College Admissions: Private School or State School Honors College?

College Admissions: Private School or State School Honors College?

Many of our college counseling clients have to choose between enrolling at expensive private colleges versus attending the honors college of a local state school.  The trade-off between prestige, expense and quality of education can be an interesting one.  In terms of prestige, typically private colleges carry greater brand equity.  Those who know the rigors of excellent honors colleges, however, may place honors college graduates of quality state schools on par with those of more expensive private schools.  Thus, depending on the notoriety of said state school’s honors college, its perceived prestige may find parity with that of loftier, private schools.  In terms of quality of education, however, the two are usually on par.  This is so because most of the time, only a public university’s best, brightest and most innovative teachers are offered seats within that school’s honors college.  The quality of teachers and thus education within a good state school’s honors college can therefore be very similar to that of highly reputable private schools.  It can be difficult for an applicant to decide between enrolling at a high prestige university and the honors college of the nearby public school.  Consider contacting IvyEdge to help guide you through this decision.