Sub-9 guy wrote:
Here you go. Perhaps your daughter attended one of these. While I don’t personally agree with this entire list, the top 20, and, especially the top 10 are going to serve any kid well throughout life. So, if a kid can pull a full ride or full tuition from one of these schools, why would you choose an Ivy over that?
Future value cost savings of $60,000-85,000 per year for four years over a 10-20 year time horizon with a 7% assumed interest rate. That’s the math we are talking about on this thread. That is part of the retirement savings plan, the cost of college and the opportunity cost of saving that money. When you at it this way, a good state school makes a lot of sense for people, especially if you live in CA, MI, VA, TX, NC, FL or WA or have some form of reciprocity with them.
MANY colleges will serve a kid well...you just need to find the right fit. Both of my children are gifted (in gifted program before college). My daughter though, was VERY interested in being surrounded by super smart and talented people in college, so she ONLY was interested in colleges that would be considered "elite." Only a handful (actually fewer) of the schools that were in your link would be in the same category as the school she went to, and some (I probably would) would argue that the school she went to was a rung above ALL of those schools...a little nitpicking depending on what major you chose could make two or three of them equivalent, but overall I'd say the university she went to was better than all of those...and I think MOST people would agree). My son did not have the same need, so he opted not to attend an Ivy League school or any other "elite" college. His university and degree path has served him well.
A good state school makes a lot of sense for MOST people, because MOST people can't get into an elite university...kind of why they are "elite."
