<p>Does it matter if you go to a large, well-known public (or private) university that almost everyone knows about or to a small, off-the-beaten-path school with a couple of thousand students? I was told that going to schools that are famous for their academic programs are better than tiny private schools. Is it true?</p>
<p>No. Many smaller schools (LACs especially) are not particularly well-known, but they are amazing schools. I mean…if prestige and being able to brag about where you are going is important to you, I would say a big impressive research university is probably the place you want to be. But if you’re just interested in getting a great education, you can get an amazing experience from a smaller college that “no one” has heard of. It depends on your learning style though and (to some extent) your intended major.</p>
<p>Absolutely not. Amherst College, for example, is a phenomenal liberal arts college with an extremely tiny acceptance rate (10-15 percent, around there). Ohio State, hands down, is more recognized nationally (among non-academia), but that doesn’t mean it beats Amherst.</p>
<p>It depends on what schools you’re talking about. For example, University of Michigan (very large) is better respected than Hope College (very small) but Carleton (very small) is better thought of than University of Minnesota (very large). </p>
<p>In terms of prestige, what matters isn’t that the average person has heard of it but that it is respected by academics, most importantly grad school admission boards.</p>
<p>Remember though that there’s more to picking a good school than just prestige.</p>
<p>raelah’s post is spot on. Unless you want to go into something like investment banking where you need lots of connections.</p>
<p>Thank you, everyone. I’m anticipating to major in Journalism. I’m looking at relatively well-known schools right now, though I’m looking at some smaller schools.</p>