<p>What would look better to employers? Graduating somewhere in the middle of the pack at a "great" school like HYPS or graduating summa cum laude at a good school like BC, UW-Madison, NYU, UIUC, etc.</p>
<p>In the middle at a great school is better.</p>
<p>Nothing is better than the name "mohammad wong"!</p>
<p>I would go with the latter (top at a good school), especially for getting into law or med school.</p>
<p>I wouldn't be so quick to assume that you could end up at the tippy-top of a huge school...there will be a lot of smart kids thinking the same thing, and especially at the state schools, others who could've gone to HYPS but didn't for financial reasons.
That said, it depends what you want to do. I agree with the poster above me that for Law and Med School, which are highly numbers driven, top grades would be good (though, once again, not necessarily easier to attain at a state school...many people consider then deflated relative to the ivies.) For PhD programs, research opportunities are probably the most important factor. For employers, a lot will be situational...do you want to work near the school you attend, etc, though I would probably give the edge to the prestigious school.
Ultimately, though, all the schools you've listed are pretty elite, and if you do well at any of them, you should be well set up to find a job.</p>
<p>
[quote]
I wouldn't be so quick to assume that you could end up at the tippy-top of a huge school...there will be a lot of smart kids thinking the same thing, and especially at the state schools, others who could've gone to HYPS but didn't for financial reasons.
[/quote]
Yep. And actually, it's usually harder to get a good GPA at top state schools and other large universities, because a lot of them tend to have grade deflation. Which means that grading is more competitive and professors give fewer As. </p>
<p>HYP type schools have more grade inflation, meaning that pretty much everyone gets good grades. </p>
<p>Really, though, you can get succeed anywhere as long as you're happy in the environment. If money isn't an issue, go to the best school you can get into.</p>
<p>Depends on what you want to accomplish. For Law School or Medical School, GPA matters a great deal. In such a case, graduating with a 3.9 or 4.0 GPA from a school like BU or UIUC is better than graduating with a 3.3 or 3.4 GPA from Princeton or Yale, all other things (recommendations, major, MCAT/LSAT essays, interviews etc...) being equal of course. On the other hand, if one wishes to work for a consulting firm or a major IBank, I would say a 3.3 or 3.4 student at Princeton or Yale may be better placed than a student with a 3.9 or 4.0 at BU ir UIUC.</p>
<p>What about for Business schools (MBA)? Is undergrad gpa really that important?</p>
<p>Not really. For MBAs, work experience, proven track record of professional success (frequent promotions and raises), recommendations and proper articulation of Business goals in essays are all as important as GPA. GMATscores and interviews are also pretty important. </p>
<p>As such, a solid 3.6 GPA ought to do it. Also, given the importance of networking, quality of undergraduate institution also matters because alums of elite undergraduate institutions tend to have stronger networks. That explains why the most well represented undergraduate alums at top MBA programs come from top universities like the Ivies, Cal, Chicago, Duke, Georgetown, MIT, Michigan, Northwestern, Stanford and UVa to name a few.</p>
<p>OP couched collegiate success as GPA (top/middle). I want to add that internships, research exercises, can be real important 'distinguishers' of the UG graduate with both grad school and with employers. Employers especially like doers, 'out of the pack-ers'. Also gives you something to talk about in the all important interview, which also SHOWS them your spirit and energy.</p>
<p>So anywhere (top or middle school) you can get this kind of resumee notches would be a good place.</p>