<p>Getting accepted into a top tier school is like literally impossible for me. Sure, I get good grades, have good ECs, etc, but I'm just not good enough. But hey, I am only in 9th Grade, so what do I know?</p>
<p>However, it seems that getting accepted into a prestigious college is very important. Too important. It's not only obvious on this site, but also in real life. People hate the concept of community college and/or state university. It's not those UVA or UM-Ann Arbor type state universities hate. They hate those state universities who are traditionally can't be compared to the top 20 schools, but still have hidden good qualities of them. </p>
<p>Has the college rankings overhelmed our society? Are prestigious colleges that important? I mean though a lot of those top 20 school graduates have awesome lives with tons of money, fame, and respect, but a lot of the most successful, happy people don't come from those schools. Most people in the US and the world don't come from those schools!!!</p>
<p>I NEED to get into a top tier college because my family is poor, I want a quality education out of state, and nearly all top tier colleges offer free tuition to poorer families.</p>
<p>Being Korean, I kind of have standards from my parents. But also I believe that going to a top tier college gives you the best college experience from great academics, your attendance in a well-respected school, it’s most likely a big school, Division I athletics, and great social experience with all the greek life systems. For me, going to a top tier college is something like a school in the Big Ten, etc. I went to Purdue for a year and loved it but had to drop out of finances but my parents didn’t mind me leaving the school since I couldn’t do much about finances.</p>
<p>The top tier schools usually also have the best academics - A Nobel prize winner teaching you?- and offer the most opportunities since they have more money to spend to this end.
I mean, who wouldn’t want their classes to be taught by, say, a Amartya Sen, Chomsky or Tony Blair? And have peers that are intellectually challenging as well. </p>
<p>It is funny that at CC people always talk about prestige and job prospects etc, but never about the actual intellectual experience.</p>
<p>Because the truth is in the end school is an investment so you can get a better job later on in life. A Nobel laureate might not know how to teach at all, you know…</p>
<p>But still, having the opportunity to talk and listen to the experts in several fields is quite inspiring, isn’t it? Even if they don’t know how to engage their audience that well.</p>
<p>^ Well, one of the unfortunate consequences of attending a top-tier school is an almost immediate feeling of mediocrity. </p>
<p>After all, you know how you were one of the brightest kids in your school? So was everyone else. Not only that, they may come from a storied family. They may be the rubik’s cube champion of the universe, a well-recognized actor/actress, someone who was recruited by the NHL but wanted an Ivy degree first, etc, etc. </p>
<p>Once you get over it, it’s empowering. I mean, just consider the socialogical concept of social capital. I grew up just above the poverty line. Now, I am friends with the kids of heads of state, etc. That’s an intangible benefit, at first. However, as life goes on, it proves invaluable.</p>
<p>If you want to be earning six or seven figures a year then I guess it’s important.</p>
<p>If you know that money isn’t everything and that you’d be happy earning “only” 60K a year doing something you love, then no it’s not important at all.</p>
<p>esmee- What exactly are you whining about in your post? You are complaining that “people” put too much importance on prestigious schools and are not respectful of those who go to less than tier 1 schools. You are just in the fall semester of your freshman year of hs and you declare don’t want to sacrifice and do the hard work necessary to put yourself in the running for top schools. So don’t, but you’re going to have to listen to your parents and their friends asking you why you are not performing to your highest potential (in their eyes and yours) and are content to attend a lesser school. It is going to be a long 3 1/2 years for you. Good Luck.</p>