<p>All about "prestigious colleges"? i mean geez.People here make it sound that if you don't go to to an Ivy you are a failure. You'd think Ohio State was a friggin Community college the way some ppl here are ya know?</p>
<p>Yup. I was never into the ultra-prestigious schools much; the whole atmosphere there just doesn't interest me. To the local state university with me!</p>
<p>I agree, plus in the chances thread there's all kinds of kids talking about getting into Ivy's and stuff when I'm just hoping for ASU right now</p>
<p>This isn't surprising considering that the site is called college confidential. But really I think the reason why is that most people use this site to get advice on how to get into college. And usually the type of advice that is needed the most is on getting into the top colleges. To win admissions to a local state U is pretty straightforward so much advice isn't needed here.</p>
<p>You do not need to go to a prestigious school to get a good education. You need to find the school that interests you, matches your needs and abilities. You have the potential to shine at any school.</p>
<p>There is a lot of hysteria about those schools. Ignore it. You will be happier.</p>
<p>If I had ivy league caliber grades I would probably be snooty too.</p>
<p>Well, it's not always about "prestigious colleges."</p>
<p>Why is a college considered "prestigious" in the first place?
It has to be because it's pretty good.</p>
<p>Wouldn't everyone want to go to a good college, if they had the opportunity to do so?</p>
<p>You have to think about the crowd this site has. Many people are here because they are worried about college (mainly getting into it, but many others come here just for advice about college stuff). Not many everyday students are worried about getting into college starting freshman year of HS.</p>
<p>Generally, prestigious colleges are those that are in the top 50 on the US News and World Report College Rankings guide. Many of them are Ivies. Few of them are state colleges and universities.</p>
<p>Much of the rankings debate about these schools is that economics influences how they are ranked. How much is donated to the university by alumni after graduation is a typical question. Those with large endowments tend to do very well in the rankings.</p>
<p>Another issue is how the questionnaires are sent out to the colleges. The questions go something like this: "What do you think are the best colleges in the country?" and these are typically sent to people like presidents of those colleges.</p>
<p>It is like sending out a questionnaire to your friends and asking them which ones are most popular. How do you think the survey will turn out? </p>
<p>I went to a college that wasn't in the top 30 of those rankings when I went there in the late 80's. It is a large private college on the west coast. Would I send one of my kids there? No. Yet, the alumni tend to be extremely generous with their donations...and it is now ranked at 26 in the nation.</p>
<p>Learning can happen anywhere. I had equally excellent instructors/professors at a community college where I took some enrichment classes, as well as a state flagship university in California where I finished a post grad program. It is up to the student to work hard and challenge themselves to excel.</p>
<p>to kwu: I really dont buy this "good college" crap. You are exposed to the same MATERIAL at ALL colleges. It is YOUR job to TAKE ADVANTAGE.</p>
<p>Yo even though I go to a HPYS I feel like many days I would rather go to a state school. Better parties, people who care about college football. Able to hang out with normal people rather than people who are so career driven that they are pent up on getting perfect GPAs to to great jobs. </p>
<p>This site is full of those latter people who need to just chill out. So while many people look down on the public schools, I say rock on The Ohio State University, Univeristy of Texas, University of Florida. Because there are many days where I wished I had gone there instead of a HPYS.</p>
<p>totally agre with you "littlegreenmom"</p>
<p>Marchballer,</p>
<p>Read your post with interest. Would you say that the professors are accessible at your HYPS school? It is often said that they are most focused on research/writing, and sometimes do not pay attention to undergrads.</p>
<p>Just wondering.</p>
<p>I've notice that too, alot ppl on here are very narcissistic and sit on their high horses.</p>
<p>
<p>There is a lot of hysteria about those schools. Ignore it. You will be happier.
</p>
<p>^+1 </p>
<p>To me, the type of environment a school is located and astmosphere it has is as important as the school itself. There are a lot of prestigious schools in suburban areas with a lack of ethnic diversity which I would not see myself able to prosper... I feel that I need to be in a big city environment, namely in the north east (e.g.: Philadelphia, New York City, Boston, or Washington D.C.) and in an ethnically diverse population in order to strive.</p>
<p>I'm not saying I wouldn't apply to Ivy League schools and the likes if I had the grades and the stats, but when I see people applying to 15 schools all over the United States in totally different types of environments it makes me wonder what these people are looking for other than the name sake of the school and how well they really know themselves. Personally, I have lived and gone to school from the city of Boston to the suburbs of Pennsylvania to a tourist town in Puerto Rico and even an internet charter school, and by now I know which kind of environment best suites me. I respect that they might have lived in a small town their whole lives and are willing to try different environments, but it just makes me wonder how much thought they are putting behind their selections other than going by prestige and reputation.</p>
<p>i really don't know where people get this conception that at the ivy's the profs aren't accessible and would rather research than spend time w/ their students. maybe it's like that at other ivy's and stanford and some of the other top schools, but at columbia pretty much all of my professors have been really accessible. yea, most of the math and science profs are leading researchers in their fields, but a lot of them bring the lectures down to the students levels. i've had a few professors spend the last day of class telling the class about the (usually groundbreaking) research that they'd be going off to do after classes ended. so maybe a lot of the other top schools do have inaccessible profs who're too caught up in their research to care about their students, but if you want great professors who take the time to help, and often get to know, their students, then check out columbia.</p>
<p>I'm not. And a lot of people here aren't. It's just that the kind you're talking about is the most vocal.</p>
<p>For the record, I go to a semi-decent state school.</p>
<p>littlegreenmom:</p>
<p>I disagree with that statement. Most of my professors here been very accessible. Some almost beg us to come visit them during office hours. It just depends on if students take advantage of those opportunities to meet them.</p>
<p>Littlegreenmom and others:</p>
<p>I think some people here are bitter. Even though you say ranking doesn't matter or all colleges offer the same opportunities, I'm sure any business would readily hire a student from Harvard than from Mississippi State University.</p>
<p>Not only that, but different schools offer different opportunities. Alumni connections, social atmosphere, academic potential all differ among colleges. For example, USC has an excellent alumni association that may not be found at many other schools. And Berkeley offers a totally different atmosphere. Princeton has classes taught by well known professors. I don't see how you can say rankings don't matter and that you can get an equally good education anywhere, because they do matter and you cannot.</p>
<p>Marchballer,
That is good to hear. Brilliant professors aren't always good at "teaching". It is good to hear that your experience has been exceptionally good with professors and that they are accessible.</p>