I was messaging online with a friend, and discovered that we’re both really really really interested in the same school - Wesleyan. (We live thousands of miles away, and are applying in different rounds, so hopefully that eliminates some of the weird competitive vibes that can accompany these conversations).
She then mentioned that one of the major reasons she wanted to go was because Lin Manuel Miranda went there, and she’s a diehard fan. Now . . . OK. I like Hamilton as much as the next high school gal (OK, probably a little more. Lot more?) but should alumni really factor into your college search? Especially when it’s a one off like that, it could just be coincidence. Some quick googling shows Lin Manuel Miranda was interested in composing music and whatnot long before college, and he worked as a teacher for years after graduation while writing musicals - showing that it wasn’t really a straight line from “good college” to FAME AND FORTUNE.
So . . . thoughts? I guess alumni could be a cool/interesting bonus to a college you already love, but should it be a driving factor? Maybe I’m missing something.