Ivy League Colleges

[gina2000]

I think all of us have thought about private verses public colleges. Some of the privates have great endowment funds, many do not.

I was wondering, though.....if your child got into an Ivy League school, would that have any bearing on whether or not you would endorse a 30-40+ thousand price tag per year?

 

[bellarella]

It would depend on my kid. There are more expensive schools that do you give you more opportunities and more expensive schools that are just more expensive. And depending on the degree program, they aren't the same.

Personally I went to a top private school for my degree and don't regret it for a second. I was able to do more than I would have ever been able to at a state or local school. I also went in motivated and knew what I'd have to do to pay for the education and was fine with that.

 

[JoiseyMom]

I had one DS that went to a local state school, and one that went to an out of state private university. The private school cost lots less. Private schools usually wind up costing less due to the fact that they give more money to the students.

 

[pearlieq]

Eh. I don't know. I certainly wouldn't encourage our kids to go for an Ivy League just for the name. I'd much rather they find the right college for them. I really do think they're overpriced, though, and I would worry about the types of values my kids would pick up.

DH and I have decided that we'll provide our kids up to the equivalent of 4 years of tuition, room, and board at University of Illinois--a great school. If they choose to go to another school, they'll be responsible for making up the balance through loans, work, grants, or scholarships.

 

[kpm76]

DH went to Brown and when he graduated 4 years ago, I think tuition was 35k/year so I imagine it's well over 40k now. Fortunately, his parent's were in a position to cover all the expenses so he has no college debt. We think it was money very well spent. In a time when more and more kids are going to college and admissions is getting more competitive, I would do whatever I had to do to make sure my child went to the best school they coud get into (obviously making sure the school is the right fit for them is most important though). I think more than ever it does make a differece where you go to school and you can't beat an Ivy.

 

[kpm76]

I would worry about the types of values my kids would pick up.

What do you mean by that? Most values are taught at home and by the time we reach young adulthood (college age) it's time to put those values to the test. Sure, college students are impressionable, as anyone can be at any point in their life, but I wonder why you think your kids would be exposed to bad values at an Ivy League school speciifcally.

 

[crisi]

We already intend to save enough to pay OOP for one of the country's most expensive private schools - but it isn't Ivy. So I suppose if they got into Princeton et. al. and wanted to go, we'd do that - if the reasons for going were adequate.

 

[KelNottAt]

I think we'll consider/encourage Ivy/private if there's a possibility it will matter towards a career.

For example, DS13 seems to be headed in a math/finance or econ/history direction. I think Ivy/private might matter for his career options.

DD11 is torn between nursing and eye doctor. I think a good state school could set her up nicely for an RN license. But, if she ends up in optometry/ophthamology, private or ivy might a good idea for post-grad, undergrad, or maybe both.

At one point or another, they've both talked about teaching. If that became their final answers, we'd encourage them to attend a state school. After we foot most of the bill, they'd have very small loans to pay back on a meager salary.

 

[my3kids]

I would worry about the types of values my kids would pick up.

DH and I have decided that we'll provide our kids up to the equivalent of 4 years of tuition, room, and board at University of Illinois--a great school. If they choose to go to another school, they'll be responsible for making up the balance through loans, work, grants, or scholarships.

If they go to Harvard on a full scholarship will you give them the cash?

I too am puzzled by the values you would be afraid an Ivy League would instill in your child. Access to top research facilities? A student body comprised of the brightest students? A school with a long standing tradition of excellence and a reputation that will only help in the job market? Demanding the best of ones' self and expecting excellence? They don't sound like bad things for my children to experience.

 

[CheapMom]

Another consideration- if your kids is good enough to get into any IVY then they almost certainly would be offered substantial scholarship money for a state school or smaller (easier to get into) college. So you are probably not just comparing the difference of the price of the 2 schools- but also the scholarship money that you would be passing on.

 

[goodeats]

Re the poster who mentioned that she was concerned about the values that would be picked up, I'm not sure what she meant, but I would be concerned about who they met at an Ivy league. Any college is going to have it's fair share of rich families, but at an Ivy league school you're going to have tons. I'd be concerend my midde/upper middle class kids would develop a complex about being with these types of kids. Even at my State School I felt the pressure to 'keep up' with the richer kids. But I suppose this goes back to the values that you instill in your kids and how they were raised.

I had a friend growing up who got a 1600 on their SATs. She ended up going to Harvard. Now she's a teacher. Of course we should want the best and the brightest as teachers, but did she need to go to a mega-bucks university?

 

[malibuconlee]

No kids of my own, but I have a friend that spent two years at at private school (not ivy league) after community college. I can't say she did anything with her degree that the same from a state college wouldn't have done. Also she was running around with students whose families had more money than she did. She had lots of problems with trying to keep up with them to the detriment of her credit (lots of bounced checks for things like getting nails done). She has fine credit now, but after college couldn't get a letter of credit to keep from paying utility deposits.

This small college also didn't have a lot of job placement help. Not the big interview fairs they had at DH's state college. She left school without a job and came home to work retail for several months. She did luck out and get a great job at a local company (after several months as a temp), but if she hadn't done that I have no idea what would have happened.

 

[CheapMom]

... if your kids is good enough to get into any IVY ...

hah- my typo cracks me up- reminds me of the famous George Bush quote ... "Is Our Kids Learning?" or something like that.

Just wanted to add- My neice and DH's nephew are both applying to colleges right now. They are both excellent students- and one is an excellent athlete as well. They each happen to be looking at at least one Ivy league school.
Well Dh's nephew is being highly encouraged to go to the Ivy (U.Penn) if he gets in. My neice (looking at Brown) however will probably be encouraged to choose the best school/scholarship combination- as my sister has 4 more to put through college after this one. I think if you can afford it- great but if you have a kid who is Ivy league material they will do great either way.

 

[snappy]

Re the poster who mentioned that she was concerned about the values that would be picked up, I'm not sure what she meant, but I would be concerned about who they met at an Ivy league. Any college is going to have it's fair share of rich families, but at an Ivy league school you're going to have tons. I'd be concerend my midde/upper middle class kids would develop a complex about being with these types of kids. Even at my State School I felt the pressure to 'keep up' with the richer kids. But I suppose this goes back to the values that you instill in your kids and how they were raised.

I had a friend growing up who got a 1600 on their SATs. She ended up going to Harvard. Now she's a teacher. Of course we should want the best and the brightest as teachers, but did she need to go to a mega-bucks university?

This is a good point. I see this exact thing at private high schools in our area. Many of the teens have what I call an entitlement attitude. I detest it.

 

[imsayin]

My neice (looking at Brown) however will probably be encouraged to choose the best school/scholarship combination- as my sister has 4 more to put through college after this one. I think if you can afford it- great but if you have a kid who is Ivy league material they will do great either way.

I agree with this. There are plenty of good schools out there that aren't Ivy. We'll have to look at the complete picture when the time comes, including funding, career choice, school size, location, etc. and make the best choice at that time. To answer the OP's original question, yes, I would make every effort to allow my child to attend an Ivy League school, if it were the right school for her (and DD12 has already stated that she wants to go to an Ivy League).

I would be more worried about who my kid is associating with if she was at a "party" school. I am raising her not to want what the Jones have and hopefully it will be effective.

My dream scenario is a full scholarship, meaning earlier retirement for me!

 

[kidd_freeper]

I graduated from Cornell University in 1983 with a BS in Engineering.

At the time, it was the cheapest school for me to attend because of the grants that I received.

23 years later, I have the following thoughts about my college education:
1. The name has made little difference in the salary that I presently make.
2. The name recognition may or may not help land a job interview. I found that perhaps 60% of employers prefer college graduates from local colleges that they are familiar with. For example, while looking for a job in Minnesota, University of Minnesota graduates were the standard for most Minnesota companies.
3. Ivy League colleges are in a state of decline. There seems to be an emphasis on social engineering, rather than usable education. I am to the point where I am no longer proud of my Ivy League school and others share my point of view; its dropped from the 4th best college in the country (in 1979) to something in the mid-20s (depending on who does the ranking).

 

[pearlieq]

I think more than ever it does make a differece where you go to school and you can't beat an Ivy.

I actually believe the exact opposite. I think it matters less and less these days where you go to school and that kids should make the best choice in terms of academic fit and economic value. Someone is either going to succeed or they're not regardless of the college they attend. Opportunity is largely of your own making.

Regarding the values I'm concerned about, I think that young adulthood is a hugely impressonable time and that the college experience is going to have a big impact on a kid's values and expectations of the world. I worry about a culture of unreasonable pressure, a culture of entitlement and privilege, and a culture disconnected from average, middle-class life. I don't want my child pressured into a "prestige" Greek organization or eating club, and the idea of sending my kid to a school where Skull & Bones is still a thriving institution makes me a little queasy.

Obviously Ivies are offering something someone feels is worthwhile since they've thrived for hundreds of years. If my child wanted to go to one, I certainly wouldn't say no, though I would strongly encourage them to think through the decision.

And to answer another poster's question, I'm not sure what we would do if the child managed to fully fund their own education. I don't think I'd turn over their college fund to them carte blanche, but I might offer a portion of it to them to cover grad school or a year abroad.

 

[kpm76]

I actually believe the exact opposite. I think it matters less and less these days where you go to school and that kids should make the best choice in terms of academic fit and economic value. Someone is either going to succeed or they're not regardless of the college they attend. Opportunity is largely of your own making.

Regarding the values I'm concerned about, I think that young adulthood is a hugely impressonable time and that the college experience is going to have a big impact on a kid's values and expectations of the world. I worry about a culture of unreasonable pressure, a culture of entitlement and privilege, and a culture disconnected from average, middle-class life. I don't want my child pressured into a "prestige" Greek organization or eating club, and the idea of sending my kid to a school where Skull & Bones is still a thriving institution makes me a little queasy.

Obviously Ivies are offering something someone feels is worthwhile since they've thrived for hundreds of years. If my child wanted to go to one, I certainly wouldn't say no, though I would strongly encourage them to think through the decision.

And to answer another poster's question, I'm not sure what we would do if the child managed to fully fund their own education. I don't think I'd turn over their college fund to them carte blanche, but I might offer a portion of it to them to cover grad school or a year abroad.

I think it depends on where you are in the country you live and what your expectations are career-wise. If your aspiration is to work on Wall St. or Madison Ave, it's makes a huge difference where you went to school. If you're looking to work in a small town, local business type career, it matters less.

I agree fully that college aged kids are very impressionable, but I think you have unfairly generalized Ivy League schools and their students/graduates. You are going to find kids who come from all types of backgrounds at any school and I think it's really important to lean how to mix and interact academically, socially and professionally with all types of individuals. Again, depending on your chosen field, you may have no choice but to compete with people from wealthy backgrounds, so why shelter yourself from it? DH and I have not been out of college all that long, and let me tell you, it's a competitve environment in the workforce and to believe otherwise is naive. Again, I don't understand why you think Ivy's are havens for kids who come from backgrounds of entitlement and privilege. What a gross generalization. You are correct though, the Ivy's are doing something right as they graduate many of the best and brightest students every year.

 

[crisi]

I think it depends on where you are in the country you live and what your expectations are career-wise. If your aspiration is to work on Wall St. or Madison Ave, it's makes a huge difference where you went to school. If you're looking to work in a small town, local business type career, it matters less.

I agree fully that college aged kids are very impressionable, but I think you have unfairly generalized Ivy League schools and their students/graduates. You are going to find kids who come from all types of backgrounds at any school and I think it's really important to lean how to mix and interact academically, socially and professionally with all types of individuals. Again, depending on your chosen field, you may have no choice but to compete with people from wealthy backgrounds, so why shelter yourself from it? DH and I have not been out of college all that long, and let me tell you, it's a competitve environment in the workforce and to believe otherwise is naive. Again, I don't understand why you think Ivy's are havens for kids who come from backgrounds of entitlement and privilege. What a gross generalization. You are correct though, the Ivy's are doing something right as they graduate many of the best and brightest students every year.

Well, they have the luxury of accepting the best and the brightest which helps.

It ABSOLUTELY makes a difference what college you go to if you want to reach certain career objectives. It can be done without an Ivy League degree, but a good school will make it that much easier.

And I went to public colleges (Universities of Minnesota and Iowa) with trust fund kids and poor kids and kids who had to figure out where to park the porche and ones that had to find the change in the student union cushions for Hostess Twinkies.

My husband went to a small private school in the Midwest with an Ivy League tuition and a darn good reputation. And there were trust fund kids and poor kids and kids who had to figure out where to park the porche and ones that had to find the change in the student union cushions for Hostess Twinkies.

Ivy League schools, in particular, tend to be well endowed and so take kids from a variety of backgrounds. They also tend to value diversity. Unless you send your kids to a conservative religious school (BYU, Bob Jones, etc.) I think you'll find that colleges have students with a lot of different backgrounds (and I'm sure that BYU has a few partiers, they are probably just more discrete.

 

[KarenAylwood]

I think it depends on where you are in the country you live and what your expectations are career-wise. If your aspiration is to work on Wall St. or Madison Ave, it's makes a huge difference where you went to school. If you're looking to work in a small town, local business type career, it matters less.

I agree fully that college aged kids are very impressionable, but I think you have unfairly generalized Ivy League schools and their students/graduates. You are going to find kids who come from all types of backgrounds at any school and I think it's really important to lean how to mix and interact academically, socially and professionally with all types of individuals. Again, depending on your chosen field, you may have no choice but to compete with people from wealthy backgrounds, so why shelter yourself from it? DH and I have not been out of college all that long, and let me tell you, it's a competitve environment in the workforce and to believe otherwise is naive. Again, I don't understand why you think Ivy's are havens for kids who come from backgrounds of entitlement and privilege. What a gross generalization. You are correct though, the Ivy's are doing something right as they graduate many of the best and brightest students every year.

I totally agree.

I would never think that sending someone to an Ivy League school would hurt their values or expose them to only elite, overprivileged trust fund babies. If (when I have kids) my kid wants to go to an Ivy and gets accepted- more power to em!

I mean, Harvard and some other Ivys have started a program for those that come from families that make below a certain income (I want to say it's $40,000). I'd be more afraid of feeling like a small fish in a big pond academically than money-wise at one of these schools.

I also agree with the comment about diversity- the Ivys have a lot of diversity as opposed to many other schools- mine had just about NONE.

Many of the kids I grew up with that went to mediocre state schools picked up MUCH WORSE "values" than those I know who grew up middle class and went to Ivy League schools. I'm not bashing state schools by any means (heck, I went to one- although a highly recognized one) but there are far worse things to be exposed to in college than rich kids.