<p>Just a piece of advice...</p>
<p>I recently read in an article that there is a much stronger correlation between students' success later in life and the universities to which they were ACCEPTED, whereas there is a weaker correlation between students' success and the college which they ATTEND.</p>
<p>Does this mean that the college which one attends has no bearing on his or her future? No. A school with a "good name" may help in grad school admissions. But keep in mind, each student will spend four years at the place of their choice, and so he or she better be in love with the school that he/she has chosen.</p>
<p>Highly motivated and intelligent students will succeed wherever they choose to go. Now I'm not suggesting that a Harvard-accepted student turn down Harvard for the local community college or less-known state university. But going to X school ranked #23 instead of Y school ranked #41, for example, when the student likes choice Y better doesn't seem like the best idea.</p>
<p>I say these things because I faced the same "prestige" problem when deciding on schools. I was accepted to all of my schools...I currently attend Boston College, which I chose over higher-ranked WUSTL, Notre Dame, and USC. I am in love with my school, and in fact believe that after my first semester grades placed me in the top 2% of the class, I will be just as competitive (and quite possibly more competitive) when I apply for jobs and grad schools as other grads from higher-ranked institutions. I am not trying to boast about my initial success at all...I just wanted to let seniors and parents out there right now know that students can and WILL succeed regardless of their school choice.</p>
<p>I hope some of you will take this to heart when deciding. Stick with your gut. Go where you feel most comfortable. Work hard, have fun, and know that the best four years of your life are straight ahead. Good luck!</p>