<p>If you graduate from Stanford, you will have the same skillsets as someone who didn't graduate from Stanford.
I know some people say "it's the environment", but why would you want to go to an Ivy League school for the environment? The impression I've received from many Ivy League contenders is that they're generally pretentious arseholes.</p>
<p>So I can brag about it to people who don’t know any better. Simple.</p>
<p>“The impression I’ve received from many Ivy League contenders is that they’re generally pretentious arseholes.”</p>
<p>Eh, that’s high school students in general. (Well, a lot of them.)</p>
<p>If you go to an Ivy League school (or similar) you’ll probably end up with a few more job opportunities and make a little more money. And if you major in something impractical you might be a little more likely to get a job besides McDonald’s. And it gives you an advantage in grad school admissions. And you don’t have people saying, “Where the hell is that?” when you tell them where you go to school.</p>
<p>(couldn’t edit my other post)
I guess I’m one of the smarter (or whatever) people in my high school, and I got the highest ACT score anyone ever got there, and nobody from there ever goes to Ivy League schools so now they’re telling me I should apply to them. And Ivy League schools send us junk mail and my parents are convinced it’s because they want me.
Sometimes if I mention a more average college to my parents or school, they’re all, “They won’t challenge you!”
And it’s like…dude, I’m challenged by my shoelaces.
So I think a lot of high-performing kids, especially kids whose parents and/or guidance counselors don’t get out much, are told they should apply to these places because they’re well-known and prestigious, so they do, and they do it without really thinking about why.</p>
<p>I want to be surrounded by people who can discuss the same things I like to discuss and on the same or a higher level.</p>
<p>Because whether you like it or not, a Stanford degree is going to look a lot better than a UC Berkeley degree in job applications and grad school applications.</p>
<p>And I think for many people, it’s a personal goal. I wouldn’t be surprised if there was a psychological association to it.</p>
<p>An Ivy degree tends to awe people, especially employers, so it can be a case of job opportunities and pride. Aside from the prestigious degree, some people go there for the atmosphere. For example, when you’re at Harvard, the student body there will be the future leaders, CEOs, and presidents, so talking to them will be far more enlightening than talking to the average Joe at State U. I mean, I have a friend who attends MIT, and his wall posts tend to be very interesting, far more-so than the posts from my classmates that will attend a small state school.</p>
<p>Because it’s more prestigious.</p>
<p>How many of you would need to take out a loan to attend those prestigious universities?</p>
<p>But the second you have a few years of job experience, does the prestige really matter anymore? I know that once I accomplish something in the “real world,” people won’t care where I went anymore.</p>
<p>Those schools are overrated honestly. But who wouldn’t want to have a diploma on the wall from Stanford or Harvard?</p>
<p>If we take financial aid out of the equation and have other things equal, I could easily go to my state school (which is offering great aid), vs my #1 EA school.</p>
<p>I mean I honestly think I have what it takes to make it anywhere, it’s not the school that determines what you can or cannot do, it’s you.</p>
<p>It would be nice to have a degree from but basically it make getting a job easier. Not to mention the recent presidents studied at Harvard.</p>
<p>Sent from my LG-VM696 using CC</p>
<p>And you want to become president? I hear countless people say this astronaut went here…this president studied here…this CEO graduated from here…What good is it going to do for you if you don’t want to become an astronaut, president, or a CEO? What good is it if you want to become a nurse? Having a Ivy diploma for some undergrad majors doesn’t mean a thing. Masters or doctorates that a different story, but for your undergrad, Ivy doesn’t always mean better.</p>
<p>Prestige doesn’t mean anything to me. It honestly doesn’t. I don’t lay my head on my pillow every night dreaming of Harvard. I know I wouldn’t be happy at more than half of the ivy leagues and more than half of the ivy leagues can’t offer me what I want out of my college experience. I’d rather go to a top state school. </p>
<p>I see a great deal of posts about being able to brag. How far so you think it’ll carry you? How much will it really matter in the long run? (Exclude job opportunities and wealth gain.) How much will it really matter?</p>
<p>Lol,</p>
<p>Stick it to the Man!</p>
<p>Become a non ivy leauge President!!!</p>
<p>I dont want to go to a prestigous in general college. I want to go to a school that is a good investment on my future, can help my job security and help me grow as a person. Some of the top colleges are good investments, some are not</p>
<p>lol anyone can become president. I was just noting that recently we have no non-ivies prezs. because we keep voting for senators and governors. And Neil Armstrong went to my dream school, Purdue. </p>
<p>@Niquii: I may have no interest in the Ivies or MIT or whatever but:“How far so you think it’ll carry you? How much will it really matter in the long run? (Exclude job opportunities and wealth gain.) How much will it really matter?”</p>
<p>The people make it matter. You and I may not make it matter but other people tend to think oh that guy from MIT he must be smart and better than that guy who went to CC.</p>
<p>For the person that said Stanford would look better than UC Berkeley… I’d be hesitant to say this. Yes, Stanford is more highly ranked, but Berkeley is a top school. And would be the most financially responsible choice IF you live in CA. I think that what many people will find is that it doesn’t matter. My dad has a pretty high positioned job, and I sometimes help him look at job and intern applications – not to help pick, but to get an idea of who is successful. UCB will look better than Irvine, or U of South Dakota or something. But if you got good grades at UCB, you’d be looked at very highly. If you went to Stanford and took easy classes, and/or only got okay grades, you wouldn’t be that impressive. Especially when we are talking just the undergrad degree, because you will likely go to grad school. You can save the prestigious institution for that time.</p>
<p>Do people not realize that colleges change you as a person?</p>
<p>People always say that the same person can go to different schools and get the same result because they have the same skill set. It’s like everyone forgets that it’s 4 of the most important years of your life. It is likely you will change significantly during these 4 years. Going to a prestigious school will almost certainly change you for the better. You will develop better work ethic, come in contact with smarter/more accomplished people, and be exposed to a top education which will affect you intellectually. Everyone always debated job prospects, grad school, etc. when the main focus should be on your school.</p>
<p>“lol anyone can become president”</p>
<p>I disagree. I, for one, cannot be president, despite holding US citizenship. For a country made up of immigrants, it sure is an unfair policy.</p>
<p>Rant over :)</p>
<p>@anch but any college can change a person for the better not just a prestigious one.</p>
<p>Sent from my LG-VM696 using CC</p>
<p>That’s true, I’m not arguing that prestige = good change automatically. My issue is that people think that college is just a stepping stone for the rest of your life, when in fact it’s a place of higher education. Not just a career placement center. </p>
<p>It’s a pretty safe bet that surrounding yourself with smart people and great professors will change you for the better. It isn’t so safe to assume that going somewhere else will do the same.</p>