it off with good planning after college.

[3littlekeets]

I would say you don't have a zero sum game here. They are not only 2 options. Why can't he go to school #2 for his general education courses at the lesser amount of money, then apply to transfer into school #1 in two years?

 

Then, he'll know if he gets into his desired major and the debt load will be only $10,000.00 (and if he saves during his first two years, perhaps, nothing).

 

And, who knows, he may adore school #1 and decide to stay and change his mind about his major, anyway.

[LisaKinVA]

Depending upon his major/job prospects, $20,000 is not a "huge" student loan... especially in today's dollars. I'm thinking engineering-type or science major not English Lit ;)

 

I graduated with a $7000 student loan in 1990. I also worked my way through college (3 jobs in the summer, PT work during school). It was not easy, though.

[Stacy in NJ]

My rule would be: Attend the best school possible as long as it doesn't put undo stress on the student. $20,000 over four years isn't excessive. Typically STEMS graduates earn more than other grads.

[Audrey]

Say your son was accepted to two universities?

 

#1 is 9th in the country for the field he wants to study. Rigorous, challenging, a really good school. No guarantee he'll get into his program there. He may have to take $20,000 in student loans over the course of 4 years to cover what we cannot.

 

#2 is 79th in the country for the field he wants to study. He is offered the honor program plus 50% scholarship or better. We can probably foot most of the bill depending on a few factors.

 

 

Which would you choose? Are there any other factors we should think about?

 

I take a zero-tolerance stance on student loans. No loans!!

To me, the money says it all. Truly you do not want student debt. It is crushing, and once you take some loans, it is impossibly tempting to take more and more and more.... until you graduate and find yourself improverished for having to make those payments back. If there is ANY way to avoid that, then IMO, you must take school #2.

Edited April 27, 2011 by Audrey

[Farrar]

I agree with those who said that in student loans, $20,000 isn't excessive. However, I don't think the question is just the rank of the college and the amount of debt. Those are just two elements of it.

 

But I think a lot of it depends on your ds. Does he want to be in a school where he'll be one of many smart kids being challenged and competing for those slots? That's the sort of thing that really helps some people - to be around that kind of challenge. Or... would he be better off as the superstar - in the honors program, as a leader, but in an atmosphere where he might not be surrounded by as many driven kids?

 

Also, I think the intangibles can be important. Campus life, attitudes, class sizes, etc. can all be important. How will those things support or detract from his learning style?

[silliness7]

Say your son was accepted to two universities?

 

#1 is 9th in the country for the field he wants to study. Rigorous, challenging, a really good school. No guarantee he'll get into his program there. He may have to take $20,000 in student loans over the course of 4 years to cover what we cannot.

 

#2 is 79th in the country for the field he wants to study. He is offered the honor program plus 50% scholarship or better. We can probably foot most of the bill depending on a few factors.

 

 

Which would you choose? Are there any other factors we should think about?

 

I voted school #2 because despite how stellar the academic institution is there really isn't any guarantee of securing a job that will help pay off that loan. Not saying that he wouldn't. Just that it's possible. I abhor debt.

[Satori]

I just asked my husband what he'd do if this was our daughter's situation. He's a very frugal person, doesn't take on credit card debt and pays off vehicles as fast as he can, etc...

 

While he doesn't agree with debt, an education is different - he considers college debt an investment. He thinks $20k is extremely low. He's prepared for 7x that for undergrad alone if our daughter gets into a good school. But he's most concerned about getting into a good graduate school, which would come to even more.

[Donna]

I haven't read the other replies but my first thought was...have you visited both? Where does he "see" himself? Where would he be happiest? Does he have a preference?

 

As a soon to be college student, I think he needs to decide which college is the best "fit" for him then weigh that with the other differences to decide what is most important to him. If he couldn't possibly see himself going to one of the schools or one just feels more "right" then your decision may already be made.

[Mama Geek]

I voted school number 1, but in particular if it is a tech field, law, business or medicine. The schools do matter, my dh and I went to a good engineering school, but not one of the top. His first employer generally only recruited from higher ranked schools than ours, but his GPA was excellent.

 

Graduates from top ranked schools also tend to do better on the professional tests from what I can tell (CPA, the bar exam, the Professional Engineering Exam, etc.)

 

Other things to consider

If you can't get into a program this semester, there is a real chance if the grades are good you will be able to get into it the following semester.

 

If you lower level classes at one school and transfer them in they don't go towards your GPA, usually the lower classes are easier to make A's in than the upper level classes. My GPA was probably a 2.5 when I graduated, but had I had my first 1 1/2 years worth of classes counted towards it, it would have been much higher. That does make a difference as well.

 

My husband in discussing this topic told a friend of his you can be a mum's & pap's cola, a Sam's Choice cola, or a Coca-Cola. What do most people pick if all three are in the cooler?:tongue_smilie: Yeah he is kinda weird some times.

 

Dh and I had about 50K in student loans when we graduated. We had them paid off in about 4 years. That was more than 10 years ago though. I would do it again in a heartbeat.

[Marie in Oh]

set my child up to be in debt when he was done with school. We will do everything in our power to get college done as cheaply and quickly as possible. It just is not worth it in this economy when so many college grads cannot get jobs upon graduation. Grad school will become much more competative in coming years because so many more people are applying becasue they can't get work. I say school 2 hands down.

[creekland]

I would say you don't have a zero sum game here. They are not only 2 options. Why can't he go to school #2 for his general education courses at the lesser amount of money, then apply to transfer into school #1 in two years?

 

Then, he'll know if he gets into his desired major and the debt load will be only $10,000.00 (and if he saves during his first two years, perhaps, nothing).

 

And, who knows, he may adore school #1 and decide to stay and change his mind about his major, anyway.

 

I can't specifically say about the OP's two schools, but in general, this is NOT always an option. Many of the top schools do not accept credits from other schools and those that take transfer students have VERY few slots. It can be very difficult to get in. I would NOT suggest this route unless school #1 were a large state school (which it could be if we're talking Engineering).

 

A student from the school where I worked went to Penn State for two years (hardly a lower level school), and then transferred into an Ivy. Absolutely NONE of their credits transferred.

 

MANY students from our school start in community college. If they wish to transfer to a top school afterward, credits generally will NOT transfer (except sometimes as electives). If they wish to finish at a state school, then this plan can work.

[creekland]

set my child up to be in debt when he was done with school. We will do everything in our power to get college done as cheaply and quickly as possible. It just is not worth it in this economy when so many college grads cannot get jobs upon graduation. Grad school will become much more competative in coming years because so many more people are applying becasue they can't get work. I say school 2 hands down.

 

In hubby's field (Engineering) many college grads who can't get jobs went to a college like school #2. In a competitive economy and a competitive field going to a college that is well respected within that field is incredibly important. Otherwise, one ends up with a more or less useless degree and wondering why they can't find a job. The education within those schools is NOT the same (at least for Engineering). As the wife of the owner of an engineering firm, there are schools that will land an applicant an interview and those that won't. It's based on knowledge of which schools "train" their students well.

 

There are colleges I won't let my kids go to even if they get a free ride.

 

There are many good schools out there, but it takes some research to figure out which ones are worth some money and which ones aren't. The answer will depend somewhat on the field of study desired.

 

All that said, I don't advocate oodles of debt - esp any 6 figure debt. However, $20,000 in debt for all four years (not one year) can be a good investment and pay off much better than no debt, having a degree, and being unable to get a job.

[DawnM]

As I understood your initial post, school #1 is possibly his first choice, but not a sure thing to get into his field of study.

 

School #2 is not only a sure thing, but comes with great benefits.

 

I would choose the sure thing. Focus on top schools for grad school if needed. Now, IF the situation changes and school #1 becomes a sure thing (getting into his field, he really wants to go, etc...) my vote may change.

 

Dawn

[Luckymama]

How many students get into the intended major? And when? How many admitted students compete for how many slots? What do the unsuccessful students do? Is there a related major or program that would be just as appealing to your ds? And would the prerequisites for that second major have been satisfied by that time (ie no additional semester(s) needed)?