<p>i believe i have a pretty good shot at getting into texas austin university,georgiatech and some slightly lower ranked universities.....my query is if i get into any of these colleges and perform well,would it matter that i was not educated at harvard or stanford?....would that hinder my career in any way?.....would i even after doing good at college, not get the same opportunities as my peers at stanford,harvard,or other top colleges?...does your college prestige really matter after your first job?</p>
<p>Short answer: no (your college prestige does not really matter after your first job… and may not even matter much for that.)</p>
<p>It’s the quality of your education that really matters. You can get an excellent education at a wide variety of colleges. The “top, top colleges” happen to have excellent need-based aid, so if you qualify for that (and can get in), one of them might be a good choice. However, many less prestigious universities actually have stronger programs in some majors (such as engineering) than the “top, top colleges”. Many small, relatively obscure colleges offer smaller classes, more faculty attention to undergrads, and excellent financial aid. A “top, top college” may or may not be the best fit for you, depending on your qualifications, interests, needs and goals.</p>
<p>It’s more nuanced than that. The college name and alumni network may or may not matter depending on your major and industry after your first job. Without knowing your goals/interests or geographic preferences or personality, it’s really impossible to say. Different schools have different strengths and weaknesses (so UT-Austin may be more helpful than Yale in some locales and industries, but Yale may be better in others).</p>
<p>i am planning to study computer engineering…would ut austin be a good option?..and would not going to a top 5 university hinder me in this field?</p>
<p>Do you plan to stay in TX? If so, definitely not. Even if not, I really doubt it would hinder you. UT-Austin is known to be good in engineering. Same with GTech/UIUC/Cal.</p>
<p>thanks a lot</p>
<p>UT Austin has a great reputation in Engineering/CS. I have worked with a bunch of UT grads in the past after our (software) company opened up an office in Austin, and they were all very impressive. Most of them left within 2 years to work for, or found their own startups. :-(</p>
<p>You can do very well coming out of UT Austin and it is a great option for in-state students.</p>
<p>That said, it will probably be slightly easier for career advancement with a Stanford degree.</p>
<p>Can your family afford all those options? It seems from past posts that you are an international applicant so would be full pay. </p>
<p>If you are an int’l student, then prestige may matter much more in your country of origin, the place where likely you will spend your career. Less so, if you work in the US.</p>
<p>@jkeil911:</p>
<p>True, though in engineering, the prestige of state schools with strong engineering programs (like UIUC and Purdue, both of whom take in a lot of international students these days) will be high in certain (Asian) foreign countries as well.</p>
<p>i could afford some of the options i have listed…i plan on working in the us…i doubt that stanford or hit would accept me with financial aid as i couldn’t afford them…and thank you everybody</p>
<p>do look into the possibilities of working in the US after graduation. It is not so very easy to do after 9/11. Companies must sponsor you, as I understand it, and that involves some headaches for them.</p>
<p>@jkeil911 why would companies need to sponsor me if i work for them?..wouldn’t i be just another employee?</p>
<p>no, you wouldn’t be just another employee. you would be an alien, a foreign national. I’m not sure just what the categories are used by immigration law, but you need to be aware of these characteristics of US immigration law. Certainly, the companies are. Somebody else here can advise you of the details, I think.</p>
<p>If you wanted to work in the US, you’d have to find a company that would sponsor an H-1B visa for you. The whole H-1B visa program is screwed up, and a lot of international students who get degrees in the US end up leaving because they can’t get a visa. On the other hand, the US grants H-1B visas to questionably-qualified people who never lived or went to school on the US. It’s all very political, which means it’s very frustrating and very irrational.</p>
<p>Stanford gives a lot of financial aid if you are accepted, but it is very hard to get an acceptance. I don’t know what hit is. </p>
<p>For working while a student, you will be under OPT/CPT rules. Then you would have to find an employer that will hire you and sponsor you for a H-1B visa. These visas are limited and you can’t be sure you can get one. As a non U.S. citizen you can’t just qualify for any open job. You had better investigate more before you pay money to come here for college.</p>
<p><a href=“Optional Practical Training - Wikipedia”>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Optional_Practical_Training</a></p>
<p><a href=“H-1B visa - Wikipedia”>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/H-1b</a></p>
<p>thank you everybody for your input</p>