I find it annoying when people get on here and say it really doesn't matter where your kid goes

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It is funny. I just interviewed a person from a senior counsel position for a large tech company. He would be managing one of my teams. When I asked him to tell me a little about himself, he mentioned about 5 or 6 times in the first two times he went to Havard as an undergrad. While a nice accomplishment, it was going to factor in whether I hired this person. I was more interested in his work experience and how he is as a manager. At the end of the meeting, he again refferenced his time at Havard. I felt like I was interviewing Andy Bernard. He did not get the job.

lmao I have had very similar experiences. Meet someone who went to Harvard, and every other sentence out of their mouths starts "when I was at Hahvuhd" - they just can't help it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sorry, but it doesn’t matter. It matters to the the overbearing helicopter parent that wear their kid’s college brand like a designer handbag and that we will be directionless and aimless when DC leaves the nest. But for your kid, their employer will care that they went to school but not where. The exception, of course, is on both extremes. If they go to a top 5-7 school, great, they get bonus points (except for the many employers that specifically don’t want someone with those credentials because they tend to believe that they are entitled to an accelerated journey). On the other extreme, if they went to an online school or a super esoteric school, there better be a good reason.

Other than that, schools #7-150 or so are completely interchangeable in the real world.

I'm sorry but I just don't agree that this applies to everyone. The assumption that wealth & eduction correlates with Middle class white culture is so off-putting. I'm asian and a child of immigrants- I've seen way too many successful lives destroyed by events that would never be life 'destroyers' for their white peers b/c of a lack of exposure to ideas/UMC ways of doing things and confidence. The difference that going to a top ten law school would make for my kid even though their parents are lawyers will be much much bigger than it is for your kids and there are plenty of immigrants, brown and black people and even first generation college grad white posters here and we know better than you how social mobility works b/c its something we have experienced for ourselves, not just read about in the Atlantic and VOX. I've seen first hand the difference in girls who go to George mason vs. even UVA/George Washington and what they've gone on to do with their lives. Exposure to a wider set of possibilities and the self concept that you are one of the ppl who should be applying to post docs at Magdalen college and MS at LSE and opening businesses with friends you met at NYU Beijing are vastly different than a fed contractor driving to target and their home in Burke with no USAID/FSO posting in sight day after miserable day. Many ppl on here have benefited from their superior merit and work ethic and want make sure that their kids move that one rung up to having even more choices and possibilities when their grandparents struggled and sacrificed. That is what ppl move here for, if I wanted to keep treading water, my father should've stayed home and not left his family and everyone he held dear.

+1
AMEN!!

Thank you. It is nerve wrecking to have discussions on this board because the majority lack basic knowledge about the experiences of immigrants especially brown and black people.

Important to remember, we don't care. Black and brown people and immigrants don't care about us (or they hate us) so why should we care about them?

Also, the PP was Asian, and of all the "immigrants and non-whites" for whom what college they attend doesn't matter, they are the ones for whom it matters the least. Asian immigrants will absolutely do fine no matter what college they attend.

The Asian PP spent time explaining to you why it matters to them, and here you are negating their experience and opinion!

Yes, I am! You got it! They are entitled to have an opinion, and I am entitled to the opinion that their opinion is wrong and stupid.

Asians absolutely do not need to attend "elite" schools in order to do well in life - nor does anyone else. But Asians even more than certain other groups you could name are better equipped to succeed without an "elite" degree, so I am unsympathetic to any whining from them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Many kids from my circle ended up in McKinsey, IBM, medical schools etc even though they were mediocre students and attended mediocre local colleges. They did have connected parents who hooked them up with top internships.

Going to a top school is important for students with no connections in their intended fields specially if non STEM majors.

I love how you throw in McKinsey with IBM. I highly doubt any mediocre students from mediocre colleges ended up at McKinsey, or at least work at McKinsey in a client-facing role. McKinsey is a large enough company that they have plenty of back-office staff these days.

McKinsey hires consultants from lots of schools, although they are generally all Top 50...and probably 80% of new hires are from the Top 10.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I believe that an recent immigrant or first generation family may genuinely believe that prestige matters because it's consistent with the overall "brand" of the American dream. However, it's simply incorrect. Upward mobility comes from a bit of educational success and a lot of professional and financial success. To echo the points of others, plenty of Ivy grads are sitting at desks and roaming in Target aisles next to folks who went to a perfectly mid-ranked state school. The key is what you learn, what opportunities you seize and what you do after school to build the foundation for your family.

I understand that this rocks the cliche assumption that East and South Asian families "demand" top education, but ultimately they would be better served focusing their finances and energy in other areas.

Nope. it's rich White folks who dig prestige.
Look how far they go.
They pay multi-million dollars to shove their kids into prestigious schools.
They even take illegal routes. Varsity scandal was mostly affluent Whites.
Asians at least ask for fair and and clear rules to play by.
You are biased and have very narrow vision.

[Anonymous]

What are you talking about? The specific post to which I was replying self-identified as Asian and specifically cited the need to go to top school to fully assimilate.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Many kids from my circle ended up in McKinsey, IBM, medical schools etc even though they were mediocre students and attended mediocre local colleges. They did have connected parents who hooked them up with top internships.

Going to a top school is important for students with no connections in their intended fields specially if non STEM majors.

I love how you throw in McKinsey with IBM. I highly doubt any mediocre students from mediocre colleges ended up at McKinsey, or at least work at McKinsey in a client-facing role. McKinsey is a large enough company that they have plenty of back-office staff these days.

McKinsey hires consultants from lots of schools, although they are generally all Top 50...and probably 80% of new hires are from the Top 10.

Friend of mine's son went to UGA (not a mediocre school IMO) and didn't get a response from any of the big consulting firms.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Many kids from my circle ended up in McKinsey, IBM, medical schools etc even though they were mediocre students and attended mediocre local colleges. They did have connected parents who hooked them up with top internships.

Going to a top school is important for students with no connections in their intended fields specially if non STEM majors.

I love how you throw in McKinsey with IBM. I highly doubt any mediocre students from mediocre colleges ended up at McKinsey, or at least work at McKinsey in a client-facing role. McKinsey is a large enough company that they have plenty of back-office staff these days.

McKinsey hires consultants from lots of schools, although they are generally all Top 50...and probably 80% of new hires are from the Top 10.

Friend of mine's son went to UGA (not a mediocre school IMO) and didn't get a response from any of the big consulting firms.

You have to go to the so called "Target" schools if lacking connections.

[Anonymous]

I have a buddy at Boston Consulting Group who dropped out of University of Maryland at their encouragement to take a full-time job ($200K+, albeit based in NY).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Many kids from my circle ended up in McKinsey, IBM, medical schools etc even though they were mediocre students and attended mediocre local colleges. They did have connected parents who hooked them up with top internships.

Going to a top school is important for students with no connections in their intended fields specially if non STEM majors.

I love how you throw in McKinsey with IBM. I highly doubt any mediocre students from mediocre colleges ended up at McKinsey, or at least work at McKinsey in a client-facing role. McKinsey is a large enough company that they have plenty of back-office staff these days.

McKinsey hires consultants from lots of schools, although they are generally all Top 50...and probably 80% of new hires are from the Top 10.

Friend of mine's son went to UGA (not a mediocre school IMO) and didn't get a response from any of the big consulting firms.

You have to go to the so called "Target" schools if lacking connections.

Or at least a semi-target. UGA is neither.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What I don’t get is why people are so intent on convincing others it doesn’t matter. If that’s your belief, fine. Send your kids wherever and live your life. You have to be massively insecure to care what others are doing.

I’d also note that my most successful state school graduate friends and colleagues are VERY focused on sending their kids to Ivys or the equivalent, so they must think they missed out on something.

Prestige.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Many kids from my circle ended up in McKinsey, IBM, medical schools etc even though they were mediocre students and attended mediocre local colleges. They did have connected parents who hooked them up with top internships.

Going to a top school is important for students with no connections in their intended fields specially if non STEM majors.

I love how you throw in McKinsey with IBM. I highly doubt any mediocre students from mediocre colleges ended up at McKinsey, or at least work at McKinsey in a client-facing role. McKinsey is a large enough company that they have plenty of back-office staff these days.

McKinsey hires consultants from lots of schools, although they are generally all Top 50...and probably 80% of new hires are from the Top 10.

Friend of mine's son went to UGA (not a mediocre school IMO) and didn't get a response from any of the big consulting firms.

You have to go to the so called "Target" schools if lacking connections.

Or at least a semi-target. UGA is neither.

Semi-targets don't work for Asian students.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not sure why the focus on medicine, but students get into top medical schools from public universities all them time. Many of the top medical schools ARE at the very same schools.

Because its a given there to get high income even if you are mediocre and just doing basics. In law or finance or consulting, you've to be really top to get to top income.

Not true. It just isn't. I look at the people in the offices around me, around my siblings in their offices, my husband in his, my nephews and nieces in theirs, and it simply isn't true. There is an enormous variety of schools represented. And many of the "top college" people flame out too. In fact, in my summer associate class, two of the ones who didn't get offers went to Harvard and Yale. It's not where you went, but who you are and how well you do. Top income comes from building your book of business by hitching your self to the right practice group, getting results, and hustling. And even so, you cam make a top 3% living without all that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not sure why the focus on medicine, but students get into top medical schools from public universities all them time. Many of the top medical schools ARE at the very same schools.

Because its a given there to get high income even if you are mediocre and just doing basics. In law or finance or consulting, you've to be really top to get to top income.

Not true. It just isn't. I look at the people in the offices around me, around my siblings in their offices, my husband in his, my nephews and nieces in theirs, and it simply isn't true. There is an enormous variety of schools represented. And many of the "top college" people flame out too. In fact, in my summer associate class, two of the ones who didn't get offers went to Harvard and Yale. It's not where you went, but who you are and how well you do. Top income comes from building your book of business by hitching your self to the right practice group, getting results, and hustling. And even so, you cam make a top 3% living without all that.

US News published a graphic showing salary by school and industry sector. You notice it's bimodal:
1. T20 schools in private sector start at $180k
2. All the rest, median starting salary especially for public sector jobs is around $60k which is less than a lot of people with just a BA, lmao

So no, you don't have to go to the top college to do well in law and make a great living - no doubt there are exceptions - but that's the way to bet, and I sure wouldn't go into debt for a law degree to start at $60k

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It matters to me. I want my child to experience a bigger world than the one she’s grown up in, and I hope she doesn’t come back to the suburbs. I never wanted to end up there but I did. Almost all of the people I know who went to state schools came back home and live boring 2.5 kids soccer lives. Maybe they’re happy. I think some of them are. But I think a lot of them just never thought any bigger. She doesn’t have to go to an Ivy League school. She wouldn’t get in. But I want her to go somewhere where she’s exposed to a lot of different people and has options to experience things she wouldn’t otherwise. And you can tell me that’s not true and give me examples but I see it all around me.

is that what she wants, or what you want?

I wanted to do a semester abroad, but couldn't afford it. I love traveling. I tell my kids to go abroad, I'm happy to pay for it, but they don't want.

My DC in college wants the same type of life that we have (this is what DC told me) - umc in the burbs with a good work/life balance. Personally, I find that boring for a young adult, but that's what they want.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not sure why the focus on medicine, but students get into top medical schools from public universities all them time. Many of the top medical schools ARE at the very same schools.

Because its a given there to get high income even if you are mediocre and just doing basics. In law or finance or consulting, you've to be really top to get to top income.

Not true. It just isn't. I look at the people in the offices around me, around my siblings in their offices, my husband in his, my nephews and nieces in theirs, and it simply isn't true. There is an enormous variety of schools represented. And many of the "top college" people flame out too. In fact, in my summer associate class, two of the ones who didn't get offers went to Harvard and Yale. It's not where you went, but who you are and how well you do. Top income comes from building your book of business by hitching your self to the right practice group, getting results, and hustling. And even so, you cam make a top 3% living without all that.

US News published a graphic showing salary by school and industry sector. You notice it's bimodal:
1. T20 schools in private sector start at $180k
2. All the rest, median starting salary especially for public sector jobs is around $60k which is less than a lot of people with just a BA, lmao

So no, you don't have to go to the top college to do well in law and make a great living - no doubt there are exceptions - but that's the way to bet, and I sure wouldn't go into debt for a law degree to start at $60k

Law school is not a good example.
We are talking undergrad.

Undergrad business major could be a great example.