How important is undergraduate name?

College Search & Selection
1

<p>I posted this week about finding some LAC's that would be a good fit, but now some new info arrived in the mail so I have to know something. I know the name of your undergraduate school matters in grad school admissions, but just how much? I'll give you some background so you know why I'm asking.</p>

<p>I'm a nontraditional student (30 years old with 3 kids). I had a 3.98 high school GPA, didn't take the SAT/ACT, and now have a 4.0GPA at the local community college (with about 40 credits). I applied to a couple of state universities this year (Central Michigan, Eastern Michigan, and University of Michigan). I got accepted to the first two within two weeks, but have been waiting for 6 months for an answer from UofM due to repeated "misunderstandings", "clerical errors", etc. I'm guessing as spots are filling up my chances this year at UofM, IF I ever get it straightened out, will not be good.</p>

<p>So right now I see two options. Accept admissions at one of the two lower tier state Uni's, or wait a whole year, spend the money for the SAT, and apply to some other schools I'd like to attend. If I do that, I'll be paying out-of-state or private tuition, having to move my whole family quite a distance from our friends/family/and current source of income, and would be spending another year of my financial aid at the community college (knowing they don't have many courses in my major). All this only to hope I get accepted somewhere. Then, to top it all off, Eastern sent me a letter today. They are offering me 4 different grants, a work study, and a "Regent Scholarship" for 3,000 a year (the largest one they offer transfers, and it's renewable). I could commute there and would not have to take any loans. In contrast to trying to find a place to live and with no income.</p>

<p>This would normally feel like a no-brainer, but I'm hoping to attend a top University for graduate school (looking at Northwestern, Cornell, Vanderbilt, and Uof Washington right now). Would I be better off to take the route of re-applying elsewhere next year for the prestige of the name. or should I go to Eastern, join Honors, and work my behind off to make myself the most exceptional student there? Can I even get admitted to grad schools like that if I attend Eastern?</p>

<p>Hopefully someone here has enough knowledge of this type of situation to help (and counselors out there would be especially wonderful).</p>

2

<p>Prestige is of some use in grad school admissions, but not that much. For example, my dad's alumni class from Sichuan Agricultural University had people going to grad school in places like Harvard, University of Tokyo, UChicago, MIT, Berkeley and etc, and it was a tiny, tiny class.</p>

3

<p>go to somewhere close to home, you have to think of your three kids, your pririties should be with them.....</p>

4

<p>What do you wish to major in? What graduate field do you intend to prusue?</p>

5

<p>I'm ideally planning to double major in German and Philosophy and Minor in French. I'm planning to pursue graduate work in Germanic Studies (particularly literature and culture).</p>

6

<p>As long as the school you go to has the classes you wish to take and as long as you maintain a good GPA and do well on the GRE, it won't really matter where you go for undergrad. Prestige of undergraduate program seems to matter to Law schools and MBA programs, and even then, it is not conclusive. But for most other disciplines, a good GPA, good essays and recommendations and a strong GRE will generally yield good results.</p>

7

<p>I wouldn't give up on UM, adults usually have a pretty good track record in getting back into school. I know several who have tried it and none that have not been successful. The thing you have going for your is a excellent record of accomplishement at a CC and 12 years of maturity/evidence that other applicants at 18 don't have, so in your case your a stable known quanity. I think you will get accepted at UM. I don't see why you wouldn't, you just probably need to be a bit more patient to let it resolve itself in a decision. Why don't you go to the admissions office and get it resolved.</p>

8

<p>wow double major AND minor, that's going to be somewhat stressful. But if you can handle it, go ahead!</p>

9

<p>You seem to answer your own question. With three kids to provide security for how can you consider moving with no job or money? You are not aiming at a high paying career and you must keep loans to a minimum for their sake.</p>