10 best values in private colleges

These universities combine top-notch academics with generous financial aid packages, making them tremendous bargains for students who qualify.

By Marc A. Wojno, Kiplinger's Personal Finance magazine

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Chewy Time
Dec 17, 2012 6:03AM
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It seems alot of people missed what this article was saying. When you weigh in the amount of financial aid that is out there, the price of the top schools comes inline with public colleges. Don't let price decide where you apply. Put yourself out there and see whats available
Johnniee V (BofAWhatAJoke)
Dec 17, 2012 5:22AM
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This article is a joke about "higher education."

There are MANY other universities that can give just as good, and in some case, better education for the dollar "invested in college." 

All it takes is doing the right amount of research and I bet there would be 3-5 other universities listed for all the universities shown above.  High school sophomores, juniors and seniors, do your research on which university to go to. Use the internet, visit several schools

Heck, the 4 military academies are a better bargain. You get a 4 year degree, you have then serve what? Seven to 10 years, you get a halfway decent starting salary (as opposed to retail or McD's, etc), you have all the medical, dental and vision benefits, and if you keep your tail-end clean you can climb the ladder quite well.  Then you come out and you have not only a great degree, you have experience, and a good-to-great background that a lot of employers would want to look at.

Mexbeachrat
Dec 15, 2012 12:30AM
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BYU is fine if you are a Mormon.  If not, forget it.   Only a very small percentage of highschool graduates are getting into any of these schools and I doubt the living costs were included.   Unless you are going for a STEM, you would do best simply to go to a community college the first two years and then transfer to a 4 years school.  You must make sure that the 4 years school will accept credits from the community college.   You had better check with companies in your career before spending the money for an education.  You then can tailor your education around the company and career.  

Community College Rocker
Dec 15, 2012 12:04AM
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I have to agree. It is really sad that only the ones who were geeks in school, who really applied themselves, and worked hard to get excellent grades and high SAT scores, are the only ones who qualify for the need-blind financial aid that awards near full scholarships to the best educational institutions in the country for near the cost that the rest of us pay for the local community colleges.
lrun
Dec 14, 2012 11:25PM
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You get a much better value by going to a Community College/Junior College for two years, then transferring to a local state college to finish.  What a horrible article, obviously written by a product of an overpriced university.  
lrun
Dec 14, 2012 11:23PM
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None of these colleges are worth the $.  College is the biggest ripoff being sold to the public ever.  "You can't be successful w/o college" and the rest of the BS.  Where you go to college has close to NOTHING to do with how successful you are.   

We need to stop Loans/grants/etc.  When that happens, when the money dries up, the cost will go down.  $57,000 FOR ONE FRICKEN YEAR OF COLLEGE.   Are you absolutely stupid for paying that?  YES.  You would be better off investing that money, get a plumber/electrician license, work and save and you will be far ahead.  I continue to have conversations with young adults about the bad decisions they make, going in debt to fund college.  It is no different than buying a house or car you can't afford.  When you "buy" a college education with borrowed money and can't pay it back, it is the same. I am sick of the public being ripped off by universities with their idiot/worthless courses, overpaid professors, overpriced facilities.  
teele14
Dec 14, 2012 11:04PM
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I was reading this article and kept hoping to see my school, but it wasn't there. I go to BYU and my tuition is only 2,200 or so. I get a half tuition scholarship and then with the FAFSA, I only had to pay about $100 dolars for tution this last semester. We have high quality education too (I'm constantly reminded by my undergrad research supervisor that our science department is on the cutting edge of technology). $19,000 out of my pocket to go to an ivy league is just not a good value for an undergrad. I'd prefer to start a career without being burried in debt. With this economy I'd never get out of it.
Terry471
Dec 14, 2012 10:50PM
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Stupid articele--they left off Oxford, Cambridge and the Sorbonne. 

 

Sure, prestigious names have merit, but people reading a "value'  article like this probably don't have $100,000 and Math SAT scores over 700.

Rog42
Dec 14, 2012 10:28PM
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I'm from Minnesota that has any number of outstanding colleges: Carleton, St. Olaf, Macalester, Hamline, St. Thomas, St. Johns. Also Augsburg and Concordia are worthy of mention.
Tye Down
Dec 14, 2012 10:11PM
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This article is a joke ... the author seems to think "Prestigious" names equates value.

tyams
Dec 14, 2012 9:59PM
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I thought this article was intended to be about private universities with the "best value," not a list of the 10 best ivy league schools.  Any college with an annual price tag in excess of $50K is not a good value in my book.  One of the most affordable private universities in the country, which couples a not notch education with excellent academics, is Brigham Young University.  I can only image the snub here is due to its affiliation with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  It would be nice to see some schools that are a great value financially and are a a viable option for individuals who did not graduate from high school as valedictorian or salutatorian. 
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