Help us decide - GT (Instate [$15k]) vs Yale [$90k] CS/Math

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On Behalf on my DS:

We are based out of GA and our DS got into Georgia Tech early for CS. It would us only cost ~15k per year for him to attend.

But come Ivy Day, we were pleasantly surprised to see an Yale acceptance after getting deferred earlier on.

He has always been a math guy, doing math competitions (AMC/AIME etc), research etc. He didn’t like CS till around junior year when he did a research project in Python. I don’t think that he is still a software engineer but more of applied math using computers and software as tools. Right now, he is thinking that maybe quant finance eventually.

Being instate, he would potentially be a junior at GT due to the credits, allowing him to potentially double major in Math along with CS/do MS in CS.

He does like the STEM focus at GT, but the well-roundedness of the student body at Yale also entices him. [He didn’t see himself as a student at Caltech for a comparison].

Of course, Yale will come out to about 90k per year; but cost shouldn’t be factor. We are more concerned on if is a good fit for him. Yale certainly has more opportunities for leadership and networking skills, and having the Yale degree on his diploma couldn’t hurt in future careers too.

Not being from the north, we have a minor awareness that the internships and opportunities in Boston and NYC would be reachable as well.

Our main question is would the leadership, networking skills, and overall college experience (which seems to be a much bigger plus) at Yale be worth it for him?

What other factors do you think we should be looking at?

Out of these two, which would be a better choice? He is incredibly happy to have these opportunities and we would like to guide him (as much as possible)

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I would maybe pay that differential for MIT, but Yale? No way for STEM vs GT.

What a talented kid with great choices. Congrats!

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Thank you.

He is certainly blessed to have good options at his disposal. I will let him know about your note to add to his list of pros and cons.

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Yes. If cost isn’t a factor, you can’t pass this up.

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It’s truly personal. One never knows outcomes and I’m not sure how you are calculating the better leadership opportunities of Yale. Maybe. Maybe not. It’s really up to a student to go grab those.

Two different people would make two different decisions in this case. Ga Tech certainly has other strengths outside of STEM.

It’s a $300k trade off.

Will you ever make it back ? Perhaps if he lands in a quant finance job.

I couldn’t pull the trigger but I am admittedly risk averse when it comes to $$. And it could be Ga Tech is the better bit even if prices are the same.

I think many make statements like the experience will be better because one is an Ivy. But that doesn’t mean it’s true.

Perhaps talk to take student ambassador at Yale to get their take.

Good luck.

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Thank you. Cost isn’t a factor at this point.

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Does he have goals like employment at employers that would prefer Yale over GT when hiring?

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Thank you. He is going to reach out back to his Yale interviewer to get a deeper understanding of the college and the experience.

Yes, the 300K difference is a huge one. But we have been putting money in 529 for a long time once we looked at his potential in elementary school.

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Has he visited Yale? I think that’s key.

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He could switch to Math + Econ at Yale or remain CS + Math there (ambivalent about CS as Math is his passion). So future employers is still something that he wants to research more on.

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It is on the list. He is going to be doing the admitted students day and then hang around for an extra day to get the vibe of the school.

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Is the interviewer a student ? No. They will be an alum or hired gun.

It’s still $200k. Personal choice. But it can be used for others, grad school, even a Roth 401k for your student.

I would talk to a current student ambassador or two. A student or multiple. Not a salesperson.

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You can also transfer the 529 leftovers to a grandchild or other person.

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Yup, they are an alum. They interviewed him as part of the decision making process (though there are varying accounts on how much these interviews play a part). He reached back out to them once he got accepted to have a follow up conversation. I will also him to talk to a current student.

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@BKSquared your input may be helpful.

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I think a star student at GT can go anywhere. Here’s an example of someone who is a friend of a friend:

If you are at the top of your class, there are very few careers where your college will make a huge difference, especially when comparing a top private to a top state school. But there are quite a few situations where having $300K of savings after graduation can be very helpful.

An average student at Yale may have more opportunities than an average student at GT. But that person might have more need for the extra money too, if they start in a lower paying job, or decide they need a graduate degree to stand out.

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Well said. It helps to hear these different perspectives and examples for him to arrive at the decision. Thank you.

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that’s true. if he doesn’t go to Yale, we plan to retire early.

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I expect he will know which is the right choice after the accepted student days. They are both wonderful, but different, places.
Congrats to your S on his fantastic options.

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Thank you. Spoilt for choice.

I agree too. The vibe at this point matters a lot. If he sees himself being part of the group at Yale, he will commit.

He has known GT for sometime and is well setup there because of his networking with seniors.

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