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Let’s say that you are the typical working American and you decide it’s time to buy a bigger house. How would you go about doing that? Contact a realtor, start taking note of “For Sale” signs, or go get pre-approved for your maximum loan amount maybe? What you would likely not do is go looking in a neighborhood where the prices started at $1.5 million when you are looking for a modest 3,000 square foot home. Doesn’t it make sense to use that kind of logic when shopping for colleges.
The overwhelming majority of families I talk to that have a child who makes more A’s than B’s will immediately respond with the name of an Ivy or elite-level at the top if their list when I ask where they are thinking about applying. Never do I tell them not to try, but they are made aware of the pros and cons as well as return on investment for the amount of time and effort they put into chasing acceptance to a “name brand” college.
When I inquire about the expense of attending a college that has become household name, the predictable word is ‘scholarships’. I then listen to how much money for college goes unclaimed every year. Well, that’s not exactly the case. When an extraordinary student applies to 10 colleges and is offered something approaching full ride to half of them, all the money at all the schools he turned down is unclaimed. The kicker is that the money from those other schools is then offered to the next outstanding student in line. It was unclaimed, but none-the-less used by another deserving student.
Thirty to 40 percent of all awarded financial aid is funneled through the colleges themselves. I don’t know of any that leave money laying around when there are students on their campus who qualify to utilize it. Government moneys made available to the colleges must be sent back if it is not awarded. How many colleges do you think send back one penny that a student can use?
Stop insisting on expensive name brands and find good quality, comfortable and affordable colleges that have your major. I know that is a hard pill to swallow so I have included a link to help make my point.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ow1-uj0ToVY Video about the importance of the college you attend…
