Sorry guys, but I’m just not interested in applying to a particularly prestigious or influential college like Duke, Harvard, Carnegie Mellon, Johns Hopkins, etc. I’m an aspiring Creative Writing and Marketing major and my top choice at the moment is Penn State Behrend. (Which has an absurdly high acceptance rate.) Not that PSE is a bad college, but it’s not something you’d typically associate with top-tier college education.
I can’t be the only one, can I? My standardized test scores are pretty good, GPA not the best, took a few AP exams, did wrestling and debate club…it’s not like I HAVE to aim for an Ivy, right?
No! You do not have to aim for an Ivy! Frankly it’s refreshing to hear of a student who isn’t interested. And frankly with a “not the best” GPA, you are saving yourself the application fee and angst.
FWIW, my daughter was turned off by the attitudes and vibes at most of the “elite” schools she toured. She didn’t feel like she’d find her people there.
It’s fantastic that you are able to look at what YOU truly want, and resist the pull of elites and rankings. Ivys certainly aren’t for everyone. It is very wise to not only consider the type of environment that you want, but what is realistic for your academic level as well.
It can seem on this board that everyone is shooting for Ivies, but in the real world, that certainly isn’t the case, and isn’t advisable either…it can just lead to expense and disappointment, and there truly is no need to apply if you have no desire to attend one, or if academically it is out of reach.
Definitely not. Fun fact, I actually had a friend who got accepted to F&M but went to Behrend instead. (And yes, it is a very easy college to get into lol) He majored in CS and minored in game development. He said it was one of the best decisions he’d ever made—told me it was a beautiful campus with great people all around. Some people have different aspirations, and if your’s don’t lie in an Ivy, that’s totally okay.
You don’t care for elite schools nor have qualifications to get in and likely worried about cost too then what’s really bothering you? If you are happy with your choice than relax. If not find some schools good for your major and apply there to see if they offer you admission and need/merit to make it possible to attend. If not you attend school you already like. Nothing to loose?
Absolutely you don’t. My daughter has a classmate currently holding offers from MIT, Chicago and one of the ivies, I think Yale, and he doesn’t want to go to any of them. He wants to go somewhere (he feels will be) more relaxed.
A fellow poster @moooop answered your question on another thread.
“Some folks need to venture into the heartland and get to know a person or two. They would be surprised how many of them, even the really smart ones–the future neurosurgeons, astronauts, & novelists–could not care less about the Ivy League; much less Ivy+, Quasi-Ivy, Near-Ivy, Wannabe-Ivy, or Pret’ Near Ivy.”
If you, say, had a 1400, and the avg SAT at Penn State Behrend was 1000, then I would say to do that if you could get a merit scholarship. You could stand out there.
I would say to consider a college with more of a match…like at 1200 avg sat.
Do not let college admissions culture distort your view on education. College is your choice, and whether or not you attend a prestigious university is your choice. It is entirely possible to have a successful life graduating from a public university or a lesser known private university such as the college I attend. Bare in mind that all universities are subjected to accreditation councils such as SACS for the south. SACS accredits my university, but they also accredit Duke, meaning both universities are held to the same standards. I encourage you and anyone else who wishes to attend a lesser known school to embrace your desire. After all, this is your life, and you should make the best decision for yourself. I for one enjoy my school because of the small student population and the accessibility of the professors. My largest class so far has been around 30 students, and everyone is given equal opportunity no matter who they are.
Absolutely not! My daughter and her group of friends, all 5 of them excellent students, mostly stayed away from elite schools when choosing colleges to apply to. All four of the friends are thriving at in-state and out-of-state public universities, and my daughter is at a great selective LAC, but a Midwest one that is mostly unknown in our region. Rather than chase prestige, they all searched for and chose schools with the academic offerings and social scenes (and cost, of course!) that fit them best. Best of luck to you!
It’s within your right not to apply to ivies, but you have to face the consequences. It’s like you are offered a BMW, but you just prefer a Chevy. Nothing wrong with that. This is a free country.
Given the choice (acceptance in-hand, no concern about money, etc) there are many reasons why someone would choose one university over another. In the end, the best choice is the one that best matches the student.
I would also add that OP needs to make sure NOT to apply to any elite schools, because he applies to them and then gets rejected its going to really hurt.
You are now liberated! You may partake of a huge range of possibilities
You may be creative!
Because of your interest in creative writing, check out the University of Maine at Orono!
Stephen and Tabitha King are alumni and have long supported the english department. In addition to the Kings’ support, the largest foundation in Maine has endowed a chair in English in Stephen King’s name. Classes are small and writing-intensive.
A real University with a good mix of students on a very spacious, rural campus! It is cold, but we do have white water rafting, canoeing, unlimited woods, a rocky seacoast and those lobster with the big claws! For entertainment they tend to focus on Ice Hockey. I could not believe it, but I saw the picture of a surfer taken just a couple of weeks ago off our coast. This is not the Beach Boys version of surfing!
Little known unchecked “fact” about Maine. The coasts has so many inlets and islands that the actual Maine coastline is longer or equal to California’s.
Fun fact, I actually had a friend who got accepted to F&M but went to Behrend instead. (And yes, it is a very easy college to get into lol) He majored in CS and minored in game development. He said it was one of the best decisions he’d ever made—told me it was a beautiful campus with great people all around. Some people have different aspirations, and if your’s don’t lie in an Ivy, that’s totally okay.