<p>Does going to a top school, such as the Ivies for undergrad studies, first four years, really have an impact on your career? I understand that going to an Ivy LEague school for grad school will enable you to find a job more easily and with a higher pay.
But will going to an Ivy right after high school and spending that much money, have and impact on your job chances and career?</p>
<p>Keep in mind that going to an Ivy League college for undergrad will help you get into an Ivy League grad school.</p>
<p>It’s not the school per se, kamikaze. Chicken and egg argument here. Top schools accept top applicants. These applicants would have been successful wherever they attended and would have been successful in grad school and careers afterwards. The institutions have wonderful offerings in terms of resources, quality, and recruiting opportunities. How much do they enhance their students in comparison to their peers who attend other schools? It’s debateable.</p>
<p>Look at it this way: if applicant #1 has 3.6 GPA, 3 EC’s, 35 on MCATs from Princeton; and then, applicant #2 has 3.6 GPA, 3 EC’s, 35 MCATs from University of Ohio (state school), they will 100% choose the one from Princeton.</p>
<p>Not only finding a higher paying job easier, but more connections with alumni, professors, and in the future, even your peers can help you out.</p>
<p>The advantage is that Yale is going to cost me (potentially) $6750 for all for years, but the state university will cost me at least $25,000.</p>
<p>It was cheaper for me and, though there are obviously intelligent, motivated kids at every college, at an Ivy League school you are almost guaranteed to be surrounded by an extraordinary group of individuals with unique talents and interests.</p>
<p>Kamikaze, there’s no right answer. I attended a top university for undergrad and am at another for grad school, but in my field I’ll be very lucky to make with a PhD what a BS engineering graduate from any state school would make. :p</p>
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<p>lol I don’t think there’s a University of Ohio.</p>
<p>“Look at it this way: if applicant #1 has 3.6 GPA, 3 EC’s, 35 on MCATs from Princeton; and then, applicant #2 has 3.6 GPA, 3 EC’s, 35 MCATs from University of Ohio (state school), they will 100% choose the one from Princeton.”</p>
<p>Chances are, a student at University of Ohio who is capable of getting a 35 on the MCAT will probably have a 4,0 GPA, not a 3.6. But this said, I think essays and interviews play a bigger role than you think, and they (and not the university attended for undergrad) will serve as a tie-breaker in such situations.</p>
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<p>That bold face statement (emphasis mine) can be true for almost any school. Not just ivies.</p>
<p>Or, looking at it another way, Ivy grads are a minority in almost every career. There are exceptions, of course, such as Wall Street, etc. But, if you want the largest pool of alumni, profs, and peer connections, you’ll have to attend a large school.</p>
<p>Just to clarify a bit Doug, the Ivy alumni networks should not be overlooked. Not only do we have disproportionate numbers of people in high level positions (if simply for historic reasons that may be less applicable in 20 years), but we also have more resources and greater connectedness than many other schools. Pride runs high across the Ivy League for fellow graduates, participation rates in giving back demonstrate long term commitment and connectedness felt to our institutions. Being a small club also means that running into a fellow graduate means more.</p>
<p>I don’t know how to properly phrase it, but my own alumni network has been extremely helpful, much more so than friends who went to places like SUNY Binghamton and SUNY Buffalo, where several of my friends went and have found that the alumni network, as a concept, is practically non-existent despite being much larger schools.</p>
<p>That being said, I’ll add what I said when this exact thread was posted three days ago:</p>
<p>My school may get my application a second look someone else’s doesn’t, but when we both get in the room we sink or swim on our own merits.</p>
<p>a few thoughts
- the name really does help. i’ve realized it already and i haven’t even started school yet
- the people you go to school with will most likely be rich or will be successful/upper middle class/rich. it’s about networking
- the school’s money opens up endless opportunities. you can do whatever you want
- they really do have good classes
- it’s cheap if you’re poor.</p>
<p>To schritzo, theres no UO but theres an OU…same thing
[Ohio</a> University - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia](<a href=“http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/University_of_Ohio]Ohio”>University of Ohio - Wikipedia)</p>
<p>“To schritzo, theres no UO but theres an OU…same thing”</p>
<p>Not really 2Black69. Is Miami University the same thing as University of Miami? Would students at the University of Pennsylvania like it if their school were referred to as Pennsylvania University? I know as a University of Michigan alum, I would correct somebody if they referred to my alma matter as Michigan University.</p>
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<p>Come to think of it, I would. At least then we could put the UPENN moniker to death.</p>
<p>Hehe! Penn U sounds even more like Penn State U! Think about it bagels!</p>