<p>wealthofinformation, I'd disagree with you. The overall climate of Columbia is significantly more intellectual than that of Miami. Of course there are 4.0/2100+ people, but there are many more that are significantly below that! A LOT of what you learn in college comes outside of the classroom, and being around <em>all</em> highly intelligent and intellectual people can be a unique experience.</p>
<p>Also, Ken Jennings knows a lot of facts, but to me, he hasn't demonstrated any true <em>intelligence</em>. I'm sure he's smart, but to say he's run rings around a lot of Columbians is probably a bit off. Colombians, maybe. </p>
<p>But I guess Miami beats Columbia in climate ;) .</p>
<p>Coureur, I don't care about the successes of two people. I'm sure there are plenty of highly intelligent/intellectual people at Miami, but the overall atmosphere is nothing like that. And for a high-achiever, particularly one who is intrinsically motivated to succeed, going to a school like Columbia is a once in a lifetime experience.</p>
<p>Cavalier,
"I know of a girl who turned down W&M (instate) to go to an obscure $30k LAC (with no merit/financial aid) because she wanted to be better relative to everyone else. Talk about insecurity!"</p>
<p>Could be insecurity - or plans for med school where being a star at an LAC would give you a stellar GPA and rec's. This isn't my cup of tea - and definitely not my son's - but people are all different - and not all can deal with expanding their horizons at 17 or 18.</p>
<p>You know, it's funny how perceptions can differ so much. I do not frequent the kids' boards, so I am not exposed to the "You're in" "you're gold" or "you're dead meat" or "am I screwed" posts that seem to populate those boards. </p>
<p>i do recall many parents urging students to go to the highest-ranked colleges they could get in, but I also recall many urging the same students to consider the financial implications of their decisions. If one reads back the threads about Evil Robot, I think parents came down on both sides of the issue. The year I first joined CC, I was reading posts from a Korean-American girl whose parents were pressuring her to apply to Yale when her heart was on a different school. This year, I actually have seen less of the Ivy-or-bust mentality on the parents forum and fewer students complaining that their parents were making them apply only to Ivies. And we can thank Mini for reminding all quite regularly that $200k is a lot of money.</p>
<p>I am R.N. who happens to work at Columbia University Medical Center. I have worked for 20 plus years. I have got to know many of the medical staff, medical students over the years. a third of them went to the Ivies and the rest of them went to other so called "other schools. You can't tell who went where. Talent is everywhere, not just at the Ivies. How can people think that this is not true. Elitism is live and well. Talent can only take you so far in life. If people choose to mix with only their " equals" it is a sad reflection of our society in general.</p>
<p>Cavalier, what makes you the expert of college rankings? Have you been at any of these campuses? Have you actually spoke with any students at these institutions that you refer to be "second rate"?</p>
<p>I'm not an expert. But it doesn't take a rocket scientist to see that Yale provides a more intellectual environment than Miami does. Oh, and for the record, I've never used the term "second rate." There's nothing wrong with Miami, clearly. I'm just saying that it doesn't provide the same atmosphere that some of the elites do. </p>
<p>I think you're confusing blindly following rankings with choosing schools that are simply better than others. Choosing Dartmouth over Rice because Dartmouth is ranked higher is stupid. Choosing Dartmouth over Appalachian State because it's a better school isn't.</p>
<p>Cavalier, I looked at your profile. Are you a student? If so you need to get out and sample the world a bit. You find things are not what they appear to be.</p>
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1tcm, have you been here for five years? Did you previously have a different screen name?
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<p>Yep. I started out as 1sttimecollegemom back when son got his PSAT results of sophmore year in high school. So that would have been...2000/2001 school year. <em>Gulp...has it been that long?</em> I believe it was Roger that shortned my moniker to 1tcm in a response to a post of mine....and thus the shorter name. LOL</p>
<p>I rarely post anywhere here in the parents cafe, much preferring just to be helpful in the individual school listings. But, having seen so much over the course of the last five years, everynow and then I just have to speak up. LOL........Kinda like a pressure release valve ;) </p>
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There's nothing wrong with Miami, clearly. I'm just saying that it doesn't provide the same atmosphere that some of the elites do.
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And in that same pressure release valve smart a** vein: That's true. UM doesn't provide the same atmosphere. Some of its atmosphere is better. ;)</p>
<p>Dang, 1tcm, you were here when the rocks were still molten. I remember the first ferns appearing. And the lungfish...don't forget about the lungfish. </p>
<p>It was PSAT that drew me here as well...let's see...Fall 2002. I remember the whole board passing the 50K post mark.</p>
<p>LOL...the post I remember most.....was a post trying to figure out how to get more parents here so that'd we'd be able to read more than 1 new post a day. Oh...how things have changed!!</p>
<p>Well, I personally solved that one if it hadn't already been solved prior to my arrival. But I think it had. My problem was that while waiting for an answer, I saw a question that I knew the answer to and then stuck around to see if there was any follow-up.</p>