According to Harvard University, the admission rate for applications from children of wealthy donors, alumni, and faculty is 34%. The admission rate for everyone else applying is 6%.
The Griffin Financial Aid office site on Harvard.edu states tuition and fees are $51,925 with room and board of $17,682. The site estimates personal expenses, i.e. books and beer money, to be approximately $4,000 per year, not including travel costs.
How about USC? Let’s not look at their admission statistics as they may be misleading given the recent scandal. According to the financial aid page on the USC website, tuition is $57,256 with room and board of $15,916.
If you assume either is an option for your high schooler, and that may be a stretch, which do you think is the better value?