[StBernard] college choices

[Westley Annis]

As many parents and recent grads consider where to go to college, I'll join
in with my story. My B.S. degree was from Tulane only because it was 1975
and they had a special fund set aside for four year scholarships only for
females and only for majoring in engr if the girls had high enough ACT
scores and GPAs, etc. Had it not been for that program, I was on my way to
major in journalism at UNO, where nearly all my friends attended, including
my husband.  Not once in my 28 year career has anyone paid me one penny more
because Tulane is a more expensive school. 

 In selecting a university, my daughter considered the VALUE of each school.
My friends, spouse, my masters degree, and now daughter have received
excellent educations from UNO. Granted, the campus is not as beautiful as
Ole Miss, the athletics can't come close to LSU, the size and choice of
degrees and courses isn't anywhere near that of a Univeristy of Texas, etc.
but if your goal is to achieve an education with no or very little student
debt, then consider the VALUE a school offers. My daughter considered
Tulane, but didn't see the VALUE.  

While it's wonderful to have a degree from a university with prestige,
highly selective enrollment, gorgeous campus, championship athletics, etc.,
the average family should consider VALUE, especially for the basic
undergraduate degree. Keep in mind that the Nobel prize winning professors
dont' teach undergrads, and most undergraduate, lower level courses get the
least experienced professor no matter what the school. Your money is better
spent at the graduate level finding a specialist in your study if you have
the luxury of not working and going anywhere in the world to pursue that
degree.  Also, it has been said that grads of public universities have a
better appreciation for diversity because they have learned alongside a
cross-section of people and that carries over to the workplace.  ddk