<p>Totally agree; the only problem is that Wharton is not a good example; it's in an Ivy league school; Even if a student changed his/her mind, they would still be in a top notch, highly ranked institution.....The question I have ( and will have to deal with over the next few weeks) is whether a top program in a mid-tier school is preferable to a top tier school....No need to respond, but I was curious as to a recruiter's perspective.....When my d's acceptances come in, I may PM you, Blossom, if that is okay.....??</p>
<p>I've been out of college for way longer than I'd like to remember. But when someone looks at my resume, I still get an impressed, "Oh, wow, you went there?" for my undergraduate school. (And yes, I have a master's and a professional degree as well.)</p>
<p>In my experience, like blossom's, the idea that no one is impressed with undergrad after graduate school is vastly overrated.</p>
<p>Rodney, happy to help if I can.</p>
<p>But what are we talking about? Choosing between the Insurance/Risk Management program at Temple vs. studying Econ at Swarthmore? Go to Swarthmore assuming you can afford it, and assuming there's no compelling reason to be in downtown Philadelphia vs. a train ride away. I don't find these decisions all that complicated (but I apologize... I'm not your daughter's parent so I see it in black and white!) I realize that in the real world it's a lot harder than this, but you'd have to show me a lot of evidence that a 17 year old really knew what a career in risk management entailed to make me believe that the trade-off from a Swarthmore (or Wesleyan or Middlebury or Wellesley) would be worth it for a highly regarded but highly specialized program.</p>
<p>For every kid I know who traded down a few levels to attend "the top ranked" program in sports management, exercise physiology, "health and society", e-commerce, or whatever, I could show you 10 kids who switched majors after one or two semesters and ended up feeling stuck somewhere that was not a great choice overall. Many of these kids transfer-- so happy ending, but some get stuck with a merit aid package that they can't afford to lose. There's a reason someone is willing to pay you 35K to attend their university..... not that there aren't dozens of compelling reasons to take the money.... but just be clear with your kid on why she might be a highly attractice candidate to a lower ranked U.</p>
<p>In my opinion there would probably be a difference in prestige or name recognition between a top thirty school and a school ranked at about 100. But once you get past #40, I don't really feel that you are sacraficing job or graduate school opportunities. </p>
<p>My sons "matches" were in the 40-50 range. His financial safety is around 100, and then because of his major, geographic preferences etc. his true safety ended up being a fourth tier school (he didn't get accepted there) At this point, if he ends up at his financial safety I will only feel bad because it's not his first choice. However, if finances were not an option and he was the one that wanted that school I would not hesitate to encourage him to attend. </p>
<p>On the other hand, if he'd gotten accepted to his fourth tier safety and that was his first choice I would probably have a talk with him.</p>
<p>But I agree with many of the posters who say that in some fields, the school you attended will not play a large part in getting a job. I'm a teacher and I got my Masters from a school that does not have a high rank (picked it based on proximatey to my home) It did not affected my ability to get a job.</p>
<p>Too many choices, and a lot advices with valid points. Have to revisit this thread when time comes. ... What if you kid wants an advanced degree in the similar field, save the higher ranked (field) one until graduate school or take it right at undergraduate program? since most school graduate program dose not addmit too many of their own undergraduates.</p>
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<p>As an IIT graduate who has also spent time professionally at other schools, I have some insight into this topic. Make no mistake, IIT is a third-tier school. Facilities are lousy, the library is sparse, 50% of the professors are worthless, school pride is non-existent, and the average student is not so great. I can compare that to a mid-tier state school, where I spent 3 years of my life after graduating from IIT. The difference in all of the above categories is often stark. </p>
<p>Does that mean that the education I got at IIT is lousy? By no means. EVERY school has good people at the margin, and it is largely up to the student to find them and take advantage of them. 90% of the professors in any school HATE teaching and do a lousy job. If you can't learn on your own, you will not do well anywhere.</p>
<p>I graduated from IIT and got hired in a roundabout way by a large technology company that gives a strong preference to graduates of the likes of MIT, Stanford, Berkley, etc. Normally they would not give people like me the time of day, I still wonder why they chose to interview me. Whatever the reason was, I seem to have done the most of the opportunity given to me. How have I done in direct competition with the "stars"? Many of them work for me :-) Oh, and by the way, one of the most brilliant employees we have is a graduate of one of those 40-50ish schools on the list, doing much, much better than the Ivy graduates.</p>
<p>Oh, back to the topic raised by the OP: IMO, climate and surroundings should be a significant factor in choosing a college. However, they should not be THE factor, just like no sane parent should sit idly while their child makes a college decision based on where a girlfriend or boyfriend has been admitted.</p>
<p>Yes, there are always success stories from every school. And there are students who, for whatever reason, cannot go to a "higher ranked" school who work harder at the one they do go to, in order to be at the top. Knowing how to work hard is a necessary attribute for success in any subsequent career. However, I've also seen it go the other way: "I'm too smart for this school; I don't have to work at it to be at the top." And guess where they end up?</p>
<p>When one is selecting a college or school to go to, one tries to play the odds. I don't know anything about IIT, but from the description in this thread, it doesn't sound like you are a "typical" IIT graduate, GroovyGeek. The question applicants ask seem to be asking is "Are my prospects for the future as good if I am in the middle of the pack at College A or in the middle of the pack at College B?" Not asking about the outliers. Students need to be really motivated and self-directed to do what you did, GroovyGeek. And not every 18 year old can do it.</p>
<p>My rule of thumb - choose the school whose students most resemble the type of person you'd like to become.</p>
<p>Agree what Chedva said. It really depends on kid's personality. Strong motivated kids will be thrived anywhere. But less strong motivated ones may need extra pushs from the peers surround them. And as parents you alwasy hope the best for them.</p>
<p>gadad, what if most of those schools don't have strong personality to begin with. So you can't tell the difference of students from school A from school B.</p>
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gadad, what if most of those schools don't have strong personality to begin with. So you can't tell the difference of students from school A from school B.
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I think that most schools do have a personality, and it is possible to infer it by observing the traffic at CC, LiveJournal, and Facebook, and by reading the periodic publication for a period of time.</p>
<p>Aside from the post college job prospects consider the fit of the college to student. That's why I stated to look at the midrange SAT/ACT scores- for those mid tier schools you may find significant differences that will affect the classroom experience. Easier to achieve more when everyone else is at your level than to have it easy due to lower expectations. If school #50 has higher achieving students than school #40 in the rankings its a better peer group (class ranks/gpa's have more variables to consider in evaluating them). Most important- do not obsess about it. Good luck to your son wherever he ends up.</p>
<p>GroovyGeek, I agree that you are obviously not the norm for IIT students. From your description, I think my comments were right on in relation to norm for their student body. Why go a school where you have to get a job using a "round about way", when the poster got into schools where they can get in directly after graduation? There is no reason to make additional challenges for yourself later, life will provide enough of those. You can often skip some of those challenges by getting a better education that will open better doors. The truth is that you are much better off as a middle of the road Case Western student than you are as a middle/upper IIT student.</p>
<p>In my view these rankings are pretty much non-sense. Yes there are some opportunities that will certainly come up because of where you went to school, but many, many factors come into play.</p>
<p>At the bottomline the most important factor is finding a school where you fit in best, where you feel most comfortable given it's academics/majors and social life/setting. And with that "fit" you will most likely have a successful college career and find success down the road.</p>
<p>I hate IIT. And I am going there. :(</p>
<p>This thread is three years old.</p>