Is undergrad worth $80k per year?

[Golfer9393]

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is undergrad really worth $300k for all 4 years?

 

[ciestar]

Im paying that for med school.
No way.

 

[Golfer9393]

Im paying that for med school.
No way.

Lucky the , I withdrew from UCLA because it was that much. At my state school now lol. Which med school are you in?

 

[Golfer9393]

Im paying that for med school.
No way.

Also, does undergrad prestige affect med school admission? Where did you go for undergrad

 

[Dr. Doctor MD]

is undergrad really worth $300k for all 4 years?

For medicine not at all. The prestige factor may give you a slight bump when it comes to admissions (assuming top 10-20 school), but your state school counterparts will make up a large proportion of your classmates and they will be equally prepared as you but have 0 debt or far less debt than you.

I'm significantly outperforming many classmates who went to top 20 undergrads. Your college education won't matter at all once school starts.

If your end goal is medicine, don't pay a fortune for a degree from an expensive school. It won't matter in the slightest.

Shelling out $$$ for top medical school has it's benefits. Doing so for college is pointless.

 

[JeSuisUnDoc]

I paid 85k and half was in loans and I think it’s too much lol. Go to a state school with a maximum paid credit policy! I wish I did that


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile

 

[FreeRadicals]

The definition of worth is different for everyone. Some people think it is 'worth' it others don't.

 

[ciestar]

Lucky the , I withdrew from UCLA because it was that much. At my state school now lol. Which med school are you in?

Also, does undergrad prestige affect med school admission? Where did you go for undergrad

Seeing as I am super transparent about it and any search of my post history will reveal the answers to both questions..
Drexel for med school. Penn State for UG

 

[EdgeTrimmer]

We felt it's not worth paying full price at UPenn or JHU vs full tuition scholarship at top 15 school. Going to UPenn may have helped little bit with Ivy league med school admissions, but not worth $200K.

 

[Goro]

is undergrad really worth $300k for all 4 years?

No f'ing way.

 

[Blanky]

No f'ing way.

No, No, No.

 

[NITRAS]

The definition of worth is different for everyone. Some people think it is 'worth' it others don't.

The questions is it worth the investment, and what are your alternatives.

You get a degree from an instate school with total cost in many states way less than $100k, you can go to an out of state school $200k, or more.

What do you gain for the extra money? I would argue there isn't much, if any gain. People talk about the "prestige" but for 98% of jobs don't care. It is a waste. To go into debt for extra is doubly stupid.

 

[Ryanjingle]

No way Jose. The school may seem tempting but do not! fall for it

 

[FreeRadicals]

The questions is it worth the investment, and what are your alternatives.

You get a degree from an instate school with total cost in many states way less than $100k, you can go to an out of state school $200k, or more.

What do you gain for the extra money? I would argue there isn't much, if any gain. People talk about the "prestige" but for 98% of jobs don't care. It is a waste. To go into debt for extra is doubly stupid.

A sense of self-accomplishment? I'd say that alone is worth the extra money.

 

[NITRAS]

A sense of self-accomplishment? I'd say that alone is worth the extra money.

Naivete and ignorance. People don't realize how much a hundred or two hundred thousand in the hole puts them behind.

 

[FreeRadicals]

Naivete and ignorance. People don't realize how much a hundred or two hundred thousand in the hole puts them behind.

'Worth' can be characterized differently. We are here to state our opinions and provide facts. Calling someone ignorant and naive doesn't accomplish anything @NITRAS

 

[getdown]

'Worth' can be characterized differently. We are here to state our opinions and provide facts. Calling someone ignorant and naive doesn't accomplish anything @NITRAS

You are right. Worth is characterized differently however, Nitra is likely speaking based on experience. He's an attending and so am I so we've seen what exactly being 200k in debt is like. Paying off those loans and seeing your paycheck dwindle down to nothing every month is infuriating. What exactly are you basing your "opinion" on? You haven't even finished undergrad and haven't had to pay back anything yet. Cause I know for a fact the government doesn't take "a sense of accomplishment" as repayment options. Neither can you or your family eat "sense of accomplishment". This is the real world, no one gives a **** about your sense of personal accomplishment. Either you have money or you don't. And being in a 200K+ debt BEFORE even starting medical school and putting yourself further in 300k of debt is even worse.

So let's talk a little about facts. Assuming 2 people follow the same path and assuming the avg 250K debt most med students have upon graduation.
Person A: 4 years "prestigious" undergrad (200K) + 4 years medical school (250k) = 450K
Assuming 4 years of residency at 6.65% interest with minimal pay-as-you-earn plan = 29925 per year OR 2493 per month for a grand total of 119700 of interest alone on top of your 450K debt.

Assuming a 15 year repayment plan: 3157 of interest + 3165 of principal = 6300 per month

Person B: 4 years regular undergrad (40K) + 250K = 290K
@ 6.65% x 4 years of residency = 19285 per year for a grand total of 77140 of interest.

Assuming similar 15 year repayment plan: 2034 of interest + 2039 of principal = 4093 per month

24000 a year for a sense of accomplishment? Not worth it bro.

Oh yeah, just to add further insult to injury. Once you start making attending money your tax bracket jumps up. So that 300K pre-tax paycheck ends up looking mighty puny at the end of the day.

 

[deleted480308]

No

 

[jhonsndrson16]

No its worth way more than that and also it depends on your lifestyle and place of study

 

[deomnibusdubitandum]

Mike Meru Has $1 Million in Student Loans. How Did That Happen?

I'll just post this article here and say nothing more. It's an easy decision, in my humble opinion.

 

[Tenk]

Med school is barely worth that much.

 

[Lucca]

If you want to go into (high) finance and you’re gonna pay 80k to go to Wharton and get a golden ticket to Wall St, then....maybe.

If your goal is literally anything else...nah, try to go somewhere cheaper if you have options.

 

[DokterMom]

Very rarely.

There are times when an Ivy (or MIT, CalTech, Stanford) degree will be the magic ticket into a lucrative and prestigious career (Wall Street, some Tech), and there is evidence that a prestigious undergrad can help you get into the most prestigious private medical schools and/or graduate programs. Plus, the quality of education, the opportunities for enrichment, the caliber of students you will learn and become friends with and the networking opportunities are significant.

But yeah, so is the debt.

Don't decide not to even apply because the sticker price is so shocking. Most students qualify for some form of financial aid, and often it's enough to bring the 'real' cost down to something much more in line with lesser schools. (Tippy top schools often have huge endowments that they use to attract diverse students from lower SES backgrounds.) Ask and you may receive. Or if Mom and Dad are footing the bill and can afford it, thank them sincerely and profusely and take advantage of the opportunity.

But if it's all on your dime and you'd have to pay yourself (because Mom & Dad are rich but won't), then choose something cheaper instead...