<p>What are Your thoughts on prestige of undergraduate institutions? Since I am from Asia, it seems to be in my nature to regard it very highly. Recently, I've narrowed down my choices to three schools, and as always, they all have their pro's and con's. The atmopheric conditions, quality of education, social life and financial support, etc..etc.. cough cough.. prestige.., I assume are probably deciding factors of all the applicants' first choice (ED). Although many of the factors are often discussed in this forum, prestige seems to be an exception. I want to hear Your thoughts on prestige. Should I be spending 30K+ just for the name?</p>
<p>it's really about what makes you happy. if you would feel bad going to less prestigious school, then don't go. sure, prestige is a flawed concept. but you don't want to be unhappy.</p>
<p>Sympathies, darn Asian parents. </p>
<p>Prestige matters a lot more in graduate school. Undergraduate colleges that are prestigious will give you a good education and extra respect points from strangers, but if it doesn't make you happy it's not worth it.</p>
<p>Graduate school, on the other hand... if you get into a really prestigious graduate school and look for a job in that field (Example, UChicago Law and lawyers), then it will be much easier to find a job, and the job itself will pay much better. The difference is that you'd probably be unhappier trying to work up to prestige-level salary on the job than if you went to graduate school for somewhat unhappy years.</p>
<p>And one other thing, the most prestigious schools do not necessarily prepare you for grad school better. Often large schools with TAs offer less research opportunities, which can be essential to getting into prestigious graduate schools. It really depends on what your career goals are.</p>
<p>these are all great feedbacks, and i appreciate them each one of them. However, I want to hear Your opinions, as in first hand experiences etc. I have been doing some research since I cannot make a full decision between a slightly prestigious state university and a very prestigious private university. I am sure I have equal chances in both of them. I am considering dropping the second one. I want to hear more of you all's opinions.</p>
<p>well, if you can, you should try visiting both of them..it'd definitely help you decide which one you like better. try not to think of it as a choice between something prestigious and not so prestigious; go with wherever you think would make you happiest.</p>
<p>Well, prestige unfortunately is important in graduate admissions as well. To get into the top graduate programs, your chances are higher if you come from a top undergraduate university.</p>
<p>Yeah, totally agreed, you definitely need a strong undergraduate program to give you better odds in the graduate circuit, though granted, it's not necessary. But hmmm, about prestige, I'm totally for it, after all I applied to eight reaches [though granted three were to appease my pressuring family], but nonetheless, basing some of the reason [though obviously not all of it] on prestige is not totally superficial considering that a prestigious school became prestigious through academics and such. But nonetheless, you should also consider cost, atmosphere, academic programs specific to your major, etc. or else you'll most likely be unhappy with your final result. So I think prestige is fine to a point, but just make sure you've reached a happy medium in all your selections.</p>
<p>haha thanks again for your replies guys.
The situation I am in is very hard because the two schools are just so great in their own ways.<br>
The first school had been my dream school ever since I was back in Asia. However, my family cannot afford full tuition. If I do get accepted to the school, I will need a great deal of financial aid. The school environment is very urban; it is not my ideal place to be. The school is also best known for my intended major.
The second school, I've recently learned of it. It is larger and more social. It is the place I want to be. It is a state school, therefore the tuition cost is cheaper. I also have a little better chance of getting admitted to this school. The environment is very friendly. It is much similar to my hometown. The school does not provide my intended major.</p>
<p>Both universities are within my reach. They are within the top 25 ranks in the US news blah blah. </p>
<p>What TO DO??</p>
<p>ah yes, the agony of having asian parents...;]
at the end, it comes down to what you like. even if you were accepted to HYPSMC and other "prestigious" colleges that guaranteed you success because of the hype aura for those colleges, you couldn't attend there if you just abhorred everything about it---like you said, fin aid situation, environment, etc...</p>
<p>think for yourself. after all, you will be the one taking control of your life 20 years from now, not your parents.</p>
<p>quote: "It is the place I want to be."</p>
<p>You said it yourself, the state school is where you want to be. Good for you, it's cheaper too! And in the top 25 according to that overrated publication!
Go for it and be proud. It really isn't so much "where you go" as "what you do when you get there."</p>
<p>Good luck and be happy.</p>
<p>I suppose I'm slightly in the same situation. I'm a soccer recrute and have basically narrowed down my choices to Penn and Penn State, maybe Boston U. PSU has GREAT soccer and decent academics (also, I think I would apply to the Schreyer honors college) and Penn has great academics and OK soccer. After much thought, I think I would be fine with either combination. </p>
<p>Now one of the deciding factors for me is the prestige of each institution. PSU is pretty well known and has the largest alumni base in the US (and the majority are still obsessed with the school). From what I've heard, this is a huge advantage in the job search, as it's very likely to run into an alum willing to help out. </p>
<p>Penn, on the other hand, is widely known because of its label as an Ivy and thus for providing a top-notch education to top-notch students. </p>
<p>In my opinion, both have a sort of prestige all their own, I just can't decide which will have a greater, more beneficial affect on my future. </p>
<p>One last thing-
I plan to move onto graduate school eventually, so maybe I could do the whole Ivy prestige thing then and it would be better? </p>
<p>any new viewpoints would be great!</p>
<p>wow. I didn't even realize I said that Pearl. Thanks for pointing it out.
Imko, thanks for your input.
I would have to train in ROTC in order to attend the private college anyway.<br>
alannan- I think I am going to do the same thing. I will goto a less prestigious school and attend the private college as the graduate school.
Thank You All. You were all extremely helpful.</p>
<p>Might I ask, what schools?</p>
<p>Penn State and Penn are two very different schools. Penn State is an enormous school in a college town with a culture dominated by sports. Penn is a medium-sized school in a very urban part of Philadelphia without a dominant cultural identity.</p>
<p>I graduated from Penn State and the SHC in 2004 and loved every minute of it. Penn State's school spirit is unmatched, and there are endless activities (often free or low cost) on campus. The education is very good, especially in science, business, and engineering. As for life after Penn State, my friends got into all the top graduate schools (Columbia, Harvard, Johns Hopkins, Northwestern, UC-Berkeley, even Oxford and Cambridge) and med schools (Harvard and Penn), won prestigious fellowships (Marshall, Truman, Churchill, NSF), and started working at all the best consulting and I-banking firms. I'm getting paid to go to graduate school at Stanford. Moreover, of the ~40 Penn State alums I've met in California, all but one said they loved the school and were happy with where their education has taken them.</p>
<p>Nevertheless, if you have your heart set on working for Goldman Sachs, you're better of going to Penn. However, if you want to go graduate or professional school, you can do it with either.</p>
<p>I think the bottom line is that you should choose whichever school you feel most at home at, as the education you receive from either one will serve you well in your future.</p>
<p>ROTC these days and you might find unintended interruptions on your way to graduate school... gotta love the long-term consequences of bad short term foreign policy.</p>
<p>"ROTC these days and you might find unintended interruptions on your way to graduate school... gotta love the long-term consequences of bad short term foreign policy."</p>
<p>Interesting. It almost seems like you're taking a short term view (Iraq sucks now) on the current foreign policy. We invaded Iraq in 2003 -- that was ONLY three years ago!!! Sorry, but that's just not long-term enough to discern any so-called "consequences".</p>
<p>one thing i can tell you about my experience at brandeis university is that its not so much the name but its what the name brings. there are so many wealthy students with connections that you are bound to make friendship with future success stories who may in turn be your connection to your success regardless of the fiend you are entering. also, you are more likely to make potential investment partners. id say connections and meeting students of your calibur can help you significantly and keep you on point. also competition of the students makes you stronger and when u enter the real world, youll be more ready.</p>
<p>As long as the schools are similar in quality, (a top public vs. top private meets this standard), then prestige is basically going to make no difference. Grad schools, in general, don't care and are much more numbers based than you think they would be. Just choose a school that you will enjoy attending and work hard once you get there, because what you DO there will be exponentially more important than where you went. I chose a top public over several more prestigious top privates and do not regret it at all.</p>
<p>I think you need to be concerned about the fact that the state school does not offer your intended major. </p>
<p>Perhaps you need to look at additional options besides the two schools you have mentioned here.</p>