Are you saying that one social circle is inherently better than the other?
When you’re speaking about your own kid, there’s much greater familiarity and credibility. It’s all about context. I didn’t find the example excessive, given the discussion. And I certainly didn’t find the pointed criticism particularly virtuous either.
I’m getting a vibe there is no consensus yet. Should I send my kid to an elite school or not?
Re: #84
Most parents and students will not have to answer this question, because the students will not be admitted to any elite schools.
@NosyCaliparent, the kid has a say, I would hope.
“I’m getting a vibe there is no consensus yet. Should I send my kid to an elite school or not?”
These threads pop up from time to time and they always end in a No Decision. Arguing about whether there is a real advantage to attending an elite/Ivy is like arguing about politics. Nearly everyone already has an opinion. Everyone can quote evidence and anecdotes to back up their side of the debate. And nobody ever convinces anybody of anything that doesn’t already align with what they wanted to believe in the first place.
So if you want to send your kid to an elite college, great. There’s a lot of evidence showing that it’s a great choice with many benefits
And if you don’t want to send your kid to an elite college, great. There’s a lot of evidence showing that there are other great choices with many benefits.
Your call.
For many of us, the benefits of an elite education really have little or nothing to do with whether said education results in a higher income than a “lesser” school.
It’s like evaluating whether you should take a trip to Paris on whether your boss will pay you more as a result. Uh, no, he likely won’t, but that doesn’t mean it’s not intrinsically a worthwhile experience.
^^^ well put.
I agree. However, if you’re 100% convinced your life is going to be completely different because you vacationed in Paris, France instead of Paris, Texas, you may end up being pretty disappointed.
“I’m getting a vibe there is no consensus yet. Should I send my kid to an elite school or not?”
My best advice is that Ivies and other elite schools present amazing opportunities for the right student, but they are not for everyone. I think it is definitely worth investigating though. I would visit a range of schools, including elites, with your student and see what interests them.
@Pizzagirl is right. Monetizing the college choice was not a primary factor for us either. The student will spend 4 years there so it is important that they like the school and environment. If the student loves the opportunity and is willing to engage 100% in classes, clubs, research, internships, study abroad, social life, and all of the other opportunities that the school presents, the money will eventually take care of itself.
It all depends on objectives, @NosyCaliparent. If the sole objective is just to get a well-paying job, there are plenty of routes, and many don’t require going to an elite.
Plus, undergraduate admissions to an elite is pretty ridiculous these days. For someone who can score in the top 1% on standardized tests and maintain a high GPA, getting in to HLS is much easier than undergraduate admissions to any Ivy/equivalent nowadays.
Yet the median Harvard undergrad doesn’t have the LSAT score or undergraduate GPA to get admitted to Harvard Law School. Go figure.
@bclintonk, yep, because admission to HLS is extremely stats-driven these days while admission to Harvard and other Ivies/equivalents for undergrad isn’t so much.
Whoever has the most experience, and the most positive reviews.
^ Yeah, I have to say, the poster who asked that doesn’t seem to know what a surgeon actually does. That’s like asking who you would rather pilot a fighter jet and using undergrad background as a criteria.
And what 2 surgeons would have no discernable differences? All surgeons have a unique track record (and in any case, the academic background that people care about is the residency).
Lol, exactly
I would, and do, consider medical school and residency locations as well as a host of other criteria. Not so much interested in what college my doc attended.
@PurpleTitan Yes I gave him a 51% share in the decision. I feel like the cheddar I’m dealing out should entitle me to the 49% but he always had veto power. I guess the best way of explaining is that I’m like Dan Gilbert(sans his wealth) owner of the Cleveland Cavaliers but we all know who really runs that team and makes the final decisions 
Nosy, "Should I send my kid to an elite school or not? " - You are joking right? You cannot be serious about the CC posters deciding your kid’s destiny…or we should start voting on that?
After this thread, I am so happy that mine just ruled out any elite college, did not want to listen to her GC either, withstood all the pressure. And we, her parents, were just celebrating the fact that our head was not spinning about any of these. We had wonderful, entertaining college application process that still bringing smile to my face. Why people go thru such hoops, I have no idea. There is so much depend strictly on the student and so little depend on the place, that basically ANY college that kid thinks will work is OK. Any study is irrelevant to each specific student. Self-reliance is the key to success, not much of anything else. That is the truth that many do not want to accept for some strange reason.
“I would, and do, consider medical school and residency locations as well as a host of other criteria. Not so much interested in what college my doc attended.”
I pay far more attention to where my docs did their residencies and fellowships than where they went to medical school. Because that’s where they really learn their doctoring skills.