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</p>
<p>I have generally conceptualized things similarly.</p>
<p>This kind of attitude will not get you anywhere. If you want to attend your local state school, then go ahead – it’s your decision. Just don’t complain later on if your school is not recruited by a number of prestigious firms or if getting into a good grad school is much more difficult. Plus, it’s up to you to do as well as you can to succeed later on. Going to Northwestern does not limit your future prospects in any way, shape, or form.</p>
<p>Also, almost no one has the Ivy-reject mentality after their freshman year (if not before that). People cease to care about what school they didn’t get to attend and start paying more attention to what they can do HERE. And few people complain about not getting into the lower Ivies. A good number were accepted.</p>
<p>I got into Northwestern’s HPME and feel very excited and thankful for the opportunity. This whole process for getting into a BA/MD program has been daunting. I felt lucky to receive 8 interviews, but found that the decision process depended more on the personality of the school and financial capability of the student. I think that Northwestern will help me to grow into my potential and it has more to offer than I could ever take advantage of. Receiving an acceptance was an honor.</p>
<p>@dawncoming and olleger - thanks, guys :)</p>
<p>^i feel the exact same way as the above poster. i’ve wanted to go to HPME for six years, and i feel so incredibly lucky to have been accepted. i couldn’t be more excited to come to Northwestern next year</p>
<p>All I have to say to the OP and anyone else who’s upset to be attending Northwestern… please don’t let that bad attitude ruin your experience this fall! My top two choices were Brown and NU – but while it’s true that I would probably have attended Brown if accepted, I’m thrilled to be going to Northwestern!</p>
<p>It’s a kind of sour grapes thing, really. There are kids who would kill to be you, kids who were rejected, waitlisted, or accepted without the financial ability to attend. I just ask that if you do bring that I-don’t-wanna-be-here attitude to campus, don’t bring the rest of us down! :)</p>
<p>Wait, let me get this right. The OP is saying other school that is a peer of Northwestern (i.e. Cornell, Hopkins, Chicago, etc) don’t have this mentality, just NU? So those rejected by HYPSM end up either at NU or a state school? Not Cornell, not UChicago, not Hopkins? So are the peers of Northwestern usually are people’s top choices while NU is not? Is this the OP’s unique version of common sense?</p>
<p>Tons of kids show up here every year, like dualdegreedr and hideandseek, and say no to any of the eight Ivys for something special Northwestern offers that the others don’t. </p>
<p>Academically, it’s not just HPME. Northwestern offers some of the country’s absolutely best programs in journalism, communication, engineering, theater, ISP, MMSS, education, and music that trump those at the Ivys, “lower” or “higher.” Our liberal arts departments are strong across the board and indistiguishable at the undergraduate level from those at any of our peers. </p>
<p>For some, it’s not a particular academic program but access to the great city of Chicago, Big Ten school spirit, a less intense/less competitive midwestern ethic, or maybe just the lakefront that lures them. For some, it’s not one thing but a combination of the above that just makes it feel right. Satisfaction with their experiences after four years is about as high as it gets anywhere. And yes, certainly higher than you’d see at the H of your HYPSM. Count your blessings.</p>
<ol>
<li><p>Northwestern is ranked above both Cornell AND Brown in US News Best Colleges 2010.</p></li>
<li><p>OP, it sounds like you would enjoy your state school better. Go there.</p></li>
<li><p>I…guess I don’t have a 3. Go Wildcats?</p></li>
</ol>
<p>“Just don’t complain later on if your school is not recruited by a number of prestigious firms or if getting into a good grad school is much more difficult…Going to Northwestern does not limit your future prospects in any way, shape, or form.”</p>
<p>Attending most flagship state unis also do not limit your future prospects in any way, shape or form. Being recruited by prestigious firms and getting into a good grad school are still the very realistic hopes and dreams of many state school students who don’t wish to (or can’t) throw down 50K a year for a private education.</p>
<p>In fact, depending on your financial situation, going to a state school could make it MORE likely that you are able to attend a prestigious graduate school. I can’t tell you how many people I know who spent 50K a year on their undergrad education, were accepted to many prestigious grad schools, but then had to turn down all of them for a scholarship at virtually unheard of programs. Conversely, those who chose to save money and attend a state school by and large had many more choices open to them.</p>
<p>There are certainly benefits to going to a smaller school, going to a higher ranked school.</p>
<p>But generally they aren’t worth full pay versus state uni tuition FOR THE PURPOSE of grad school admission or career prospects.</p>
<p>In terms of your own personal enjoyment, growth, the learning experience, what have you, maybe then it’s “worth” it to you. And a lot of times, private schools give better finaid packages and actually don’t cost significantly more (or may cost significantly less). In that case, going to NU would be a no-brainer.</p>
<p>But I can see why NU versus a state school is a tough choice for many. Unless you’re poor (lots of financial aid) or really rich (don’t give a f***), weighing the money versus tangible benefit versus enjoyment is a tough decision.</p>
<p>UMCP, PhD programs are almost always fully funded. When it comes to law, people tend to go to the higher-ranked ones because the investment will pay out in the end. When it comes to medicine, the rank of the school doesn’t matter.</p>
<p>^The people I know took scholarships to law school. Didn’t matter that the big name would pay off later - it wasn’t financially feasible in the present.</p>
<p>The point of the post was that any assertion about it being easier to get into top grad programs or receive an offer for a top job with a Northwestern degree is simply not true. </p>
<p>Various employers, graduate admissions people, etc. have shared this with me and, in fact, have shared it with the CC community.</p>
<p>You’d like to know you’re paying for the prestige, but alas, you are not. You are paying for the great financial aid other students receive, as well as smaller class sizes, nicer campus, a more niche environment, etc. Better prep for grad or a job or better profs? Nah, generally not…top students at flagships go on to top grad schools and do well there. Better “fit”? Perhaps - depends on the student.</p>
<p>If OP is not “feeling NU” there’s really no point in going there. It’s not going to do anything for him. It’s not going to get him a better job.</p>
<p>If he loves NU (doesn’t seem like it, but…) and has the money, then maybe it’s a good investment, because he will be happier there and therefore do better academically than he would at someplace he is “not feeling it.”</p>
<p>But again doesn’t seem like he likes it very much, so I don’t see the point, and comments by a previous poster that he will later “complain about not getting a prestigious job or going to a good grad school” are just absolutely juvenile.</p>
<p>Then again, whining begets more whining…;)</p>
<p>Most people in law school take out loans. It’s unwise of the people you speak of to take scholarships to lower-ranked schools since law is a very elitist profession. The name of your school matters a lot and will follow you for life.</p>
<p>I’d say people in top PhD programs disproportionately come from top undergraduate schools. Those who make it into those programs from no-name schools are more the exception than the rule.</p>
<p>In the end, the OP should choose where he feels he can thrive socially and academically. I will say though that people from top schools have far more opportunities available to them than their counterparts at no-name schools. These come in the form of access to top professors, generous research grants, interaction with a highly motivated and talented student body, successful alumni, recruitment by exclusive firms, etc.</p>
<p>“Most people in law school take out loans. It’s unwise of the people you speak of to take scholarships to lower-ranked schools since law is a very elitist profession. The name of your school matters a lot and will follow you for life.”</p>
<p>Unfortunately, they were unable to, since they took out so many loans for undergrad/didn’t have enough savings to cover the amount they needed to. So, you simply supported my point.</p>
<p>In the OP’s case, going to his state uni for undergrad could give him more opportunities, if he is interested in the law or medical professions.</p>
<p>“Those who make it into those programs from no-name schools are more the exception than the rule”</p>
<p>State flagships are almost NEVER “no-name” schools. I assume the OP got into his state flagship. Doesn’t make sense that someone who got into NU would also apply to Middle State Nowhere University. Tons of students from state flagships go into top PhD programs, certainly - if top schools are overrepresented, it is only because you can’t even get into a top school unless you’ve demonstrated a certain level of intelligence. The OP did, indeed, get into Northwestern. So he’s fine, even if he doesn’t go there.</p>
<p>“These come in the form of access to top professors, generous research grants, interaction with a highly motivated and talented student body, successful alumni, recruitment by exclusive firms, etc.”</p>
<ol>
<li><p>Professors are equally qualified at flagship state unis (I can tell you from personal experience that I’ve had profs who previously taught at more prestigious universities, including NU, as well as profs who left to go teach at more prestigious unis). Many who never taught at a top university may actually be better teachers, if not better researchers. </p></li>
<li><p>Research grants are available at flagship state unis, most of which are major research institutions - also, assuming one is a top student at a state uni, access to such grants may be easier (big fish/small pond, yadda yadda).</p></li>
<li><p>Peer group is one thing to consider. But it’s somewhat small in the grand scheme, depending, of course, on your finances. If it’s no sweat to pay for NU, it’s no sweat to pay for a good peer group. But otherwise, students at state flagships who seek out their intellectual peers will find them. It may take -some- extra effort, but getting involved and making sure to shoot for honors programs and intellectual extracurriculars can only be the good kind of extra effort.</p></li>
<li><p>State unis probably graduate more successful alumni, due to their size - in fact, the majority of CEOs are from state unis.</p></li>
<li><p>Exclusive firms recruit at many flagship state unis. Sorry, don’t kid yourself, NU is not that special. I’m actually a relative of someone who hires for one of the top consulting firms…</p></li>
</ol>
<p>Again, I don’t disagree that there are some benefits of going to a top university, and I don’t disagree that those benefits may indeed be “worth it,” depending on your finances. But by and large TANGIBLE benefits, such as access to good profs, successful alumni, smart kids, exclusive firms, blahblah…all available at the majority of state flagships.</p>
<p>sorry the rest of that consulting firm sentence should read: said employer regular turns down Ivy League candidates for state school graduates, with reasoning like “state school student had better grades, or better experience, or was a more impressive interviewee in terms of demeanor or case completion blahblahblah.” </p>
<p>You know, normal reasons you’d turn down one person for another. Name on the degree is of extremely minimal importance, especially if the degrees we’re comparing is NU vs. a flagship.</p>
<p>Well obviously finances would change things. If there’s too much of a discrepancy in cost and the other school in question is indeed a highly respectable school, then I would choose that other school too. But only if I absolutely have to. </p>
<p>This question is especially important for those aiming for top law schools, which are very numbers-driven in their admissions process. The competition to get a top GPA at schools like NU is keen, so one is probably better off going to non-elite school and getting a high GPA there (wider range of abilities) as long as you can get a high LSAT score to go along with that GPA.</p>
<p>What top firms are you talking about that recruit at state flagships and what are these state flagships? I’m aware the name of a school just gets your foot in the door and the rest of the hiring will be based on your personal traits/talents, but that first step is nonetheless a very important one.</p>
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<p>This really depends on what state school you’re talking about. There are ones like UC Berkeley and UVA which are pretty well-known and are well-regarded by employers. And then you have not so good state schools, such as those that belong to the CSU system or CUNY’s. </p>
<p>And yes, it does limit your employment prospects, depending on the field you’re interested in. I don’t know about top consulting firms, but I can tell you that your chances of getting into a BB investment banking firm out of a no-name school are not good. At all. And I’m not going to claim I know anything about grad school admissions, but I would assume that the university you go to does play a role (however small it may be) in admissions to say, law schools. Med schools from what I’ve heard are a different story altogether.</p>
<p>^Again, why the heck are we talking about no-name schools?</p>
<p>I’m talking about flagships. CSU and CUNY schools are not flagships.</p>
<p>Idk, maybe the poster applied to one of these schools, but I’m assuming he applied to a state flagship or other well-respected institution in his state, not something on a lower tier. That makes the most sense based on the other schools he shot for and his Northwestern acceptance.</p>
<p>I’ve heard law schools are point and shoot GPA+LSAT. </p>
<p>I suppose the assumption is that the good GPA is reflective of intellectual talent, even if the good GPA comes from a lower ranked school, if you have the LSAT scores to back it up, as brebeuff said.</p>
<p>i’m just curious…where did/do you go to college umcp11?</p>
<p>Oh, and to answer the question, at UMCP some recruiting partners include J.P Morgan, Ernst & Young, Deloitte, KPMG, Bank of America-Merrill Lynch, Morgan Stanley, Barclays-Lehman Brothers, PricewaterhouseCoopers…</p>
<p>And our business school is not even the best school here. Engineering and comp sci are really UMCP shining stars so to speak.</p>
<p>I go to school at UMCP…of course 
</p>
<p>I am interested in Northwestern for grad, perhaps…it’s always been a school I respect very highly. It was on the table to go there for my undergrad, in fact. Definitely was my dream school and I would’ve loved it there, I’m sure. It irks me that OP has a great opportunity and he doesn’t see it that way, but at the same time I know how it is to go to a school you don’t “love”. If OP does not “love” NU, or sees his state school as fit, there is no reason to go to NU. He shouldn’t choose NU because he thinks it’s going to give him a better shot at grad schools or careers…assuming his state uni isn’t horrendous, of course, it will probably present him with the same or virtually the same opportunities in that vein…he should choose it because it’s a fit for him and he’d be happy to go there.</p>
<p>There have just been some inaccurate comments on this thread that drive me nuts. I don’t want some poor kid to read this and get the wrong ideas.</p>