<p>@Stanfordmania: Sorry–have to mention you in one more comment LOL-- But that is absolutely brilliant. I love that term ‘Dinner Party Index’.</p>
<p>@Smithg1227 Here’s the Dinner Party Index:</p>
<p>Level 1: Mhm oh k
Level 2: I’ve heard of that!
Level 3: My friend’s uncle’s bro’s sister’s dog’s plant’s goldfish’s BFF went there
Level 4: My kid’s overpaid private counsellor told him/her to apply there
Level 5: Please marry my daughter/son</p>
<p>You could show your parents this: <a href=“Ranking Colleges by Prestigiosity - #178 by rjkofnovi - College Search & Selection - College Confidential Forums”>Ranking Colleges by Prestigiosity - #178 by rjkofnovi - College Search & Selection - College Confidential Forums;
It’s as good as most other rating systems, and Wash U comes out on top among those from your list.</p>
<p>I applied to Wesleyan Vassar, and Yale not because of their name but from multiple factors: </p>
<ol>
<li>They have my major–astronomy. </li>
<li>I’ve only gone to the Wesleyan tour, but from what I was able to observe I fell in love with the campus. As for the two others I looked up online tours on YouTube and the Yale website; which, in the end, made me sure that my decisions completely reflected what I want in when attending that college/university.</li>
<li>They’re my last hope in fulfilling my true major. I applied to two other schools (one safety and one competitive) that don’t have astronomy, but have physics (another subject I have a passion for). Originally if I were to be accepted to either of my reach schools I would be double majoring; making that one step closer into getting a doctoral degree in astronomy. So if were not able to attend either these schools my life would feel incomplete. Sure there is the option of transferring, but that is a painstaking process; but nonetheless I would have to do it anyway.</li>
<li>I only have a single parent whose car is not an SUV. I know that there are many other schools with astronomy majors, but from where I live they’re too far away. My mom has a very small car and if we were to drive more than 100 miles then you would expect some issues along the way and back. I originally wanted to apply to Boston University, but it was more than 100 miles away. My mom wouldn’t tolerate the drive and nor do we have the money for a a driver service to drop me off at the campus.</li>
</ol>
<p>Sometimes, you just feel like driving up to your prom date’s house in a shiney red Lambo. So sleek. Such prestige. Even if it is a rental paid for by your dad. Of course, a 1950 Volvo with a faulty carburetor, and missing three hubcaps, would have gotten her to the restaurant just the same, transport-wise. BUT THE FEEL IS TOTALLY DIFFERENT.</p>
<p>@Stanfordmania i like that 5th one</p>
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<p>Although you mention you may not be returning to India, I think the name is a valid consideration IF it is more than dinner party index and is a job index and a promotion index and a social index.</p>
<p>I don’t know about India, but in other countries, those other indices can be more significant.</p>
<p>If you want to get into finance on Wall Street, then you should note that recruiters almost only consider applicants from prestigious schools.</p>
<p>I don’t think there is anything wrong with placing emphasis on prestige, or not, when choosing a college. How one views the importance of prestige can vary between cultures, regions, and families. One person may say it doesn’t matter, and for another person, it could matter very much.
For an international student, choosing a college that has worldwide recognition might be extremely important. For someone who lives in a rural town in the US, the state flagship might be considered a great choice. Not attending a prestigious college may have little impact on one person, but perhaps it has a large impact on a student who lives somewhere else, or has different goals.
One of the posters lives in India, and even if there are not plans to return, there is still that possibility. If the name and reputation of a college is of great significance there,- then one can choose the best college for that that situation. </p>
<p>
@preamble1776</p>
<p>Ironically, that is the exact situation I find myself in. Being homeschooled, I have found that many of my peers are directly or indirectly discriminated against at “low tier” public universities which would traditionally be considered safety schools.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, some of the only schools that truthfully give a chance (and indeed, some would say a better chance) to homeschooled students also happen to be the most selective. I thus find myself in a complicated situation.</p>
<p>Also, as a general comment to this thread, one’s major matters too. I want to major in Finance. This happens to be a prestige-oriented industry (especially on Wall Street.)</p>
<p>That would be a reason to apply to a college based solely on the prestige factor.</p>
<p>I agree. I go to Penn and once you start taking classes the name/prestige quickly fades. You just feel like any other college student who takes classes. What really matters is that the school is a perfect fit for YOU not for anything else. And yes, Penn was a great match for me and I’m loving every second that college has to offer!</p>
<p>I don’t think it is inherently wrong. There are some personality types that need prestige, expensive cars, and big homes. They live for the attention and luxuries; that is who they are. Graduates of those brand name or prestigious schools will find employers who appreciates the prestige too. </p>
<p>I think it is wrong when families are going through financial hardships for the schools or the kids enroll into schools that are not matches for them. But people are adults and they have to live with their decisions.</p>
<p>The truth is that I believe students will be happy at almost any top college. There are thousands of students and often enough niches to find your own. </p>
<p>@preamble1776 said it beautifully. If a student is of a calibre that he/she can get into a school where prestige may become a deciding factor, it is very likely that he/she has gotten into several equally prestigious schools. At that point, I don’t think people really look at the prestige, since all of the institutions are of equal merit; they start looking at the things that would “fit” them. Basically, prestige can be a good general filter, but once you have a list of prestigious schools, the filter becomes more selective. As an example, consider a student who applies and gets into Harvard and Stanford and used prestige as the only metric to choose which schools to apply to; now that he’s gotten into both H and S, he can analyze both and see which fits him. Does he want to go into computer science? Does he like small classes over large classes? Does he like California over Massachusetts? Warm all year, or frigid winters? The list goes on and on.</p>
<p>It’s not really bad in itself, its just the sheer ignorance of other factors. The thing is, focusing only on this factor will shut out all other things that would make someone really actually enjoy attending a certain place. Size, location, weather, etc. All these simple living conditions that really need to outweigh “prestige”.</p>
<p>Using prestige as the only criterion for college selection is as shallow, myopic, and vain as choosing your spouse based on beauty alone or choosing your career on salary alone. Many live their entire lives this way; that’s their choice.</p>
<p>In my opinion the pursuit of prestige can be a thief of opportunity. At my D’s school, there are kids applying without research, poo pooing fantastic schools recommended by the guidance counselor and squandering their early application advantage on schools they hardly know anything about - all in pursuit of prestige.</p>
<p>If you’re able to truly liberate yourself from the criterion of prestige (not easy for teenagers or parents), I think you actually give yourself a competitive advantage at the top schools and you’ll likely be more satisfied with your results, regardless of rankings or prestige.</p>
<p>@Hunt&Smithg1227: Speaking for myself (Penn, Class of 1991)…I had a great time in West Philly, had some amazing profs (including Drew Faust, now the president of Harvard), and made lifelong friends.</p>
<p>But it’s become so tough to get into the Ivy-tier schools and I don’t want to put that pressure on my kids. I’m Asian and a semi-Tiger Dad, but married to a lovely caucasian woman who thankfully tempers some of my draconian tendencies. I didn’t want our kids to grow up resenting their parents — which I’ve seen in some products of a more traditional Asian upbringing (not me).</p>
<p>I think so much depends on each individual kid, too. My older girl (currently a junior) is a standardized test-taking ninja…and I think she might be be “ivy material” should she want that. But we are also looking at honors colleges at state schools and some of the stronger LACs with her. Fit trumps prestige, at least in our house.</p>
<p>I also think that some of my POV is informed by the fact that I work in a creative field, where having an Ivy degree is a curiosity more than an asset.</p>
<p>One thing to remember is that prestige extends beyond HYPSM or the Ivies. There are plenty of prestigious colleges that you’ve probably never heard of, which sort of seems contrary to the idea of prestige, but it’s true. People on CC are very impressed by WashU, here is St. Louis, we go “Meh, everyone gets in there”, because everyone who’s on the faculty and staff does get their kid in. By contrast, you mention most of the NESCAC schools here, and even knowledgeable people think your kid couldn’t get in anywhere good, but talk to someone originally from the Northeast, and they are impressed.</p>
<p>I agree that it is not inherently wrong; it is usually a mistake according to my own value system.</p>