<p>I just had to say that.</p>
<p>I've been perusing the threads in "College Search and Selection" forum and I get the sense that so many of us so focused on "prestige" that we may be losing sight of the big picture.</p>
<p>It's part of human nature, I think, to want to better one's lot in life; to improve one's standard of living. Going to college, and I'll admit, going to a "better" college can help us do that. There's nothing wrong with that at all.</p>
<p>But the desire to place ourselves higher on the ladder of life can also have a downside. It can be a trap. The easiest way for me to explain the trap is by analogy: </p>
<p>My son grew up playing soccer. He has talent. When he was in middle school and high school he was a legitimate candidate to try out for some of the most elite teams in our area. It was validating, somehow, to be able to say he was a player on a team that was known to be "good," because that meant that he must also be "good." The temptation to always try to make it onto a more "prestigious" team was a constant pull; a "carrot" always dangling out there in front of a player. The temptation is hard to resist. There's something intoxicating about being part of something great, or at least potentially great. It's self validating; it can make you feel better about yourself. It can elevate you in the eyes of your peers. But it can also crush you.</p>
<p>In my son's case the problems began when he actually made it onto one of those "great" teams. He almost never played in games. Sure, the coach was great, and my son learned a lot in the practices. But he was over matched. The talent pool at that level was beyond his reach. He worked so incredibly hard in those practices. He did all the right things. But after a while it became evident that at that level he was simply not destined to be a regular player. It was heartbreaking, as a parent, to watch. It was demoralizing for him. His motivation waned. Without game experience his skills diminished. Soccer was no longer a passion. It became a job.</p>
<p>In the end, looking back, he probably would have been much better off being a starter on a "B" level team. He'd have been happier, and thus more motivated. His skills would probably have <em>improved</em> rather than diminished.</p>
<p>That's the trap of "prestige." It can be great for a while. But you can get in over your head. If you get in over your head it can crush you. </p>
<p>I submit that what you <em>don't</em> want, over the next four years, is a constant struggle to survive. I submit that what you <em>do</em> want is to be challenged, for sure, but to <em>thrive</em>.</p>
<p>Go ahead and apply to some "reach" schools. But after you've been accepted and you're deciding which school to attend, look beyond the rankings and the prestige. Think about how you want to spend the next four years of your <em>life</em>. Beyond just the rankings, what <em>environment</em> to you want for yourself? What do you envision yourself doing? What will keep the fire burning? What will keep your passion(s) alive? When you're not studying, what will rejuvenate you? What will recharge your batteries and give you the energy and the motivation, when you do get back to the books, to hit them hard? What school can give you those things? Go there. </p>
<p>I submit that the happier you are <em>at</em> school, the better you'll do <em>in</em> school.</p>