Private schools better for poor and middle class to apply and attend?

[Zebo]

PSA: Elite places like Harvard and Yale give free rides for familes less than 40K. Not so at state schools.

http://www.thecrimson.com/today/article506806.html

Last year, President Lawrence H. Summers and Fitzsimmons created the HFAI, stipulating that families earning $40,000 a year or less do not have to contribute any money, and those earning between $40,000 and $60,000 have to pay substantially less as compared to previous years. Furthermore, Harvard will offer a record amount of financial aid next year, $84.6 million for undergraduate scholarships. This is a 56 percent increase over the past six years.

 

[nakedfrog]

By the time my kids are old enough to go, I should be making more $$$ than that (hopefully).

 

[oboeguy]

Those who barely don't qualify for the scholarships are subsidizing the poorer kids, so somebody is getting screwed in the end. Imagine if you make $61K (for the sake of argument), but you're paying $30K+ to Harvard -- you've got less left over than the $40K people. Very simplistic analysis, yes, but a crazy system nonetheless, IMO. Middle-class squeezed and sucked dry, as always.

 

[freebee]

Same with Princeton this year. Sibling got in, saved a load of money for the family. The no-loan policy meant basically a full scholarship including room and board. I was saving some money to help out, but it turns out I don't have to.

 

[vi edit]

I just hate the general misconceptions about college.

You can sum it up like this:

1) There's no shame in going to a public school
2) Not all private schools are worth their costs
3) Student loans aren't evil
4) ANYONE can afford to go to college, anything else is just an excuse
5) Sometimes #4 mean you have to *GASP* take student loans and go to a public, in state university instead of some lofty private school that charges $40,000 a year for tuition

 

[Zebo]

I just posted this as a PSA, not political commentary.. I know plenty of kids who don't know the wider world of elite ivys like these are even open to them. I did'nt (not that I could have got in) my freinds in HS did'nt... And we certainly did'nt know it's possible to actually save money going to them.

 

[freebee]

Lot of people make the mistake of going to public schools and/or taking out loans, when they could have applied to a top tier private school and graduated debt free.

 

[Zebo]

Originally posted by: freebee
Lot of people make the mistake of going to public schools and/or taking out loans, when they could have applied to a top tier private school and graduated debt free.

True, I was debt free but I also worked the whole time and grades/college experiance in general may have suffered.