Don't forget that there are schools within schools. As a parent it is easy to get wrapped up in the pedigree of a school and I think we all know successful people and idiots from top tier schools and people who have hit out of the park from lesser branded schools.
If have older kids who have gone through the college process with or without sports I think you really begin to see the ROI aspect of paying for a college education and in most cases in today's economy is it more about one's professional schooling.
There are obvious benefits of being able to tap into an established alumni network but hat is no guarantee of success.
One of the most talented guys I ever worked with was a Computer Science major from Maryland. He was one of the developers of Google Chrome and is very happy with the full academic ride he received and his multi million dollar net worth. There are a lot of ways to skin the proverbial cat.
Our son decided to go to state school with a good lacrosse program, and with the combination of merit and athletic money he is going to graduate will almost zero debt and with a very strong degree in which this school is very well respected.
On average, a graduate from a Patriot/Ivy has a distinct advantage over a grad from a state school. The Google Chrome designer is a 1 in a million kid.
Actually.. You're wrong, except for maybe the very top Business positions. Which in that case Ivy trumps Patriot every time. Recent article in WSJ shows starting salaries, and mid-career salaries for upper tier school verse mid-tier schools. Shocking finding for the name brand shopper. Only career where there was any difference was business. Even there, it was only a few thousand dollars. After taxes your Patriot degree will allow you have one nice additional dinner out a month. In other majors like engineering, going to the upper tier school gave zero benefit. For example, Manhattan College grads do better than those coming out of the Navel Academy and other top schools. The moral of the story is: Take the 50% scholarship from Manhattan, actually get to play, come out with no debt and make the same as the Bucknell Grad. Clearly, this is logic even an Ivy grad can follow.
