<p>My D is trying to choose between Emory, William and Mary, and Bucknell to enter next fall. Once her undergrad work is completed, she would like to move back to the Bay Area. Would love to here examples of how a diploma from either of those three schools fares in California for its reputation and recognition.</p>
<p>Grad schools will have heard of them. Most employers and other folks won't.</p>
<p>Barrons is right. I have no idea what the relative ranking of those schools is, but they are all of really solid reputation -- except that 99% of West Coasters have not heard of them....</p>
<p>I disagree. A lot of private schooled kids in Calfornia and the Northwest have indeed heard of ALL of them. I know TONS of Californians make the tour trek back east and include them in their tours. Particularly Emory and William and Mary. </p>
<p>They are all fine schools. Emory and William and Mary are a pinch tougher academically, and Bucknell is a gorgeous school...but a bit of a country club.</p>
<p>If sports are important, also take a look see on that...as Emory is sports challenged for the most part and William and Mary is out there, but not competitive. Bucknell is a better sports school. </p>
<p>But graduate schools and professional schools across the country know them and respect them all.</p>
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A lot of private schooled kids in Calfornia and the Northwest have indeed heard of ALL of them.
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<p>That's the key that explains our disagreement.</p>
<p>By the way, I wasn't saying they aren't good schools -- quite the opposite. But I guarantee you these schools have little brand name recognition on the West Coast. </p>
<p>CCers, by definition, will be a much more tuned in group and that's why nocousin and I know these great schools -- but in California most people don't know them all that well.</p>
<p>In most places in the country I've been too most have never heard of Bucknell or William and Mary. I don't know California specifically, but most people have heard of Emory.</p>
<p>I think you would find it difficult to find top students in the Bay Area and around who haven’t heard of Bucknell. Private and public both.</p>
<p>I feel Emory would have the most name recognition to the general public, but can't say about employers</p>
<p>I would agree that in Calif. very rarely would you encounter someone who has heard of Bucknell, Emory and William and Mary. My D went to Pomona and hardly anyone has heard of it even though it is in state.</p>
<p>By the way, why is your D interested in these schools ? W&M would be tough for a OOS student like your D to gain admission.</p>
<p>D plays a sport and is being recruited by these schools. Quality of education and student life are as important to her as the sport.</p>
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D plays a sport and is being recruited by these schools. Quality of education and student life are as important to her as the sport.
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<p>Can you afford to visit? I would die and go to heaven if my daughter were (far in the future) to be recruited by such great schools. What I know of all three -- mostly anecdotal -- suggests that all three are top-shelf schools. Doing well at any of them would open a lot of doors, I am quite sure.</p>
<p>But what she feels from the ambience and her experience there is the most important thing. Again, I don't know their relative rankings, but I'd say they are all par excellence. So at this point the question is where's the best fit.</p>
<p>I DITTO BedHead's sentiments!</p>
<p>Only a few people in the Bay Area will have heard of any of these schools, or even if they have heard the names they likely won't know enough to know what to make of it. It won't matter all that much, though. If asked she can just say, "Bucknell is a small liberal arts college in the northeast, very good school," or "Emory is a medium-sized research university in Atlanta, very good school," or "William and Mary is a medium-sized research university in Williamsburg, Virginia, the nation's second oldest college (after Harvard) and a very good school." And if they don't believe her they can do some fact-checking and it will all check out. After her first job it will matter even less because they'll be more concerned with how she did on her first job than where she went to school.</p>
<p>Don't let reputation or name recognition be the decider. It's all about fit.</p>
<p>People in the know will have heard of William & Mary more due to its historical significance. Its brought up during most colonial history classes. Emory has President Carter's center so it also has more exposure than most schools. Of course if Bucknell makes another good run in the NCAA tourny lots of people will know about them. they are all good schools, she cant lose.</p>