<p>From this website to my own personal life, I've witnessed a myriad of people who aspire to go to an HYPSM and univeristies of the like, heck even I did. But is it really that important to go to such a prestigious university for undergrad? Will it really affect many chances to get into a great graduate school? </p>
<p>I feel like I could thrive just as much in schools like Vanderbilt, Georgetown, Johns Hopkins, etc., as I could in these big name univeristies. I mean I feel like I have the credentials to possibly get accepted into a top tier, but I sense that I would be just as happy in another decent school, like Vanderbilt. I understand that the cosmopolitan competitiveness to find a successful occupation is growing by minute, so I guess it would be greatly beneficial if I were to attend a highly ranked school. </p>
<p>So here is my ultimate question: Can I be just as successful if I make the most of my education at an undergrad school like Georgetown, as opposed to HYPSM, Columbia, UChicago, CalTech and schools of similar caliber or is it a must that I should attend a top tier university for undergrad in order to be successful?</p>
<p>Your premise is wrong – Vanderbilt, Gtown, JHU, etc. ARE big name, prestigious universities that are highly ranked. They aren’t “second tier” to HYPSM except in the minds of a few unsophisticated high school seniors who don’t know anything. These are all great schools offering more opportunities than any one student could ever take advantage of, and there is no meaningful trade-off or trade-down in attending these schools.</p>
<p>Vanderbilt and Georgetown are big name, top tier institutions. HYP probably set themselves slightly apart, but by and large, I don’t think there are huge differences between the rest of the top 20 schools.</p>
<p>Successful is such a relative term…I know kids who went to Po Dunk Community College who are VERY successful. That said, I agree with the other two posters, there is just as much prestige to the schools you mention as most any Ivy League school.</p>
<p>Don’t ever forget, the Ivy League was set up as simply a sports league. There are plenty of amazing and high ranked schools which are every bit a prestigious as some of the Ivy schools but just happen to play their sports in different sports leagues. The bottom line is that people are happy and successful in any one of a number of outstanding colleges and universities throughout the country.</p>
<p>1) the S and M of HYPSM are not Ivy League schools.
2) there are plenty of elite universities which aren’t in the Ivy League- Stanford, Cal Tech, MIT, JHU Vandy, G town, RIce et al.
3) for the vast majority of jobs and graduate/professional school admissions, going to any of the aforementioned schools will work just as well as the others</p>
<p>No, you’re right that only the Ivies can make someone extremely successful. For instance, look at the endowments at some of the best non Ivy schools in the country. Most of the money came from Harvard grads taking pity on those poor peons who had to settle for schools like Emory, Georgetown, Rice, and other podunk institutions. </p>
<p>In fact, look at the grad student bios at some of the top grad schools in the country. Literally all of them came from Ivy League institutions and not one of the other “so-so” colleges like Pomona, Johns Hopkins, or Carleton. </p>
<p>Also everyone knows that the only people who matter went to Northeast private schools. I can’t recall a single successful person who ever graduated from UCLA, William & Mary, or the University of Florida. I’m sure that Arnold Schwarzenegger often mopes on his bed wondering how much better his life would have turned out had he gone to Stanford and not Santa Monica Community College.</p>
<p>Jeez. I was just asking about the importance of the college you choose since the job market is becoming more and more competitive. I am no Arnold Schwarzenegger, I have no talent in the movie industry. I’m average kid, not a U18 soccer player for Bayern Munich, not the next Chopin, not an prospective Olympic contender. I have no supernatural talent to fall back on. Today’s world is certainly not the same as it was say 10, 20 years ago. It is becoming more and more competitive to find a job, and many domestic job applicants are losing positions at a big company to other international applicants, as outsourcing is becoming a viable tool. So I was just wondering if it would be of importance if we choose a second tier college, as many others who land prestigious positions at large corporations are probably going high ranked schools. I apologize for saying Vanderbilt, Georgetown, and Johns Hopkins. Perhaps I should have used UOklahoma, or any state school. </p>
<p>@andy09: I am well aware and cerebral enough to know that Stanford and MIT are not in the Ivy League. In my title, I loosely say Ivy League to note the schools in the league and others of similar caliber.</p>
<p>There have been a bazillion threads on the “does prestige matter?” topic. You should look at the different perspectives people have offered there to reassure yourself.</p>
<p>If you are using the term Ivy League to denote not just the actual 8 but schools of similar caliber, then all the schools you mentioned are Ivy League.</p>
<p>^Maybe once my dad stops pushing me to attend only an Ivy League school and schools of similar caliber since I was 8 years old and that I MUST attend only those schools. I actually asked my dad if I could go to Vanderbilt, and he said a simple no, and that I should aim for the top of the the top schools in his opinion (HYPSM). It was how I was brought up since childhood, this notion implanted in my mind that the only was I can be successful is if I attend HYPSM.</p>
<p>Every school can regurgitate to you a list of successful alumni. And every school, yes even Harvard, has alumni that are struggling to get by. It’s all about what you make of it.</p>
<p>@Pizzagirl: That’s exactly what I thought. That’s what my GC and people a lot of here people on CC said. I just wanted to confirm that he was indeed wrong. I’m sorry for this stupid thread, and I appreciate your input.</p>