Private or public college?

There are so many discussions about what type of college to go for our kids. However, seems most discussions focus on money ( cost) issue. Really, Money is just one of the issues we should pay attention. Folowing are what come to my mind at this moment.

1. The cost is not a big issue to go to a private school for most parents if their income are low. If you do the EFC calculation, you will find out the payment for a private college is about the same as a public college for families with annual income under 100K. Parents should really do their homework before they make dicision. I know 2006, Amherst gave need-based financial help to a family with annual income of 190K.

2. There are so many different colleges, how to choose is a big issue. Money is just one of them. There are more for panrets to consider: Location, academic programs (even a university is famous, how about the major your kid is interested?), kid's personality--Can she/he survive in a huge class, such as 300 students class? What type of students fit in a certain college? (Anybody can tell me the difference between Smith college and Mountain Holyyake college here? )

3. When you limit your kid's choice, you kids easily lose his/her motivation for working hard. I have constantly deal with my daughter on this/ She is a typical teenager girl. If I told her that she can only to to a state university, she propably stop any test preparation now--she is qualified for any major in our state university according to her SAT I score now. With the permission that she could go to any private school as long as it's better than the state university, and with the same or close cost from my pocket ( considering merit based and need-based), she is working hard on her coming test. She also wants to inprove her GPA, too, since there is a space for her to do so..

We should really sit down with our teenager kids and discuss all possibilities for their future. Don;t limit their future because of our limited vision. If they have to carry some debt, it;s ok. I told my daughter very frankly that she should consider this possibility, too. It's not bad since it's a good preparation for real life--manage her personal finance.

所有跟帖： 

• Ivies are undoubtely better places for undergraduate -IvyLi- ♂ (151 bytes) () 03/18/2007 postreply 19:07:27

• The counselor in my daughter's school said that-- -A-mao- ♂ (216 bytes) () 03/18/2007 postreply 19:18:40

• You have addressed many good points. Agree with you -亮亮妈妈- ♀ (0 bytes) () 03/18/2007 postreply 19:11:28

• Thanks-- Took me a few minites to correct my language -A-mao- ♂ (90 bytes) () 03/18/2007 postreply 19:20:21

• cost is a big issue for family with high income... -hz82000- ♀ (57 bytes) () 03/18/2007 postreply 19:30:40

• Up-middle class will face the cost issue, right. -A-mao- ♂ (0 bytes) () 03/18/2007 postreply 19:37:08

• if you're think about the cost, then we're not talking -IvyLi- ♂ (22 bytes) () 03/18/2007 postreply 19:40:12

• I will consider cost only when my daughter has -A-mao- ♂ (51 bytes) () 03/18/2007 postreply 19:50:23

• Ding. Well said. -冒一冒泡- ♂ (0 bytes) () 03/18/2007 postreply 20:13:23

• so money is not an issue for you, but it is a big one -gqc- ♀ (29 bytes) () 03/19/2007 postreply 11:01:10

• It's an issue for all parents--you have to compare the cost -A-mao- ♂ (341 bytes) () 03/19/2007 postreply 11:29:38