I agree with everything you wrote and have experienced nearly the same issues with our home schooling. As for the above question, if I understood you correctly you're son will have a special scholarship at Maryland that will allow him to meet the top students at other schools including Hopkins and Harvard, etc. correct? If that's the case you get the actual dollar savings, plus the great education and an opportunity to still influence future American leaders. That's my reasoning.
Yes, the scholarship awarded is from a foundation that awards similar scholarships across a couple dozen other universities and colleges, many of them among the best schools in the country.
Part of the goal of the foundation is to encourage the scholarship students from these different schools to network with each other.
However, my son will not be in day-to-day contact with many, if any, of these other students at other schools. I'm thinking that the networking will serve to fill his Rolodex for future educational and career opportunities, but by necessity, contact will be modest.
On the other hand, there are over 6000 undergrads at Harvard, all of whom represent members of the future elite of the United States and the world. My son will have regular contact with a much larger percentage of these future “leaders” by going to Harvard than he will through the scholarship networking opportunities available at Maryland. I think. ;-)
I understand your reasoning, and it's something to think about, I just think it's probably pretty close to six of one, half-dozen of the other on this point - Harvard or Maryland.
Thanks,
sitetest