Top public vs. Ivy league kids

College Confidential Community
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<p>Let me preface this by saying this is not an intentional attempt at trolling. The result could be different, however.</p>

<p>I forget what it was exactly that I was reading the other day, but the author was a student from Princeton who said that while his friends at top publics weren't necessarily less intelligent than him and his classmates at Princeton, they "********ted" less and didn't know how to "play the game". This resonated with me, and as I myself wait to hear back from both top public and ivy league schools that I have applied to as a transfer I wonder, what are the substantive differences between the students at top publics and ivies? (other top privates may fall within the same category as the ivies or they may not)</p>

<p>I know how much the people of this forum like to generalize and speculate, so I figured that this might be an interesting conversation. In the event that the conversation gets bloody I will lay some ground rules, and they are: no touching of the hair or face. That is all. </p>

<p>Now, have at it.</p>

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<p>A lot of people say that top privates are better because they’re cheaper, still offer a good education, and can still lead too a good grad school, which is what really matters.</p>

<p>Honestly, I would regard people who take the less expensive route and get into prestigious grad schools to be “playing the game” more than those who get into ivies for undergrad. My definition of “playing the game” would be focusing on getting employable degrees in the cheapest way possible.</p>

<p>I’m a bit biased toward privates, but I’m more particular to LACs because I want my to learn something from my undergrad, not just get a degree. But really, it probably comes down to your educational philosophy and what you plan on doing about grad school, if anything. If you aren’t going to grad school, then an ivy undergrad will be what employers see and that will stand out.</p>