Does Undergrad Matter?

College Search & Selection
1

The million-dollar question (or at least $30k) :slight_smile:
I realize a huge discrepancy like community college vs. Harvard matters your undergraduate year, but if you are absolutely certain you are going to grad school anyway, is there really that big a difference between schools like USC and Dartmouth? Or Tulane and Brown?

2

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there really that big a difference between schools like USC and Dartmouth? Or Tulane and Brown?
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No.

3

What is home state??

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a junior/rising senior looking into top colleges and major merit scholarships.

Some of my colleges of interest are Berkely, UChicago, and Deep Springs. My main areas of interest are political science and education. This is my quick resume:
Academics:
GPA: 4.3
ACT: 34, Writing 30
SAT Subject tests: French 800, US History 750, Spanish 720
12 APs over 4 years (past + future)
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Looking for major scholarships? If so, then Berkeley and UChicago won’t likely work.

How much will your family pay each year?

4

  1. There’s not a big difference between USC and Dartmouth or Tulane and Brown even if you aren’t going to graduate school. They’re all elite schools with great reputations.

  2. As a freshman in college you can’t actually be ‘absolutely certain’ you are going to graduate school. A lot can happen in 4+ years.

5

No, there is not such a great difference as far as grad school is concerned. I am familiar with recent classes at Harvard’s Kennedy school and U. of Chicago Law School. Yes, there were here were your typical Dukes, Rices, Princetons, Lehighs, Tulanes, Berkeleys, etc., but there were also people from a host of state schools and less well known private schools (I won’t name them because I do not want to insult any school). In fact, some say you get an advantage by being at the top of a class at a less competitive undergraduate institution rather than remaining in obscurity (or worse) farther up the prestige chain.

Go where you will thrive and the rest will take care of itself.

6

I would say it depends on the department. Certain schools are noted for strengths in certain areas more than others.

7

Ok, thanks guys!