Comments about ‘BYU ranked in top values for college’

I guess you could say the rest of the schools across the country just got Jimmmered.

I would personally love to go to BYU- but I fear I wouldn't be accepted. I am not an "A" student by any means. I grew up failing most things and decided to take college seriously at SLCC but even then I still have an imperfect record.

I know I have everything it takes to impress BYU enough in my field but in every other way but I fear that my imperfect gpa will hold me back.

I admire everything about BYU. After going to Provo for the first time I fell in love. I consider it my dream school in many ways... but I usually feel I am the 'imperfect one' or the one with the 'tarnished record'. I am not criticizing BYU or the Church-

I am not welcoming criticism of those who would use what I'm saying to fight BYU or the Church. I support BYU having the right to decide what their policy is and that it is a fair one. I simply wish it would account for something: Some people, like myself perform better when surrounded by good influences. Where I am now, I have very little of that.

One thing to add in case someone misunderstands my previous comment - I only hope that come time for me to be considered, that my history won't ruin my chances. - I don't really think that BYU policy is bad and needs changing. I just want to stress this. I agree with BYU, I am just expressing hope that I can eventually go there... not that BYU is doing anything wrong. BYU may even accept people with a lower gpa, I get that - I'm only saying I hope to possibly be one of them.

??? "Yale University was ranked No. 1 in the U.S. News "Great Schools, Great Prices" ranking followed by Harvard, Princeton, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Stanford." ???

The sentence sounds more like advertising than journalism. There is no way these school brands are a "GOOD PRICE." Each of these schools spends lots of money and time enforcing their brands. Each also charges a premium for the privilege to have its name grace your diploma. There is no way these schools are a "good price" under any measure. They are the most expensive schools, especially for undergraduate work.

Andy
They most likely did not just say.. "Hey, I think Yale has the best value, let's put them at #1." I'm sure they looked at tuition prices and then compared the earning average of living alumnus. That's how you would really quantify value. It's not just the price for tuition. Stanford is ridiculously expensive so that wouldn't really make sense.

@Supporting LDS Church
I'm a current student at BYU and it's a good school. It's good, it's not great, it's not average, it's not terrible. The reason I say this is that if you get accepted to BYU then great! Come! But if not, academically, I don't think your missing out on all that much. In fact, BYU probably gets the same respect as Clemson or Maryland does, but BYU students avg. incoming gpa makes it much more competitive internally, and the work load professors put on students is heavy. If you went to other good schools you may have more research, organization, or job opportunities available to you that you may not have at BYU, and a lesser workload. All the while still having a university on your resume with the same perception as BYU.

I am still trying to find that world renowned PAC-12 University known for their fantastic research knowledge on this list. I guess the value is not there for what you get. LOL.:)

The "A Voice of Reason comment is mine as well, I meant to use Support LDS Church simply cause I didn't want people misunderstanding my comment.

to Bigdude- It's not so much that I idolize BYU (although I'll certainly agree that my previous posts sound very much like I do) and but in the missing out on opportunities bit I would disagree.

1) My field of study is a VERY uncommon one, something that if I continue in state I could only go to BYU and be educationally satisfied. If out of state I could only really gain from going to 2 schools on the east coast, 1 school in CA (that I don't want if I can avoid it) and 1 (maybe 2) schools in Europe. I am very confined here...

I know that whatever is best will happen in the end but I would prefer not to leave Utah at this time in my life. I wouldn't mind leaving Utah at all for school... the ONLY reason I feel like leaving right now is that staying seems like my only financial option- thus I expressed hope that BYU's policy wouldn't ultimately exclude someone like me.

Andy
The U.S. News ranking was based, as the article stated, on on academic value and net cost. Yale came in #1 because over 50% of the students are receiving need-based aid and the average discount is 75%. So taking the yearly tuition of $32,600, a student receiving aid could pay only $8,150. I would say that is a pretty good value. That is only $3,328 than an LDS, need-based student at the Y would pay. The Y's 20th ranking is also commendable.

BYU-Idaho is even cheaper... and you still get Brigham Young University on your diploma!

CougarBlue
Why do you bring Utah into almost every comment you make on a BYU article?

A couple of the posters have made snide comments about other schools. Perhaps it would be better to express gratitude for the tithe-paying members of the LDS Church who subsidize the cost of a BYU education. BYU is a great school, and it is heavily subsidized by tithing funds. As noted by other comments, not all students can meet the GPA requirements to be accepted at BYU, yet the tithing they pay subsidizes the students who do.

Rather than making comments like "the rest of the schools across the country just got Jimmmered" and "I am still trying to find that world renowned PAC-12 University known for their fantastic research knowledge on this list. I guess the value is not there for what you get. LOL.:)"--recognize the fact that the level of subsidizing the cost of a BYU education has been maintained and is possible due to people faithfully paying their tithing. State schools have had funds cut, leading to a smaller level of subsidizing the cost of their educations.

The fact BYU is a "best value" schools is because of the generosity of LDS Church members paying their tithing. Be grateful rather than denigrating.

BYU-Idaho is a great option, and cost of living there is significantly less, but it is hard to find a job.

I was originally turned down for BYU, but after going to a smaller school for 2 semesters, I was able to bring my GPA up and was accepted. It's only $35 to apply, so definitely try!!

Laurels

You are completely wrong. BYU operates on zero dollars from tithing. Do you honestly think the church would use tithing for a business like entity that is designed for financial profit?

UtahUte16: According to the article and BYU's admission brochure...

"BYU's admission department explains on its brochure that since the cost of education at BYU is "greatly reduced" by tithing funds from the LDS Church, church members have a lower tuition fee similar to state colleges assigning a lower fee to in-state students."

Tithing funds are indeed used to operate BYU and other LDS Church schools.

Laurels

I apologize, you were correct. I was misinformed. It came from zero tithing dollars are spent on BYU athletics. I guess it's similar to lower cost of tuition for tax payers and in-state schools.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but wouldn't tithing be used more for buildings and campus maintenance than to actually pay for LDS student's tuition?

UtahUte16: Thanks for apologizing!

This is quoted straight from the BYU admissions pamphlet:

"In principle, each student admitted to Brigham Young University is on scholarship--the cost of a BYU education is greatly reduced due to tithing funds from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. In recognition of this support, Church members are assessed lower tuition fees than those who are not members. This practice is similar in principle to that of state universities charging higher tuition to nonresidents. Students are considered members of the Church if they have been baptized at any time during the semester or term."

Based on this, it sounds like tithing monies are directly used to subsidize tuition cost, just like Utah taxpayer monies are used to directly subsidize tuition cost at the U, SUU, USU UVU. It's viewed as an "investment" in the future. The state universities have not had the funds to maintain the same level of tuition subsidies due to the downturn in the economy. Hence, the large tuition increases. BYU, through tithing monies, has better maintained those levels of subidies through tithing funds. It's one of the reasons BYU is such a great deal.

UtahUte16 Continued...

It's also why I felt it necessary to remind BYU alumni and supporters that gratitude for those sacrifices of tithing payment by some of the posters who could not get into BYU but whose tithing money does subsidize the tuition of BYU students was in order.

And if the truth be told, those who attend the state universities should also be grateful for the taxpayers who subsidize their tuition costs. Many of those taxpayers could not afford college, yet their taxes subsidize the tuition cost of students at state universities.

And for the record, all four of my children were accepted to BYU, but opted to attend other schools for various reasons. One child turned BYU down twice...once for his undergraduate and once for law school.

Ultimately, it is an investment in the future. BYU graduates are reminded at each commencement ceremony of the sacrifices LDS members have made through tithing to fund their education. They're urged to go out into the world and improve it, building on those sacrifices.