Great bachelors or decent bachelors and masters?

DatabaseHead

Assuming you had 150,000 to spend on education.

Would you rather get a high end bachelors e.g. Stanford, Harvard, MIT (even a notable state school such as University of (whatever good state school / program)

Or

Good/Average bachelors and masters?

Part of me is thinking do it right the first time and be done with it. But with everything being so flooded sometimes HR requires a Masters and the bachelors gets omitted.

But then you have the connections you develop through these high end Universities so maybe you won't need a masters if you network correctly.

Tough call just curious on your thoughts.

PS I am a parent and have a girl going into high school so I am trying to help guide her in the best possible way.

EANx

I don't recommend a high-end bachelors except for those professions that specifically benefit. If you want to graduate from a 1st tier law school, you have to get great grades at a high-end school. Want to be with a high-end Wall St. financial house? You need the MBA from Wharton. Can you point to anything where having the Bachelors from Harvard will give you a tangible edge? Absent something specific to point to, Bachelor's at a state school is perfectly fine and is probably better given how many people don't end up working in the field they got their degree in. Let her get a general degree then after 5-6 years, offer to pay for the Master's once she is on her way.

atippett

Depends on what she wants to major in when the time comes. If she is majoring in any kind of engineering, I would send her to MIT. But if she majors in any kind of IT, I would send her to a good Bachelors and then Masters. Any kind of business, a Masters degree would be needed to move up the ranks eventually.

kiki162

It's a good question that a lot parents try to figure out for their kids. Part of the equation depends on what your kid wants to get into. From my experience, you can get a decent education in most higher end BS/BA programs. She's got 4 years to really figure out a path while maintaining the grades needed to get her into a good school. You figure that the 1st 2 years are going to be general education courses no matter where she ends up. If I were going into IT and had $150K, I would take the time early on to get my BS degree. Use the next couple of years to gain experience, and maybe a few certs along the way.

I wouldn't try to stress her out at this age. Instead put more of a focus on her interests and always have something going on to maintain those interests. Getting a Masters right after a Bachelor's degree at this age is not worth it. Once she gets her BS degree, then see if she can't get her employer to pay for part of a Master's program down the road.

atippett

kiki162 wrote: »

I wouldn't try to stress her out at this age. Instead put more of a focus on her interests and always have something going on to maintain those interests. Getting a Masters right after a Bachelor's degree at this age is not worth it. Once she gets her BS degree, then see if she can't get her employer to pay for part of a Master's program down the road.

Exactly. Don't stress her out. She's just starting high school, I guarantee which college she is going to go to is the last thing on her mind.

DatabaseHead

Agreed and I am guilty of that.......

I just want the best for her, clearly not the best thing to bring up all the time.

kiki162

Junior year or around the time she gets her license is the perfect time to bring that subject up. By then she's more interesting is driving, getting a job, and future stuff. Personally, I didn't start getting into career related stuff and interests till senior year of HS. Took a couple of years to figure out what I wanted to do, but I figured it out. If your daughter is interested in IT, and you want a female perspective, I would suggest you PM a few of the ladies on here. (::cough::hint:::hint:::cough)

EANx

My daughter recently graduated and we had this conversation several times. Ultimately, there are two things that she needs to know:

1) How much you're willing to pay for
2) What you are/are not willing to support

I told her what kind of financial support she could expect from me and under what terms. My terms were that the degree she was going after support a career choice as well as that career choice having a reasonable chance of success. So for majors in art, English Lit or Gender Studies, she was on her own but for STEM, business, etc. I was happy to talk. She graduated with a major in criminal justice (wants to go into law enforcement) and a minor in drawing.

Yes, starting HS is too early for these talks. Wait until early-mid 11th grade.

DatabaseHead

@Kiki thanks! I'll take you up on that.

EANx thanks as well. She likes Forensic Science, but who knows that this point. She is above average in school, she has the aptitude and grades (thus far) to move into a program like that.

We shall see......

Danielm7

Is forensics the new thing that kids want to do? That's all I hear from my younger relatives, even if they want to be a elementary school teacher, they want to minor in forensics. Lots of CSI or something?

DatabaseHead

Danielm7 wrote: »

Is forensics the new thing that kids want to do? That's all I hear from my younger relatives, even if they want to be a elementary school teacher, they want to minor in forensics. Lots of CSI or something?

Yes CSI does it every time.

kalimuscle

The question is do you qualify to get into those ivy level high end collages - Not everyone qualifies - You got to be specially talented

DatabaseHead wrote: »

Assuming you had 150,000 to spend on education.

Would you rather get a high end bachelors e.g. Stanford, Harvard, MIT (even a notable state school such as University of (whatever good state school / program)

Or

Good/Average bachelors and masters?

Part of me is thinking do it right the first time and be done with it. But with everything being so flooded sometimes HR requires a Masters and the bachelors gets omitted.

But then you have the connections you develop through these high end Universities so maybe you won't need a masters if you network correctly.

Tough call just curious on your thoughts.

PS I am a parent and have a girl going into high school so I am trying to help guide her in the best possible way.

Cisco Inferno

Since she is starting high school, focus on AP classes such as english/math. That, or hang out with Korean friends like I did.

Not only with SAT/ACT scores be badass, but she will be able to digest whatever a top tier school throws her way. Not to mention, 3-3.5years of it due to advanced credits in hs.


Stick with STEM!