<p>OK, so we're all trying to get to the best school we can get to. However, we must face the fact that inevitably, some of us will go to our state flagships. This could for either financial reasons, personal reasons, or because you simply did not get accepted anywhere else.</p>
<p>This shouldn't matter.</p>
<p>MOST successful people come from big state school - they make up almost all of the college student population. So, there ARE people who do well.</p>
<p>In this thread, I'd just like to hear from people:</p>
<ol>
<li>what they've have learned from going to a state school</li>
<li>how they succeeded</li>
<li>what they wish they would have done differently (this can be about anything from choosing the right school to choosing the right classes).</li>
</ol>
<p>As far as I know, this is what big state public schools are like: intense competition for good grades due to harsh curves and little individuality among students - correct me if I'm wrong.</p>
<p>I mean, those who want to succeed do try and get research spots and internships. But what we really want to know is how do you get the most out of your school?</p>
<p>When I went to a large school (35k + students) back in the dark ages, what I found was important was coming up with a future plan and staying focused on how to achieve it. My goal was to go to grad school, and since doing research with professors in my field would help, I did that. Large U’s have high-powered researchers available and that is an advantage that will help with grad school admissions or future jobs if you get connected with one of them. I know that it was critical in getting me into grad school.</p>
<p>A 40,000 student school is more likely to have more unique personalities, interests, etc. among the students than a 1,000 student school.</p>
<p>For example, you may be looking at two potential safeties, one a very large state flagship and one a very small school. Both have students who, an average, are much less accomplished than you are. But the very large state flagship is likely to have a non-trivial group of high performing students embedded among the less motivated students. The school may offer honors courses and other rigorous offerings (including “hard” majors) for them. In contrast, the high performing students may be few in number at the small school, so there may be too few offerings that would interest a highly motivated student.</p>
<p>Law, Med, an MAT or MSW you will pay for. A PhD program you shouldn’t pay for - if you aren’t offered full funding they are telling you you aren’t good enough. Most MEng and MA program you will need to pay for. Funding for an MS is easier to find. So it can make sense to attend the cheap place for your undergrad.</p>
<p>What is your major, and how good is the department at each college/U? Do they have the library/labs/courses/internships that will make a difference for you.</p>
<p>My state safety is the University of Washington. I’m not sure what major I’m going to declare, but these are my top choices: bioengineering, aero/astro, physics, neurobiology.</p>
<p>Some of these majors have excellent labs (bioE, aero), but I’m not sure of the others. I know the courses are fairly small (<50 or so students per class in upper-level classes). </p>
<p>The thing is, I don’t want to be unhappy or just a number at my school. I know I’m capable of success, but who will hold me accountable? It’ll my responsibility, I know.</p>
<p>I read that students are more successful when they go OOS. What is your take on this?</p>
<p>I don’t think most people are happier when they go OOS. Most people in college do stay in state. You are lucky to be in a state with a good flagship option. </p>
<p>I went to a large state school. Things that made it more personal for me was to be part of the Honors program if possible, to become very involved in at least one activity so I could connect with others like me. I am very social, so I took advantage of meeting new people in the dorms and through school-sponsored activities.
I also participated in Greek Life, but that is not for everyone. It did make a large campus seem smaller since it gave me a lot of choices for fun, for volunteering, etc and it gave me a group of women that held me accountable for my education and friendship. </p>
<p>As a STEM major, you need to look for opportunities to do undergrad research. Go to the professor’s office hours and get to know your TAs.</p>
<p>Show genuine interest and most profs are happy to make more options available to you. Sit up front. Ask a few questions that are not–will this be on the exam? Be prepared for class. If you dept has a lounge and branch library spend time there. Study there. Take advantage of some of the EC stuff that interests you.</p>
<p>Remember that those who go OOS are likely from upper income families who can afford to send their kids to OOS public or private schools, or students who got large merit scholarships or got into highly selective private schools with generous financial aid. Since the upper income families likely had better K-12 schools and fewer distracting disadvantages (e.g. needing to work to support the family, needing to go to the library to access a computer, etc.) for their kids, those kids are not comparable to the general college-bound population that stays predominantly at IS public schools. And the merit scholarship winners and those going to highly selective private schools with generous financial aid are not comparable to the general college-bound population either.</p>
<p>I don’t understand why people think that going to a state university is such a terrible thing. Some state schools are actually pretty competitive and not just anyone gets in! Obviously they aren’t as selective as top lacs and the Ivy League, but that doesn’t mean they’re bad schools. My state school could be considered “below me,” and I know I could get into better schools, but I’m choosing to go to my state flagship because its my dream school and everything that I want. I’m not getting any large amount of money from them, but I guess I just got lucky that my perfect school is in state. I honestly don’t think I’d be as happy at other schools and that’s not me being bitter.</p>
<p>I agree that there is nothing wrong with large state U’s. My older son almost turned down his ivy admission where he currently attends to go to an OOS state U. If they had offered more fin. aid and it had been competitive with the great fin. aid we received from the ivy, he might have gone there. Why? Because it actually had better specialized programs in his areas of interest.</p>
<p>Linz25, most people don’t think that going to a state university is a terrible thing at all. Granted, spending lots of time on the CC site could give you that impression but in the real world the vast majority of people just don’t think that way. In fact, many professional recruiters at large companies prefer students who can function and thrive in the large, diverse student bodies which are present in large state flagships.</p>
<p>If your state flagship is your “dream school” (sorry, I hate that term) then by all means ignore the naysayers, go there and thoroughly enjoy your college career. I predict you will thrive there as do most people who are successful in post-college life.</p>