Hi all my question is which would be better:
Having an undergrad degree from a top school only
Or
Having two undergrad degrees with the state institution being first followed by one from an ivy/top school
Thanks
So, I think that I have read all your questions & replies, and it seems as if you aren’t getting the info you are looking for, but like others I am not sure what it is that you want. So, I will answer your exact question as best I can, and hope that it helps!
As others have said, 2 undergrads is almost never a good a plan. Why? aside from the fact that many schools won’t do a 2nd undergrad, there is the ‘why’ question. The third level* educational hierarchy is based on: undergraduate (Bachelor’s), in which you become generally educated, with a deeper understanding of one field. For most subjects, to become a specialist in that field you do a Masters degree. In many fields there is another level, PhD, which is research focused, but is also the level at which you are considered expert enough to teach.
Of course, there are (many!) variations. There are fields in which the highest degree is a Masters (often referred to as a Terminal Masters, to indicate that there is no PhD in that field). For the professional vocations (law, medicine, accountancy, etc) there are subject-specific designations and requirements.
To do an undergraduate degree in subject X, and then do another in subject Y usually only appertains to a wholly - profoundly- incompatible undergraduate degree. For example, if you got a BA in history, but decided to go into nursing a BS in nursing might make sense- but there may be other ways to do it (I’m not familiar with all the pathways in nursing). Students who are interested in more than one field typically double major, add minors, or create their own major. Students who develop a different interest later typically do additional coursework and then do a masters in the field. For example, I know a student who majored in history but decided later that she really wanted to do anthropology. She went back and took the core required courses as a non-degree student, and then applied to do a Masters. Not easy, but faster than doing a second undergraduate degree, and she got there.
Your other replies suggest that you aren’t that happy with people asking you for more info about your situation. Please understand that some of these posters have a long history of being very helpful to students trying to find solutions to their educational circumstances- they aren’t being nosy for the sake of it, but looking for info that will help them help you.
*primary = grade school, secondary = middle/high school, tertiary = university / grad school
Mysterycandy-- I’m starting to sense that you’re trying to justify going to the state school for now, by planning on a second bachelor’s degree down the road.
That is not a viable plan. Go to the school you can afford right now (I’m assuming that’s the state school) and depending on your career goal, get a Master’s, or start a doctoral program, or go to Law school, or get a Master’s in public health or take the CFA exam and get certified.
You can start three more threads but our answer is still going to be the same.
The problem with your plan is unless you are independently wealthy, how will you pay for this second bachelors from an ivy/top school. There is no need based financial aid or merit aid available after the completion of your first bachelors.
Top schools don’t generally admit for second bachelor’s degrees.