<p>Balletgirl-</p>
<p>in law we have a saying which, loosely translated, says “the thing speaks for itself.” </p>
<p>Maybe you need to live a little longer before expressing such strong opinions.</p>
<p>saying the provide 60% financial aid means nothing, really, that can mean a a thousand dollars!!!</p>
<p>look at the common data set[s] and then feel free to make comments.</p>
<p>It is often cheaper to attend a private college than a public university due to financial aid. I did so 30 years ago, because we were too poor even to afford the closest state university, which wasn’t very good either.</p>
<p>cgarrette101@aol.</p>
<p>One can choose go to Dartmouth and pay a premium over UMass because the premium is justified.</p>
<p>One can go choose to go to UMass because the premium for [name any overrated private school] is not worth it.</p>
<p>We have a saying in high school, “He who practices law with spurious logic brings shame to the profession.”</p>
<p>BalletGirl wrote:
</p>
<p>Ugh, I hate these debates. Many people choose a university not based only on marginally different academic rankings or price, but rather on the entire college experience and how it will likely impact the rest of their lives.</p>
<p>So yeah, while UCLA may rank higher than USC academically this year (but not likely for many more) and is cheaper than USC, the Bruin experience is seen by many as significantly different and less appealing than the Trojan one. Looking only at those two factors is “vapid” in my book. Why should you even care or be judgmental if others feel they are getting the better value in the long run by attending USC over UCLA? I say, mind your own business and wallet and be thankful we all have the freedom to make up our own minds about how we want to spend our money.</p>
<p>One of my biggest pet peeves on these forums is when posters pass judgments on schools they don’t attend and are in no position to criticize in a precise, informed manner.</p>
<p>I attend one school: the University of Chicago.</p>
<p>I don’t attend USC.
I don’t attend Dartmouth.
I don’t attend Vanderbilt.
I don’t attend Notre Dame.
I don’t attend Yale.
I don’t attend Michigan.
I don’t attend GW.</p>
<p>The best approximation I have is hearsay, which, if I could compare my own experiences at Chicago to the hearsay that surrounded it and the kind of information I would have gotten on it had I paid close attention to Princeton Review or Fiske or even this website, is total BS.</p>
<p>Therefore, how could I make informed judgments about any of these schools? Heck, it’s hard enough for me to make informed judgments about my own school, and it’s hard for me to explain to others just what makes Chicago “good,” because I myself don’t know how much of my experience is particular to Chicago and how much of it would have happened at other schools had I looked carefully enough. Is the educational quality at Chicago really of such a superlative quality to that of, say, Virginia? Or what about Williams? Or Carleton? Or Reed? Or Beloit? Or U-Mass Amherst? The best answer I can give is: how the heck would I know?</p>
<p>All I know is that I love my school, I imagine other people love theirs too, and this question of “prestige” and monetary value is something that each individual has to answer for himself. For me, personally, I would have skipped off to state school in a heartbeat if my parents couldn’t afford to send me to a private, but I know lots and lots of students who have sacrificed quite a bit to make their dream education come through for them.</p>
<p>"Too many expensive private school are trading on the patina of a strong reputation through effective marketing and the ignorance of consumers. In many instances, a good in-state school provides a much more compelling alternative – same quality education with better economics associated with it. "
“Please explain how my decision to go to Dartmouth undermines my argument.”
Because you are going to neither the large private school you refer to nor the good instate school. Nor have you apparently done much research about how financial aid at some private schools, large and small, can make them as affordable as state schools. So you don’t have much credibility behind your arguements. And as cgarret alluded to above, you are a bit young to be making sweeping generalizations and pronouncments without posting the facts to back them up.</p>
<p>Thank you unalove, yours are always very succient, well thought out posts. I wish my son did love his time at Chicago, but he is back in Calif where he is happier. As you say, he would not have known Chicago if he had not gone there and he does not regret going, but it just wasn’t the right school for him. I’m glad you love it.</p>
<p>Balletgirl- "We have a saying in high school, ‘He who practices law with spurious logic brings shame to the profession.’ " ??</p>
<p>Since you know nothing about my legal career, I’m not sure how you would know, but what I DO know is that you don’t take disagreement well. It could be difficult for you to adjust to college, after being out of a traditional school setting and subject to a lot of individualized attention through dance/ballet. You undoubtedly will encounter many students as bright (and even brighter!) than you…I hope you learn to listen to them and respect their opinions.</p>
<p>mpm, I was thinking of you in part-- I mean, your son has now experienced both schools and has a more legitimate basis for his opinions concerning these two schools than almost anybody else. If he found a place for himself at USC that was similar or superior than what he found at Chicago, I think that speaks volumes to USC’s strength as a school.</p>
<p>(I should note I have a tad of a soft spot for USC myself, as a bunch of great writers teach/ have taught there and one of my favorite writing teachers was a USC alumna and had great things to say about the school).</p>
<p>menloparkmom,</p>
<p>Your argument, as is unalove’s, is wrong on the face of it. There would be no discussion on CC if all discussant’s only relied on their direct experience of a school. (Come on, unalove I know you know the parable of Plato’s cave).</p>
<p>My perspectives are based on research. While you are fortunate that your son’s USC education is coming to you at little cost, it doesn’t change the fact that for many students USC is very costly (even if they have the means to pay full fare) and it doesn’t change the fact that by many objective measures (peer assessments, rankings, etc.) USC is no better academically than many less expensive in-state options. </p>
<p>You are well to be pleased with your son’s experience. It is working for you. </p>
<p>Lest you think I developed my views on USC solely out of whole cloth, check out the Urban Dictionary which I just googled on USC. It’s a hoot. Obviously, there is something in the zeitgeist. </p>
<p>[Urban</a> Dictionary: USC](<a href=“http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=USC]Urban”>Urban Dictionary: USC)</p>
<p>“There would be no discussion on CC if all discussant’s only relied on their direct experience of a school.”
What we are trying to get through to you is the posts of students, parents, alumni of schools are more credible that the posts of those who just have opinions, but no experience. Understand?</p>
<p>And this -Urban Dictionary: USC
is what you call research?
“(peer assesmnents, rankings, etc.)”
So let’s see them.</p>
<p>yes, the Urban Dictionary is definitely the deciding factor. </p>
<p>Perhaps your leotard is a little tight, balletgirl???</p>
<p>Kind of off-topic, but I’m looking at the Urban Dictionary definitions of lots of top colleges now, and some are downright hilarious, true or not. For Johns Hopkins: “Johns Hopkins is like unprotected sex; happy you got in, upset that you came.”</p>
<p>cgarrett101@aol.</p>
<p>You wrote:
“Since you know nothing about my legal career, I’m not sure how you would know”. </p>
<p>Attorney, you earlier wrote in an ad hominem attack:</p>
<p>“in law we have a saying which, loosely translated, says “the thing speaks for itself.” Maybe you need to live a little longer before expressing such strong opinions.”</p>
<p>I’d say that you, sir. have a little problem with criticism and confrontation, especially from someone your junior. And if I were to make a wild inferential leap, I’d say you are a tad sensitive about your lawyering skills. ;)</p>
<p>cgarrett101@aol.</p>
<p>“Perhaps your leotard is a little tight, balletgirl???”</p>
<p>You could never be so lucky!! LOL.</p>
<p>what about the rest of my post: “but what I DO know is that you don’t take disagreement well. It could be difficult for you to adjust to college, after being out of a traditional school setting and subject to a lot of individualized attention through dance/ballet. You undoubtedly will encounter many students as bright (and even brighter!) than you…I hope you learn to listen to them and respect their opinions.”</p>
<p>Hit a chord, did it?</p>
<p>and BTW (not that it matters) I am a woman.</p>
<p>menloparkmom,</p>
<p>Just look at the various rankings, the peer review assessments, etc. USC is in the pack with some of the good state schools. There is no disagreement on this, it is not my opinion. It doesn’t appear you are familiar with this.</p>
<p>I always respect opinions when they are accompanied by logic and fact. I am not getting this from either you or menloparkmom. I am getting rants and raves. It’s apparently how you choose to engage. </p>
<p>And I am convinced you are sensitive about your lawyering skills. It looks like you didn’t get enough practice.</p>