<p>Something that has been troubling me lately is the fact that everyone else in my senior class of 30 people(small school) believes that they have to apply to the Ivy schools to be successful. </p>
<p>I've deduced that you can get the same education in any school if you are determined to do so. </p>
<p>I've tried to explain that there is more to college than taking extracurriculars that look good(even if you do not enjoy them) and taking SAT prep for that holy 2400.</p>
<p>College, being so close right now, has never felt so far away.</p>
<p>I don’t think the school’s name is the end all, be all. But that’s not to say there is no difference. It all depends on what you want and need from your undergraduate education. Being a social intellectual, my desires include a high-achieving student body. So yes, there’s going to be a measurable difference between Stanford and my state’s satellite campus. If you’re into a field that requires the latest research, there’s going to be a measurable difference between an LAC and a huge research university. If you are interested in international health, there could be a measurable difference between a school that offers a major in international health and a school that doesn’t. But how much is “a measurable difference?” And who says name has anything to do with it? I could get a pretty awesome education at College Park, my in-state flagship - probably not so different from a Stanford education. But it comes down to what you need and want. College Park doesn’t offer what I need or want, and because of that, I opted for a different school - one with “name” appeal.</p>