<p>I plan to go on to grad school. My goal is to get both my MA and my PhD so I can become a college professor. I'll be transferring into a school in Fall 2009. However, does the "name" of your undergraduate school matter when you are applying for graduate school? I know Ivy League schools are out of my reach. I'm looking at schools such as Pratt and Columbia Chicago, but I'm also looking at out-of-state public universities. </p>
<p>Does the prestige of your undergraduate school really matter when you go on to apply for your MA and PhD, for that matter? Does public vs. private really matter in the grand scheme of things?</p>
<p>Public vs. private is meaningless. If you're goal is to become a college professor, your grad school will pretty much define where you can get positions. You almost never find a professor who did his PhD at a school, and ended up teaching at a better one. </p>
<p>Money is less of an issue, since your desire is to go for a PhD, and you won't have to pay for that. It's more of an issue for people pursuing a MA/MS as a terminal degree or any of the professional programs (med, law, etc). </p>
<p>The name of the school doesn't matter too much, but it will help you if you go to a better school. When it comes to PhD admissions, the letters of recommendations are arguably the most important factor, and having professors who are well respected in your field writing them will be a big boost.</p>