I’m currently deciding between UMN-TC and one other university. What is the success rate of UMN undergraduates applying to top universities for graduate school? Where do UMN undergraduates most commonly go?
I’ve never seen data on this in general, though in specific fields sometimes you can find organizations that have “feeder” charts showing which schools send/receive the most students to others in that discipline. I’d guess the largest connections for Minnesota are into other 13 Big Ten schools and many more to other large state flagship research institutes and various upper midwest universities. Certainly, the very top students may go on to private elites as well. Even so, if you’re thinking of attending an Ivy League med/law/business or other grad school, I’d say your odds are probably better if your undergrad is an Ivy League or Stanford, MIT, top 10 LAC etc. Opinions on this differ, of course, but pedigree does help in some programs. Similarly, depending on your major, you might get into a top-10 research program at UMN-TC as an undergrad and have doors open at a top grad school.
Where to MN undergrads go? Everywhere. If you do well at MN you can compete favorably against Ivy undergrads for graduate work and professional school. I can vouch for this as former U student and current professor at a B1G school who has sent many undergrads to Stanford, Ivies etc.
That really matters more on the students. Getting a UMN degree is good but having a lower GPA won’t be offset. Most people I know in grad schools had to wait a bit and some haven’t even gotten in yet. That being said, the U is definitely a wonderful and challenging institution (if forcing to take unnecessary courses to extend graduation) and I’d certainly recommend it for prep into a research field.
What type of grad. program are you thinking of and what is the other school you are considering?