Chelsea at UNLV chose her school because it made the most sense financially and found plenty more to like about it once she arrived.
We asked other students how important they think a school's prestige is now that they're in college. Here's what they said:
"I'm from Colorado, so I stayed here and went to the state school. I was a very good student in high school so my friends razzed me about it because they thought I could do "better." Looking back, I'm proud of the decision I made to stay in-state, and I don't think I could have found a better fit. It's cheaper for me because I pay in-state tuition, and I've been given opportunities here I would never have had if I'd gone somewhere else. Do not overlook the state schools because you think they're not as prestigious. They are excellent and you'll get the most bang for your buck."
- Amanda, Colorado State University
"Don’t choose a school for its name. I feel very strongly about this because the majority of people I know who are unhappy at Princeton are people who made this mistake. They got admitted to a few places and they really couldn’t decide so it came down to reputation."
- Katharine, Princeton University
"Avoid rankings and reputations. When you're applying, the fact that Stanford is #3 and Brown hasn't reached the top ten and no one's even heard of Oberlin seems to matter way more than it should. Listen to the alumni of those schools when they tell you that once you graduate, the difference between #3 and #12 means absolutely nothing, and a determined student who succeeded in the liberal arts environment can beat out any Ivy Leaguer in getting into grad school. You'll be happier spending four years at a school that fits your personality than simply having a more impressive college bumper sticker for your parents to display."
- Amanda, Brown University
"In the end, the ranking is still just a number. No matter how prestigious a college is, if it doesn’t have the attributes students are seeking, the students aren’t going to be happy. It’s four years of your life, so don’t go about tying yourself to a college based solely on what a group of college analysts have to say."
- Lisa, Williams College
Marilyn C. Morrison of Morrison Educational Consulting explains that while public universities can be a great value, it's best not to rule out private universities before considering your anticipated financial aid packages.
Depending on the financial aid package offered, the out-of-pocket cost of attending a private college can often be lower than that of a public university. In a simplistic example, a $25,000 bill at a UC would be reduced to $20,000 with $5,000 of financial aid, but a private liberal arts college with a sticker price of $50,000 would cost $15,000 if the financial aid package totaled $35,000, making it cheaper than the UC. Of course, financial aid is more complicated than this, but private colleges with strong endowments often offer generous merit and need-based scholarships. In the end, award offers must be weighed against each other carefully, taking into account whether the award is made up of loans (which must be paid back) or grants/scholarships (which do not get paid back). The bottom line? Research the possibility of financial aid before eliminating a college from your list just because it sounds too expensive.