<p>There is no simple answer to the question. It also depends on what an individual feels is “worth” it. In dollars and cents, you may be able to come up with some quantitative evidence, but when you start putting in other factors, it becomes quite complex.</p>
<p>I can tell you that I know any number of kids who had horrorific experiences at Columbia, Cornell, other top schools because they were not a good match for them. The heartache alone was not worth it. I am pretty sure in some of those cases a smaller, more personal, less intense school would have made a world of difference for the kids. But is this looking at things on a retroactive basis.</p>
I’m a big fan of throwing oneself into a school with the most academically challenging classmates … that said I would never advocate going into big-time debt to pay for school. Working 8-10 hours a week during school and maybe $25,000 of debt so reasonable … at $100,000 of debt no way. If you’re a solid candidate for CU then there a bunch of terrific schools from which you can receive merit aid … I, in no way, qould advocate picking up a big debt for any school.</p>
<p>To answer your question, ericniel, it is not (to me) for most careers, or anything where there’ll be law or med school costs. Unless you just have that money to spend, in which case, why not. Now with my $100,000 prize, I can contradict myself and spend it on an overly expensive ivy-league education. Thanks! lol.</p>