[jhynesrockmtn]

I went to a state school, graduated almost 30 years ago and started in public accounting. We all made the same money to start. I bought my first house 6 months after graduating and my mortgage was less than many classmates school loans. Promotions and opportunities after starting had 0 to do with where our degrees came from. Many with very expensive private school degrees washed out in the first year because they didn't have the grit it took to work their butts off, didn't have the social skills to relate to people or simply didn't have common sense.

My kids are both at state schools and doing great. My daughter is a grad student in one of the top 5 social work programs in the country, son will graduate in a few weeks and has been top of his Army ROTC brigade through school. He heads to infantry BOLC in November. They have been financially responsible and spent way less than what I saved for their schooling by paying their own way through scholarships and/or working all through school. Whatever is left is theirs (minus my IRS penalties) when they are done with school.

IMHO spending a ton of dough on a 4 year degree in most cases is a waste.