Bates College vs Colby College

[Coaster]

All three schools - Bowdoin, Bates, and Colby -- are considered Little Ivy League schools. They cater to wealthy, high-achieving, out-of-state students who missed going to Ivy League schools by this (ll) much! (BTW, the Ivy League is much, much more than just an athletic conference; it's also about heritage, reputation, and quality of the education and the faculty.) Ivy League schools are universities, with graduate schools, law schools, med schools, etc. The Little Ivy League are colleges that do not award advanced post-graduate degrees. Both groups consider themselves exclusive schools with very high admission standards.

I completely agree that a degree from any of them doesn't mean much more than a degree from a well-regarded public university unless the student plans to go into politics or finance. It's true that Ivy League graduate schools tend to favor Ivy and Little Ivy grads, but there are a lot of other graduate schools out there that aren't as discriminatory.

To be honest, I have come to question the idea that a college education is as necessary as our current culture believes. There are a lot of kids going to college and getting liberal studies degrees who would be much happier as electricians or mechanics, and better at it, too.

[RMoore007]

I had my parents stop by the Colby College school store many times to buy my son monogrammed stuff for Christmas and birthday gifts when my son was growing up. Having a child named after an Ivy League college is kind of cool. Even if it is only an Ivy League 'lite' college.

My dad knew a great Maine philanthropist name Harold Alfond http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harold_Alfondwho who was from the Norridgewock area in the 40's when my dad was about his age. He later created Dexter Shoes. He actually started the first "factory store". My dad drove Harold's used car for many years and was always proud of it. I think Harold always bought american too. Harold has the senior center named after him at Colby College, the Harold and Bibby Alfond Senior Residence Complex.

As far as the Bates or Colby, don't name your son Bates.

[Kristin85]

I have only heard about Colby but don't let prestige make the decision: let price. Colby and Bates seem to be on equal footing as reputable, small, liberal arts colleges. Apply to both (and why not Bowdoin too?) and apply for scholarships. Go to whichever school gives the biggest scholarship. If/when you leave Maine, all that's going to matter in regards to getting a job is your GPA, your extracurricular activities, your internship, and how well you present yourself in an interview. Employers will not look at you with more favorability if you go to Colby instead of Bates (or vice versa) so go wherever you will have less debt.

I applied for quite a few colleges in high school. When I chose my top school my parents refused to co-sign my loan ($40K/year!) which was necessary to begin enrollment and they only left me the ability to attend the school that gave me a full scholarship or state school. I was very peeved at the time but it turned out well. Very few people outside of the CT tri-state area have heard of my college but I've gotten a very good job regardless-and I have NO debt! Do not underestimate how important it is to start off on the right foot out of college without worrying about huge bills.

[Coaster]

Originally Posted by Kristin85

When I chose my top school my parents refused to co-sign my loan ($40K/year!) which was necessary to begin enrollment and they only left me the ability to attend the school that gave me a full scholarship or state school. I was very peeved at the time but it turned out well. Very few people outside of the CT tri-state area have heard of my college but I've gotten a very good job regardless-and I have NO debt! Do not underestimate how important it is to start off on the right foot out of college without worrying about huge bills.

^^^^THIS^^^^

Kids are graduating college these days with $100,000 to $200,000 in student loans and then discovering they can't make the payments unless they sell their souls to Wall Street. And guess what -- student loans are the only debt that can NOT be discharged by bankruptcy. They follow you forever.

[bangorme]

Originally Posted by Coaster

^^^^THIS^^^^

Kids are graduating college these days with $100,000 to $200,000 in student loans and then discovering they can't make the payments unless they sell their souls to Wall Street. And guess what -- student loans are the only debt that can NOT be discharged by bankruptcy. They follow you forever.

By "sell their souls to Wall Street," I assume you mean get a job? And certainly student loans have to be paid back, they are funded by all the rest of us. Kinda like welfare, except you have to pay them back (good welfare I guess you'd call it).

[Coaster]

Originally Posted by bangorme

By "sell their souls to Wall Street," I assume you mean get a job? And certainly student loans have to be paid back, they are funded by all the rest of us. Kinda like welfare, except you have to pay them back (good welfare I guess you'd call it).

No, I mean forced to get a job that they might not like but have to take to pay off the exorbitant loans they've signed for. If they plan to go into finance, that's one thing. But someone who wants to be a teacher or a small business person is up the proverbial creek.

BTW, student loans these days are privately funded but publicly guaranteed. Not like the loans I used in the early '70s, which were direct from the government and thus the taxpayer. So not really "welfare" at all in the classic sense.

[bangorme]

Originally Posted by Coaster

No, I mean forced to get a job that they might not like but have to take to pay off the exorbitant loans they've signed for. If they plan to go into finance, that's one thing. But someone who wants to be a teacher or a small business person is up the proverbial creek.

I don't get your point. Why the heck would ANYONE go to a big named school to become a teacher lol??? I appreciate a good teacher as much as anyone, but there are 10 unemployed teacher wannabes for everyone that's actually got a job as one. I won't even discuss what portion of the intellectual spectrum they tend to come from... so if you want to be one, go to an ex-"normal" school and save your money. U of M Farmington has a great, cheap program. As does UMPI, my Alma mater (yeah, I once wanted to be a teacher but changed majors when I discovered there were very few jobs).

Originally Posted by Coaster

BTW, student loans these days are privately funded but publicly guaranteed. Not like the loans I used in the early '70s, which were direct from the government and thus the taxpayer. So not really "welfare" at all in the classic sense.

BTW, loans almost always require collateral. So, in your examples of 100-200k student loan balances where the student defaults on the loan, either the student has the money and is an idiot to borrow it, or mommy and daddy have it and lose their house when junior defaults on the loan, or Uncle Sugar (we, the taxpayers) pay off the debt (welfare).

[Coaster]

Originally Posted by bangorme

BTW, loans almost always require collateral. So, in your examples of 100-200k student loan balances where the student defaults on the loan, either the student has the money and is an idiot to borrow it, or mommy and daddy have it and lose their house when junior defaults on the loan, or Uncle Sugar (we, the taxpayers) pay off the debt (welfare).

Student loans cannot be defaulted on in the traditional sense. They cannot be discharged by bankruptcy. They must be repaid.

[roadrat]

Here's some good schools to check out USN,USAF,USMC, oh yea and ARMY. You stay for 4 years and if there are no jobs out there you can stay for another 4 years.


bill