<p>I used to give more weight to the name of the school, but then I reaized is what you make of the college, the opportunities you seize, rather than the name. I have a friend graduating from Alabama, has done great at internships, travelled abroad and is in the process of getting into law school. I had the same opportunities, and payed 4 times as much. So, it’s really up to the student, the professors are there to teach and help you.</p>
<p>One does not need to be rich to be happy.But being rich does not hurt.Same thing with attending an ivy league school.</p>
<p>
I think that is a huge point. I saved a quote on an older forum written by a college prof who said
</a></p>
<p>@mikemac – that’s a good point. When a school has a remedial writing lab, that’s kind of a bad sign, LOL. :)</p>
<p>
I think graduate school, particularly in the humanities, is a better example. Competition is insanely fierce in some fields. Archaeology at BU (1 funded spot for every 75 applicants) and art history at Berkeley (1 funded spot for every 50 applicants) are relevant examples.</p>
<p>Anyone who says that choice of university doesn’t matter in graduate admissions is either in denial or in the sciences, where things are noticeably less selective. Sure, it’s great to go to Podunk U and “perform very well,” but odds are that another student will go to Harvard and also “perform very well”…and odds are, that person is going to be the winner when it comes to graduate admissions. </p>
<p>
I’m a huge fan of nature, but even I felt stifled after only a summer at Western. Cullowhee essentially consisted of the university and a Wal-Mart, and Sylva isn’t much bigger. The university has bought some land adjacent to the university in the hopes of developing it along the lines of Franklin Street in Chapel Hill, but it’s still a far cry from Asheville or even Boone. Additionally, Western is in a valley, which means it rains virtually every day (some joke that WCU = We carry umbrellas), and phone reception is spotty. Because the university is so isolated, particularly in the winter, heavy drinking is prevalent.</p>
<p>On the plus side, it has undoubtedly the most gorgeous scenery of any NC school. The campus itself is mundane brick, but you can see the mountains all around you at virtually any spot on campus, and sunsets are spectacular. It’s a short drive to lots of great hiking, rafting, and canoeing, and someone who likes the outdoors would definitely be at home in that respect. Honors students have separate housing; I haven’t seen it personally, but I’ve been told it’s very nice.</p>
<p>That Ivy League degree will get your foot in the door. The rest is up to the person. So yes, while the degree isn’t THAT important in the long-run, it still plays a significant role in first impressions and opportunities.</p>
<p>let me guess how this thread went…those that went to an “elite” college think it’s very important and those that did not attend an elite college said it doesn’t matter.</p>
<p>^ LOL probably. My sister goes to an Ivy, and she thinks that those who don’t go to an Ivy are completely screwed for life. She thinks that they will have worse job opportunities, and that others would never be able to attain the success of Ivy students. </p>
<p>The last time I checked, Brown wasn’t all that great (imo, the ranking is way off).</p>
<p>On the other hand, the scientist whom I work with went to Columbia grad school. He said that Fu was a complete waste of money. He works with others who didn’t go to Ivies (mostly from Canada, however); and his field of work is VERY reputable. He has been on talk shows and the Discovery Channel. He said that as long as you work hard, you should be fine. </p>
<p>And he’s not the only Ivy grad who told me this.</p>
<p>An Ivy League degree will never make it or break it for you. Of course, it may impress employers a bit, but it doesn’t mean you’ll be an auto-admit or that opportunities will come pouring down. A higher ranked school doesn’t mean you will have better internships; however you may meet some very reputable people. </p>
<p>There are several other colleges that have excellent job placement rates at prestigious industries. Just go to a reputable school, work hard, and you should be fine.</p>
<p>I completely disagree with:
</p>
<p>
Not. I am a HYSPM guy who says it doesn’t matter – much.</p>
<p>
What long-term outcomes actually result from this difference in setting? To what degree can a single, unified campus culture exist at a large university?</p>
<p>It would be helpful if you could summarize the methodology used by P&T to reach this specific conclusion, as I do not have access to their book.</p>
<p>^</p>
<p>From the long quote above, I’d say it makes a far stronger case for a few topflight SLACs with an intellectually-oriented and engaged student body/campus culture than for topflight research oriented universities like most of the Ivies. </p>
<p>With that student body/campus culture, faculty with a stronger teaching emphasis, and a smaller more tightly knit student body, I can see that happening to a limited extent. Keep in mind, however, that really bright intelligent students may also have a strong enough sense of self to not bend to prevailing peer pressures of any kind during their college years. </p>
<p>With topflight research universities like most Ivies, teaching quality is quite variable as a result of Professors having a stronger research focus. It also doesn’t help that TA/TF quality can vary so widely based on factors such as length/quality of teaching experience, dedication, talent, and more. While I had a great TF who had prior industry experience and several years of teaching experience, other classmates in the Ivy stats course I took had TFs who ranged from ok to horrid (Too impatient, talked too fast, had serious problems explaining concepts to students). </p>
<p>Moreover, at my own SLAC and in that stats course, I encountered far too many students who may have seemed highly motivated and having great potential judging by their stellar high school grades and standardized test scores who weren’t able to cut the mustard once they arrived on campus. </p>
<p>Whether it was floundering to graduation with 2.0 or barely 3.0 GPAs or worse, failing to the point of academic suspension/expulsion…it was a total shock at first considering these students seemed to be the most likely to excel and graduate with high honors if one went by their high school records and the types of high schools they attended. Somehow, I managed to graduate from my private SLAC with respectable grades as a scholarship student despite having a high school record and standardized test scores which would be the stuff of CC parent nightmares. :D</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>While I wish this were the case, it simply isn’t in many industries. If a firm is interviewing on your campus, your odds of getting an interview and a job are decent. But if you’re just cold calling firms, your odds of getting a response are rather low. Therefore you are much more likely to enter into a competitive industry if you go to a school where there is some relationship with that industry.</p>
<p>^ True to a certain degree; just b/c you go to an Ivy doesn’t precipitate an immediate response, although you would probably have a better shot than several other colleges, if the college name is the only info provided. However, it’s not as if the name of the college is the only thing they see; there are factors which can easily outweigh it. It’s supposed to be a holistic process. It also depends on just how reputable your school is in that field and the industries associated with it. Just because they aren’t interviewing on your campus doesn’t mean they’ve never heard of your college. </p>
<p>That’s why you should choose to go to a college in the top 100s, or at least a college that is very well renowned in its specialties. You wouldn’t want to be stuck at a community college and then move onto a low-par college.</p>
<p>The Ivies and other top-tier colleges don’t turn out the most qualified students in comparison to the rest of America; however, the general student body may be more competitive. But this competition CAN always be accounted for.</p>
<p>Reputation is a very vague thing. The reputation that a college has to the general population isn’t always the same when it comes to industry.</p>
<p>For masters It matters about the selection of college in my opinion.</p>
<p>I would bet that, if you got your Ivy degree in comparative literature, say, you won’t get your foot in too many doors. Except those leading to graduate schools. ;)</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Really? I would have bet that you would get your foot in the door of any job that requires a lot of writing.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Geez, ya think? I wonder how much money was wasted to come up with that overstatement of the obvious.</p>
<p>Of course, S2 is going to be very disappointed. He was planning on getting into Harvard, spending 4 years partying until they gave him the secret handshake and bag o’ cash at graduation.</p>
<p>@vinceh – LOL!! </p>
<p>@Bay – When I was young, I actually considered applying to a doctoral program in comparative literature. The Harvard dep’t head with whom I met to discuss this told me his graduates weren’t getting jobs. Now, granted, these were professorial jobs, and the professoriate was VERY glutted back then (early '80s – hundreds and even thousands of applicants for some low-paying openings, depending on the discipline). </p>
<p>So much for comparative literature (from my POV, at least)! (BTW, don’t <em>all</em> liberal arts majors requite tons of writing? ;-))</p>
<p>DH got his doctorate in Byzantine history, from Harvard, in 1983. His adviser had always been able to place his graduates in tenure-track positions, but, by the early '80s, all bets were off. DH got a six-month fellowship from Dumbarton Oaks – and the chance to keep applying for professorial jobs once he got back from Athens (fellowship site). </p>
<p>When the economy’s bad and/or the job market stinks, an esoteric degree from an Ivy doesn’t necessarily help. Better to study something practical at a local CC, maybe? I don’t know…just suggesting…</p>
<p>College does a lot to get you “in the door,” but at the same time the substance behind your character is not crafted by the college in almost every case. Many of the traits that are common among successful professionals are being asked of 17 year olds, which is slightly ridiculous when you think about it. Most kids need to be coached in some way to be a “Harvard” student. </p>
<p>A “Harvard” kid, to me, means that someone has the ability, drive, ambition and other qualities that designates them as a successful person regardless of their field. A “Harvard” kid may go to Williams… Will this suddenly derail his potential future? No, but it can make things easier or harder. Wonder if the father of his Harvard room mate is an executive at Monsanto? The likely hood of this is small, but at the same time the Harvard network is vast and well connected. </p>
<p>High achievers won’t be changed because of the college they attend, but they may not get the advantages of a Harvard network. An ambitious, hard working and deserving applicant will gain admissions to several good colleges are are equal in resources hopefully. Let’s say a student goes to University of Michigan and encounters a frustrating experience where the size of the school or possibly the diverse student body doesn’t create the focused atmosphere that he/she wants and craves. </p>
<p>The environment and student body helps determine how much stimulation the student will get. It is to the point where the Ivies aren’t necessarily dominating the scene in terms of grabbing top students. You can find many liberal arts schools that produce students that could perform very very well at Harvard, but either didn’t get in or did not apply for one reason of another.</p>
<p>[Top</a> US Colleges ? Graduate Salary Statistics](<a href=“http://www.payscale.com/best-colleges/top-us-colleges-graduate-salary-statistics.asp]Top”>http://www.payscale.com/best-colleges/top-us-colleges-graduate-salary-statistics.asp)</p>
<p>This should quiet everyone down. Unless making money is not your definition of success, then it clearly matters where you do go to college.</p>
<p>I know this sounds bizarre, but on average, the smartest students go to the top schools (I don’t want to hear your silly anecdote about how a 2400-scorer chose state school X). The smartest people tend to the leaders in society and therefore comprise the socioeconomic elite. </p>
<p>That being said, it ultimately boils down to the individual (your personal drive, intelligence, accomplishments); the top universities are simply the gates through which these individuals pass, they are not necessarily precursors to achievement later on.</p>
<p>This question has been asked repeatedly and is getting old, can we put this in a FAQ somewhere?</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Sure, for most jobs (except I-banking), that is the case. However, we are talking about the future supreme court justices, CEOs, and presidents. For instance, look at the undergraduate alma mater of the last 3 Supreme Court Justices. Coincidence? I think not. Go Tigers!</p>