<p>Blossom, I have a nit to pick with your statement that it’s a “CC canard” to suggest that famous professors ignore their undergraduates. I was a grad student in different disciplines in two large universities, and I did a fair amount of TAing at both schools. Not all the professors were famous, but most of them were. In the classes I assisted with, the professors did not read student work - not papers, not problem sets, not exams. They taught in medium to large lectures, and I don’t think they learned the names of most of their students. </p>
<p>Across both schools, I met just one (1) undergraduate who collaborated on a faculty project - this was at the larger of the two universities, and she was a very unusual student. I think quite a few of these professors were good teachers, and it wouldn’t be fair to say that they ignored the undergrads, because they seemed to work hard at creating interesting lectures and assignments. But they also weren’t involved with any undergrads as individuals, as far as I could tell. </p>
<p>All disclaimers apply - this is just one person’s experience.</p>