Public College vs. Private College

[mrsklamc]

I would say apply to both and see what the private school offers, but personally attending a private school was one of my worst decisions in life! I transferred to public and not only was it cheaper I liked it much better!

 

[2luvmickey]

DS 22 and DS 20 are at the same private university (I never thought they would end up together, but it has been a blessing in disguise). They were good students at a very competitive high school and the University gave each of them a scholarship. This brought the cost down to nearly a state school cost.

Many smaller private schools give scholarships to appeal to a wider berth of students. In my boys' case, we live five hours away and usually 2-3, out of a class of 500+ students attend this college.

But, if money is tighter, going the route of a community college for the first two years is a great option as well.

 

[disykat]

I LOVED the private school I attended and definitely want my kids to have the opportunity to go to one if they want to. However, my kids know that they would have to get scholarships in order to do so. We told our son the number we could afford and made it clear that applying didn't necessarily mean attending if accepted. For us, "affordable" meant falling within our number or taking out a MAXIMUM of 5K a year in loans. We aren't willing to participate in funding an undergrad degree that will leave them more than 20K in debt.

My son opted for a state school, but did get accepted to a private school with enough merit aid to bring it into our price range. Around here, most privates offer automatic merit awards to students based on their gpa and SAT scores. The top level brings it down to the price of nearby state schools. Most, not all, list these merit awards gpa on their website.

My younger son's gradepoint is teetering on the edge of not having the opportunity of going private. Oh well.

 

[Denise W]

My daughter goes to a private school in NY, but had also been accepted by 3 public schools and 2 other private schools. This private school gave her a merit scholarship based on her SAT score (and it was NOT a great score) which brought the price down to where our public university was priced. They renewed the scholarship every year and now she is in her 5th year (grad year) and she still has the scholarship. We were not eligible for any financial aid based on need, so this was a great bonus to us.

Denise

 

[Princess_Meghan <3]

I'd wait and see what kinds of scholarships and financial aid are offered by each school. My dream school was a private university that was a lot more expensive than a public university I was applying to- after financial aid and scholarship offers came in, the private school was only $5,000 more expensive in the long run! I chose to go to the private school, and I'm quite happy here. I was all set to go to the public university until I saw the numbers. I decided that $5,000 wasn't too much more to go to my dream school.

 

[MUFFYCAT]

My younger DD is applying to schools for next fall. She likes one of the SUNYS very much but is applying to a few private. If they give her enough money to bring the cost equal to a SUNY she may consider. But I think she has her heart set at a SUNY.

She is looking for an education degree. Her guidance counselor and teachers are advising that A SUNY would be the best option. Some don't like paying off the loans for years and told them they would never do that again.

My older DD currently attends a SUNY and absolutely loves it.

 

[RitaE]

I agree with what everybody has said so far. You never know what kind of financial aid packages are going to be offered, but if it were my kid going into education - I'd want them to have as little student loan debt as possible.

She also needs to consider her game plan for getting a job. Which school can get her the qualifications she'll need (internships, specialized skills etc) that is going to differentiate her from all the other applicants once she graduates? Not that private school graduates can't get jobs, but in our area the common wisdom spouted is that those wanting to go into the public sector (teaching, social work, criminal justice etc) do better by attending the public school with the internships and contacts that get them networked to the ones who hire. We have a "State Teaching School" and a "State Criminal Justice Program" etc. Those are reputation only, other schools offer those degrees but the state schools that are known for those programs really get their students on the track for jobs.

Also, going into education she will almost certainly need a Master's degree eventually. Saving costs now makes paying for that later easier.

 

[thomas998]

One thing to remember when you look at the financial aid packages is that at state school is under more pressure to keep tuition down. Unless you've heard rumbling in your state about raising tuition the odds are it wont jump up and surprise you. Private schools are a different beast, I do recall that the tuition from the university I attended was nearly double by the time I finished from the time I started.... I also remember that the half-tuition scholarship they gave me when I started didn't increase over time. It stayed the same dollar amount and by the end was closer to a 1/4 tuition scholarship. So unless you are told that the scholarship is "Full tuition" assume that it is a particular dollar amount and that it wont go up.... Also know that a scholarship can be yanked if the student fails to maintain a specific GPA and number of hours each semester. Those terms vary from school to school... so make sure they get all the details and also get things in writing and not from someone over the phone. You will be amazed at how often things you are told over the phone are magically forgotten, but an email or letter is much harder for them to forget.

 

[DebMcDonald]

Thank you all so very very much for all your information, you have all helped GREATLY!

 

[Lex33]

Every chance I get I bestow the virtues of UMASS/Amherst to my son. He has some kind of image in his head that there is something wrong with a state school. It must be because I went there. When Uncle Sam comes knocking for loan repayments when he graduates, I think he will be thinking otherwise. He, too, wants an education degree. I would love to see him go to a community college and then transfer somewhere else. Scholarship money has dwindled so much that I doubt we will qualify for much. In my opinion, there is nothing wrong with a state school. Even better if you can be done with applications by next month. We are not quite there yet.

 

[Marionnette]

My oldest DD is applying to college, she's doing early (non-binding) for a state college and seems to think she will be very happy with her decision if she gets in. The guarantee with this state college if you get in early you are guaranteed housing (it's only 20 minutes from our house, but we all agree that she should live there). She also loves a private college in Boston at the cost of $50,000, state is around $20,000, we're the middle income bracket that probably won't receive much financial aid. Has anyone had a child that went off to private college that got alot in the means of financial aide that brought a private school in line with a public school cost. She's going into elementry eduction, so the public education is more financially in line with the salary she'll get later.

I guess my question - years later will she be disappointed that she didn't have the opportunity for that private college or will she be happy with the financial decision she made.

3 kids in college right now. One in a private university close to home and two away at state universities. The one at the private university got scholarships and grants than brought her tuition costs in line with tuition + room & board at the state schools.

BUT (and this is a big one), she lived at home until her junior year and now pays for her living expenses herself.

I agree with the others who have suggested that your daughter should take a look at both schools' financial aid packages. She may find that the private school is not as expensive as you thought it would be.

Another factor is the graduation rate of the schools. What percentage of students graduate after 8 semesters? Is she more likely to spend one,two or even three additional semesters at the state school? Those added semesters can really increase the cost of that undergraduate degree. A lot of students and parents don't take this into consideration.

 

[mbf]

Lex33: Show your son some figures on this Loan Repayment Calculator. That may just change his mind when he sees exactly how much of his post college income will go to repayment. http://www.mappingyourfuture.org/paying/standardcalculator.htm

I had always thought UMass Amherst had a very good reputation or does it depend on the program?

I agree with Marionette on graduation rate. Sometimes you may not save money if the student is unable to get into the classes they need. My DD's State School has a "degree in four" program which promises that you will graduate in 4 years by making sure you get into the classes you need within that time (provided you have done your part by going FT the whole time and passing all of your courses). There are a few caveats but generally my DD's friends who have hit snags have been taken care of (even to the point of policy change). Another way to skirt this issue is to apply for Honors programs at any college/university if you qualify. For my DD the monetary award for Honors at her U was small but the benefit of being able to register before other students was a huge plus. And the Honors course selection was more interesting and fulfilled some of her Gen Ed requirements.

Oldest DD did have many friends who went to a local private college known for handing out good scholarships. Some lived at home and some at school. One was able to graduate a year early using her AP credits and courses she had taken at our HS in a program affiliated with that particular school. This would not have helped my DD although her AP's did lighten her course load some. Taking as much AP as you can while still in HS can save a lot of money.

 

[Tink9295]

My DS goes to a private college in Mass. He got a merit scholarship and a grant from the college that makes his tuition less than what our state colleges cost. We live in CT. He receives $15,000 in merit and $4,000 in grants per year if he maintains a very reasonable GPA. His cost is less than Univ. of CT and all the other state colleges.

I feel what he gets from a small private college totally outweighs what any state college offers. He needed a small college and all it offers. It's not always about the money. Although he did well in his case. It's about getting the type of education a student needs.

 

[JandJ]

As others have said, look at the financial package the private schools are offering and you may be surprised.

A lot depends on the kid, too. My niece went to a small, private middle and high school and got into a private college that she thought she would love. She got a good financial aid package and we sent her off to another state. Guess what - she hated it. She did small and private for 7 years and wanted something different. She came back and went to the state school (happens to be a top-10 public college), excelled, and is now at a private university getting her Master's. I went to a private college and loved it; DH went to state college and he loved that - so a lot depends on your DD and her personality and what she's looking for in a college experience.

 

[MrsPete]

My oldest DD is applying to college, she's doing early (non-binding) for a state college and seems to think she will be very happy with her decision if she gets in. The guarantee with this state college if you get in early you are guaranteed housing (it's only 20 minutes from our house, but we all agree that she should live there). She also loves a private college in Boston at the cost of $50,000, state is around $20,000, we're the middle income bracket that probably won't receive much financial aid. Has anyone had a child that went off to private college that got alot in the means of financial aide that brought a private school in line with a public school cost. She's going into elementry eduction, so the public education is more financially in line with the salary she'll get later.

I guess my question - years later will she be disappointed that she didn't have the opportunity for that private college or will she be happy with the financial decision she made.

Since she thinks she'd be happy at either school, my advice is to pursue both schools aggressively and see what type of "bottom line" they offer you . . . but I'd expect the less expensive school to come out less expensive in the long run. My own high school senior daughter has already received an offer of "up to" 52K from a private school -- yet the school would still be more expensive than the public school she really wants.

Also, as you compare dollars to dollars, be very clear on whether any scholarships you receive are renewable. I've known any number of students to be lured into a small, private school with a nice scholarship . . . only to realize that it was a freshman-only thing. That leaves the student with the choice of ponying up big bucks for the next three years or going through the application process /transfering /being the new kid again -- neither of which are attractive options. So look beyond the freshman year; don't assume that if Year 1 is okay financially that it'll all fall into place afterward.

As you pointed out, a teacher is never going to make a big salary, so she should do all she can to avoid debt -- that means choosing the less expensive school. If that meant living at home rather than living in a dorm, I'd consider that too.

What other people have said about education degrees is true: It doesn't matter where you go to school; you're going to earn the same salary. The state has a salary scale and no matter what your qualifications, you're not going to get more money. And a big-name school won't help you get your foot in the door either. In my experience, the vast majority of teachers are hired in one of two ways: 1) They prove their worth as student teachers and are hired either at the school where they do their student teaching, OR they're hired because their student-teaching-principal says to another principal, "Yes, I'd hire this person if I had an opening." 2) They've become known as good substitute teachers, which leads to a permanant spot. I'd say more than 80% of the teachers in my school enter in one of these two ways; few people are hired through teaching fairs, resume-mailings, etc.

A few days ago I was chatting with a student teacher in the workroom while we were both making copies, and she commented that the principal had popped in twice to see her recently -- she asked if I thought the principal didn't trust her and was keeping an eye on her. I assured her that just the opposite was true: Those were job interviews. She just didn't recognize them as such.

Having said that, it's clearly important that -- years from now -- she pushes to get a good student teaching placement, one at a school where she'd really hope to teach.

The other thing to keep in mind is that LOTS of people have degrees in elementary education, and EVERY person who applies for her future job will have that same degree . . . which means, of course, that the degree alone will never get her a job. She needs something to make her stand out from the crowd. Opting to become a reading specialist or a special ed teacher (though that's a burn-out job; the average teacher stays in special ed only 5 years before either leaving the profession or moving to a different field within education -- it's the toughest job in education) is one way she can raise herself above the crowd. The ability to coach a sport is another.

Finally, keep in mind that you cannot judge the worth of a school JUST based upon its public vs. private status. In my state, the average public school is considerably better academically than the average private school -- but you need to look at all the details about both schools before making a decision about their respective values.

 

[Bob NC]

Do you know a local elementary school principal or vice principal? If you do, go to them and ask which school would look better when hiring time comes around.

My daughter is studying elementary education also. I talked to a principal and told her the public and private schools my daughter was considering. It turned out the public university carried a much higher reputation than the more expensive private schools.

 

[DebMcDonald]

Do you know a local elementary school principal or vice principal? If you do, go to them and ask which school would look better when hiring time comes around.

My daughter is studying elementary education also. I talked to a principal and told her the public and private schools my daughter was considering. It turned out the public university carried a much higher reputation than the more expensive private schools.

We live in a town with 12 elementary schools, 5 middle schools and one high school. Her guidance counselor told her to consider Bridgewater State as she can do her student teaching at the schools that she has graduated from and a town that she lives in. As her guidance counselor told her "we love our own". So Bridgewater is the smartest choice for multiple reasons, assuming she gets in, but I felt that encouraging this choice vs. her "dream school" that maybe I wasn't being a fair parent - if that makes sense. I think in the long run she will realize she made the right decision financially, but right now maybe not as much. Don't get me wrong she really likes Bridgewater, but her definite dream school is Lesley.

 

[MrsPete]

We live in a town with 12 elementary schools, 5 middle schools and one high school. Her guidance counselor told her to consider Bridgewater State as she can do her student teaching at the schools that she has graduated from and a town that she lives in. As her guidance counselor told her "we love our own".

I'm surprised to hear that. In our area, student teachers aren't allowed to student teach at any school they attended within a certain time frame (I want to say ten years, but I'm not completely sure). The idea is that they want to avoid putting still-learning teachers in the situation of teaching younger siblings or their siblings' friends, and they want to avoid putting them in the situation of having former teachers as peers.

Of course, I'm in high school. Elementary ed students are automatically "farther removed" from their old schools.

 

[crisi]

I'll answer this a little differently....

Private college can be like spending your summer backpacking through Europe. Its one of those very cool experiences to have if you can afford it. Or like joining a Sorority - something that's going to cost more, but will be an experience. I'd regret additional loans more. I went public and graduated without debt, my husband went private and paid student loans for ten years. But honestly, he had a way better "college experience" in that sort of "This Side of Paradise" sort of way.

See what the financial aid packages are. And what her and her temperament are. I'd take out a LITTLE more in loans (like $1k a year) to go to a GOOD private school that was a better fit over a public school - not for the increased earnings opportunity, but because I think a private school experience is worth that IF its a good fit.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

I wish I could give proper credit to the Dis member that first posted this, but I don't remember who it was, unfortunately. It is an excellent article about the practicality of living with student loan debt.

$110,000 in Debt

These were from a good series as well, from Moneywatch.com:

Student Loans: How They Changed One Life for Decades

Student Loans: How They Changed Another Life for Decades