Nate Silver: "Go to a state school"

[Anonymous]

https://www.natesilver.net/p/go-to-a-state-school

I don't always agree with Nate Silver but I think he is spot on. I have interviewed several Ivy League grads that came across as entitled and coddled. I have to wonder if other hiring managers are seeing a similar trend.

[Anonymous]

If you like impacted courses of 250+ students taught by TAs, this advice is spot on.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you like impacted courses of 250+ students taught by TAs, this advice is spot on.

Actually, one of my favorite classes at a big state school was a 250+ class, but it was taught by a full professor, and the sections were taught by TAs. I enjoyed the section and the main class. I later took a small seminar with that same professor as a junior. He later wrote a letter for me to get into grad school. He shared knowledge and reading lists and source recommendations with me as a grad student.

Classes are what you make of them. Connections are what you make of them. Opportunities are what you make of them. And as you progress into your college career, and as you declare your major or explore a minor or sign up for clubs or what have you, you make big experiences as small as you want to.

[Anonymous]

YOUR kids should go to community college then state school or better yet trade school…

My kids? Oh, they are at elite SLACs, Ivies, Georgetown, or UVA at worst.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you like impacted courses of 250+ students taught by TAs, this advice is spot on.

Actually, one of my favorite classes at a big state school was a 250+ class, but it was taught by a full professor, and the sections were taught by TAs. I enjoyed the section and the main class. I later took a small seminar with that same professor as a junior. He later wrote a letter for me to get into grad school. He shared knowledge and reading lists and source recommendations with me as a grad student.

Classes are what you make of them. Connections are what you make of them. Opportunities are what you make of them. And as you progress into your college career, and as you declare your major or explore a minor or sign up for clubs or what have you, you make big experiences as small as you want to.

This. I went to a state school where we had huge lectures for freshmen level courses but then smaller sections taught by TAs, most of whom were excellent. And the professors I particularly liked? I ended up doing research for them and/or taking smaller seminars with them as an upperclassman. Also, they all held office hours that weren’t really heavily attended, so if you needed one-on-one time you could get it. The college experience really is what you make of it. You could go to a small school, take smaller classes, and still never connect with any professors if you don’t care to. State schools are great for many students, and affordable to boot (mine was free!).

[Anonymous]

My kid is going to be a TA next year during her PhD program. She will be a great teacher.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you like impacted courses of 250+ students taught by TAs, this advice is spot on.

Actually, one of my favorite classes at a big state school was a 250+ class, but it was taught by a full professor, and the sections were taught by TAs. I enjoyed the section and the main class. I later took a small seminar with that same professor as a junior. He later wrote a letter for me to get into grad school. He shared knowledge and reading lists and source recommendations with me as a grad student.

Classes are what you make of them. Connections are what you make of them. Opportunities are what you make of them. And as you progress into your college career, and as you declare your major or explore a minor or sign up for clubs or what have you, you make big experiences as small as you want to.

Great for some (like you,PP) not great for others. To each their own.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:YOUR kids should go to community college then state school or better yet trade school…

My kids? Oh, they are at elite SLACs, Ivies, Georgetown, or UVA at worst.

Sounds like somebody is living a little too vicariously through their kids

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you like impacted courses of 250+ students taught by TAs, this advice is spot on.

This is true. I was a TA at an Ivy for grad school (way back in the early 90s) and remember feeling sorry for the parents of undergrads shelling out $$$ for me to teach their kids (I was a great student, but only a passable TA). That said, I received an amazing education there myself... there's something to be said for the incredible brain power in that environment. And the school's name enabled me to get a fantastic job upon graduation.

[Anonymous]

I attented a European university for undergrad and a US university for grad, because I got married and followed my husband to the States.

Honestly, the caliber of the professors in the large amphitheater classes with hundreds of students was way better than the small discussion courses at the grad school level at the US institution. I have fond memories of my undergrad professors. They were all charismatic and deeply commited to teaching at the undergrad level. I have no memories at all of my grad professors, except one pretty good one. The rest were very forgettable.

It's not the size of the class, it's the intelligence of the teacher. Which is essentially a crapshoot, but I do assume teachers are better at more selective institutions?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you like impacted courses of 250+ students taught by TAs, this advice is spot on.

I see this TA argument quite a bit. Wonder if schools are changing. DS is finishing up his first year at UMD and hasn't had a single TA. They may lead a separate discussion or grade assignments but they aren't lecturers.

[Anonymous]

Double Ivy grad. Hiring manager at major consulting firm. Agree with everything Silver said. Everything is spot on.

It's not the 1990s any more. Most parents with kids heading to college won't realize how much higher education has changed since their days, especially at elite schools. Even if the name of the classes look familiar, how those classes are taught is hugely different now and far more ideologically slanted.

Our best associates and analyst these days are from major state schools but there's also a place for the good and solid LACs too, so don't lose hope.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:YOUR kids should go to community college then state school or better yet trade school…

My kids? Oh, they are at elite SLACs, Ivies, Georgetown, or UVA at worst.

Yawn. No one asked you to come in and act high and mighty. No one cares about your kids but you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:YOUR kids should go to community college then state school or better yet trade school…

My kids? Oh, they are at elite SLACs, Ivies, Georgetown, or UVA at worst.

Said every parent posting on this thread 😀

[Anonymous]

I’m confused by folks calling some Ivy League grads as coddled? Coddled by whom?