<p>Please, please, please decide here and now that you will never define yourself or anyone else by a bumper sticker. There are those of us who have lurked around here for ages and we see smart, vibrant students take on buckets of debt to get a “name brand” college degree. If you can swing an Ivy or MIT style degree, then there are indications that it can open some doors (particularly in law, politics or finance). </p>
<p>But if Harvard or Yale are not on your shopping list, then please know that graduating debt free or near debt free from Texas State maybe be a far better deal than $$$$ in debt with a degree from Baylor. </p>
<p>It is heartbreaking to see teens think that a college in another country/state/county has to be finer than what is in one’s own backyard. Often that is not the case. San Marcos, TX is a tourist destination because it is such a beautiful part of Texas (I’m from El Paso and I know!). </p>
<p>I will agree that UT or Texas A&M has some more “clout” academically – but a quick look at the College Board site says that 14% of the Texas State student body is coming from the top 10% of their class. With some 30,000 students enrolled, doesn’t that mean there are about 3,500 Top-of-class kids running around campus? I’d be worried if there were only one or two, but 3,500 means that the profs are going to be used to moving smart kids along. </p>
<p>There’s a Bible verse that reads “I cried because I had no shoes until I saw a man who had no feet.”</p>
<p>I’d say go ahead and throw together a few more college applications in the next couple of weeks if you can (Trinity in San Antonio?) but also hold your blessings close to your heart. And if the name on the bumper sticker is truly important, there’s always Grad School! Good luck!</p>