When people here refer to top tier schools here, what is that based on? Is Ivy Top tier, or is it Ivy, then 1st tier, etc.? How many tiers would you say there are? Are these just opinions or is this based on one of the many ranking systems? Just wondering, thanks.
My two cents…Many people feel that if you don’t go to a “top tier” school and land internships with “top” companies and do research with “top” professors, the rest of your life will be lowest tier.
Obviously I don’t agree with that. As for which schools are which tier, someone else will have to answer those questions.
I would say that schools with single digit acceptance rates generally belong in the top tier. Acceptance rates of 10%-20% might be considered second tier. After that, it tends to spread out based on regional and individual preference.
Note that not all of the Ivy League schools qualify by this criterion, while several schools outside the Ivy League do.
Many people feel this? Really? Please name one. This is such a classic straw man argument. I would suggest that actually no one feels that way.
To add a little accuracy, many people feel that top schools can be helpful to getting into top companies, and that’s probably true in some industries.
@Marian That’s why I added the weasel word “generally”. Regional and personal preferences are going to shift things around a little.
For example, out here on the Left Bank, as far as Ivy goes we hear about Harvard, Princeton, Yale and Columbia (and maybe Brown) and if you look at the charts, it corresponds to everything below 10%.
I was just clarifying for chatting her on CC, often people reference 2nd tier schools in other areas and I am just trying to get a feel for what we are talking about. I am in NC and I am very familiar with schools here and in my area, but that is limited when chatting here on CC.
Well, as far as CC goes, they have a separate category for Ivy League forums and another one for “Top CC Universities / LACs” so it looks like the forum owners consider those Top Tier schools.
In actual discussions, it seems like HYPSM is shorthand for what most members consider to be truly “Top Tier.”
In a practical discussion, however, regarding someone’s career goals, “Top Tier” will vary.
Business school -> Wharton …
CS -> Stanford/ MIT/CMU …
Etc.
^I strongly disagree. According to the criteria above Amherst College, Williams, Swarthmore and Bowdoin and all the rest of CC’s top liberal arts colleges are all “second-tier”. As are Dartmouth, U Penn and all but 8 of US News’ top 100 national universities.
@CHD2013 Well, how many do you want to put in the “Top TIer”?
If you put too many in there, it’s not so “Top” any more. 
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My two cents…Many people feel that if you don’t go to a “top tier” school and land internships with “top” companies and do research with “top” professors, the rest of your life will be lowest tier.
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My son is in med school and going to be a surgeon. He went to a mid-tier public. I’m sure he’ll be mighty amused to hear that “the rest of his life will be lowest tier”.
I think you need to @exitstageleft
:rolleyes:
@CHD2013, of course I was being dramatic, but here on CC, I have seen so many kids fret over not getting into “top tier” schools, as IF their life will be in the lowest tier if they went to any other school.
It’s so disheartening to see them pin their future on getting into X,Y,Z school, as if J,K or L school could not also lead them to a successful career and happy life.
Heck, lots of them sound extremely depressed because they “suck” for “only” getting a 2310 on their SATs.
When I rented a car to take my child on a college tour miles away, the customer service guy asked what schools we were looking at touring. When I named them, he immediately shook his head and said "no, Harvard. Only Harvard. Must go to best school) and was completely serious. I felt a little sad for his children who were going to have to live up to his standards (I believe they were 5 and 7 at the time).
@mom2collegekids, your son’s experience is exactly the point I’m trying to make. You don’t have to attend a top tier school to be successful, but so many families believe that you do.
I hope everyone knows that there are people who do go to Ivy or similar and still end up quite unhappy.
Furthermore, I would venture to say that a substantial number of them feel that it was because the school didn’t do for them what they thought it would.
I think sometimes when people say 2nd tier schools, they are refering to directional schools…not the state flagship. Typically they will say “north, south, west , or east” in the name of the school, or sometimes “state” in the name.
@exitstageleft
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When I rented a car to take my child on a college tour miles away, the customer service guy asked what schools we were looking at touring. When I named them, he immediately shook his head and said "no, Harvard. Only Harvard. Must go to best school) and was completely serious. I felt a little sad for his children who were going to have to live up to his standards (I believe they were 5 and 7 at the time).
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So, this ONE PERSON (likely an immigrant with limited education himself) told you this and you post that “many people…”
That conclusion is one that young people make when they hear something from a couple of people. They’re soon spouting off, “many people say” or “many people do” or “many people feel.”
Parents usually know to take such foolishness with a grain of salt.
Directional schools are often lower than 2nd tier.
@ITBgirl
The old way of doing tiers was:
Rankings 1-50 were First/Top Tier
Rankings 51 to about 140 were Second Tier or Mid-Tier
Rankings below that were 3rd tier, 4th tier, and unranked.
The newer way has Rankings from 1 to about 200 as First/Top Tier
Rankings below that are Second, Third, and Unranked.
@mom2collegekids, no just one example. I have seen “top tier” angst for many, many years from hundreds of teens and many more parents. I have a lot of experience in college admissions.
"Directional schools are often lower than 2nd tier. "
In your view.