<p>I don't think every student should worry about studying to get 5 on ap exams and studying for years to take 1 test just to have a slight chance of getting into a top school. As long as they go to college it doesn't matter. Does matter if you can have a 3.7W gpa and still be in the top 10 percent? Does it matter if only 1 student in the top 10 gets into an ivy league? Are you guys even happy at the end?</p>
<p>Well, the 5 on the ap exams. I just want that score because it shows that I have competent (not complete) mastery on a subject. </p>
<p>Some people I guess want to go to a top school because top school = more money in their career or they feel they would fit in more.</p>
<p>I would be happy if I go to an Ivy League college since I would go to a more competitive school than a state school, but I would be content if I go to UC Davis.</p>
<p>Better School = More money, better job prospects, more choices.</p>
<p>^ +1</p>
<p>10char</p>
<p>But that’s isn’t always necessarily true, plus what about overall happiness. Most people on this forum seem depressed and point driven.</p>
<p>“But that’s isn’t always necessarily true, plus what about overall happiness. Most people on this forum seem depressed and point driven.”</p>
<p>Most of the time, any intelligent individual (someone who could handle Ivy-league work) would be happier at an Ivy League school than a regional university. And any individual would be happier with more money than they would be with less money.</p>
<p>And the fact that it isn’t true in every single case that the person with the Ivy league education will make more, is meaningless. There’s a slight chance that I won’t get a job immediately out of college, so why don’t I just go work at McDonald’s now? There’s a slight chance I might die tomorrow so why bother doing any homework today (by the way, that’s the case every day). The expected income is higher from an Ivy League school than it is from a regional state school.</p>
<p>^Wow! That is completely untrue…
More money does not equal more happiness. I can’t believe you would say that.</p>
<p>^ If materialistic items make one happy then it is an extremely valid point. It just depends on the individual.</p>
<p>I think what QwertyKey is trying to say about more money is that when you don’t have to worry constantly about how you are going to put a meal on the table every night or if you can afford to pay the rent, you are naturally happier. You get more time to spend with your family and friends and to do things you want to do rather than working constantly to pay the bills. No one wants to struggle to survive. Obviously, there are people who have too much money and get everything they want and they aren’t happy. That is just because they are wrapped up in material things only.</p>
<p>No, what I am trying to say is that everyone would prefer more money than less everything else held the same. This is regardless of how much I already have.</p>
<p>However, some people are happier poor than others are rich. I tried to make that clear before but I’m not quite sure if I did.</p>
<p>How much more do they make?</p>
<p>^It depends on what field they go into. But think about it like this, if you are an employer, looking for someone to hire for a top level job and you have two applicants that are the same in all aspects except one graduated from HYPS and the other graduated from an average public state school, who would you choose to represent your company?</p>
<p>To live the American dreamm.</p>
<p>Folks in better schools are more likely to get better education quality and increased job opportunity. It’s that simple. In fact, why not make the best of the high schools year? In my opinion, they’re simply a transition from elementary school to postsecondary learning. All the crap of the less sensible students are simply distractions.</p>
<p>actually they say your major effects the money you make much more than the school</p>
<p>the highest salaries from schools are usually tech schools with math/engineering/science majors because those have some of the highest starting salaries</p>
<p>but, then again an english major from harvard is likely gonna end up making more than one from a regular school…doing whatever it is that english majors do.</p>
<p>Mostly, I think the fancy school is entirely for bragging rights which is pointless after five years of actually working in a field. So just go somewhere you feel you’ll learn the best and have the best time rather than wherever you figure is best to brag about. And pick a major that makes money if that’s what you want though you best like the field if you hope to succeed. </p>
<p>And on money helping happiness? Yeah, I call BS since according to studies ([Happiness</a> is rising around the world: U-M study](<a href=“Happiness is rising around the world: U-M study | University of Michigan News”>Happiness is rising around the world: U-M study | University of Michigan News)) Nigerians are far happier than americans (what with the millions of anti-depressants every year) despite making less than a hundredth of what the average american makes. So yeah, they’re regularly happier than me or you and make only about $300 a year. And China is going through this economic boom yet levels of happiness and self-satisfaction are dropping ([Why</a> The Chinese Are Getting Richer But Not Happier | PsyBlog](<a href=“http://www.spring.org.uk/2008/04/why-chinese-are-getting-richer-but-not.php]Why”>Why The Chinese Are Getting Richer But Not Happier - PsyBlog)).</p>
<p>It has to do with money =/= happiness due to whenever we gain wealth our brain raises the level of what it takes to be happy ([The</a> Futile Pursuit of Happiness - NYTimes.com](<a href=“http://www.nytimes.com/2003/09/07/magazine/the-futile-pursuit-of-happiness.html?sec=health]The”>http://www.nytimes.com/2003/09/07/magazine/the-futile-pursuit-of-happiness.html?sec=health)). Further we end up getting rich friends, comparing ourselves to them and always wanting more. Then you also don’t know who to trust, if friends aren’t just friends due to wealth, self doubt, etc.</p>
<p>I don’t know, doesn’t really seem that money ever gains happiness and I don’t get why people pursue it so much.</p>
<p>ANYWAY. I say just go to the place that makes you the most happy in that you’ll learn what you want and meet the kind of people you want.</p>
<p>Oddly for saying all this I’m majoring in engineering. But I really like math and physics. They’re the only two things I’ve been consistently good at in school and happy with in class. Besides, I built a robot once and it was the best thing ever and I want to do that more. I only found out about the money related to engineering later and I’m kinda like “eh”. I really do prefer UT over Cornell, lot less depressing environment and better food and more people to have fun with a still very good engineering school.</p>
<p>Yeah, the major and what JOB you have has the effect on the amount of money you make.
If you have an associates degree from a community college, you’d make the same with your job if you got an associates from a university.
The school itself doesn’t matter, it’s the fact that you are GOING to college that counts. </p>
<p>And jgraider, it doesn’t necessarily work that way. In most cases, they don’t look at WHERE they graduated from to make their decision, they base their decision on an interview. I know this because I’ve talked to an actual about the matter before. </p>
<p>The important thing is that you are happy wherever you are going to college.
People shouldn’t worry about it being a top school or not, because that doesn’t matter.
Those that go to top schools typically go for the quality of learning and resources they have to accompany that learning.</p>
<p>Total happiness shouldn’t fully override security. The former will come with preparation.</p>
<p>Yeah, but we’re not talking about poverty vs stability. If you go to even a state school and get a good job you should be pretty secure after wards, the fancier named school would maybe only add some more money to that. Really, the money you make depends on you, how hard you work, what career you go into, how you treat people, experience, etc. rather than the school you go to. Going to college usually means some basic financial security.</p>
<p>I also totally don’t get by what you mean “happiness will come with preparation”. Like, I keep reading it and all I get is a mental image of people preparing for hours to have sex.</p>
<p>A building needs to have a buttress does it not? In the same context, one must satisfy one’s primary needs before pursuing something as mental as happiness. With today’s economic instability, I’d rather go to a top university where I can happily receive a great education for the thinking person–and a powerful degree–than a school that might grant me lesser chances at work (which gives financial security). Money isn’t everything, but let’s face the fact: living a “normal” life requires fiscal power.</p>
<p>Because anytime more than three kids from my school get into a good private college, we have proof that there <em>is</em> a higher power and he/she/it (:rolleyes:) DOES meddle in private affairs. :rolleyes:</p>