Prestige colleges

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm an HYPS grad and the only schools worth the premium (i.e. I would send my kid to) are the Ivies, Chicago, Duke, Stanford, Northwestern, MIT, Hopkins, Amherst, or Williams. Caltech and Harvey Mudd if they're engineers. These are the only true "prestige colleges" in America.

These posts always make me laugh. Why do you think being a “HYPS grad” gives you any more authority than anyone else on what the “premium” schools are than anyone else?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wisconsin and UVA are peer institutions. Fighting over which one is better is stupid.

Not when it comes to admissions.

WI is half as selective (but also twice as big). VA has more resources per student but WI had more resources overall. In my former academic field I came across interesting papers from WI faculty more often than VA. Quantity is it's own quality. It's true, otherwise you'd be visiting selective LACs over UVA. I'd say it's a wash and UVA boosters ought to be ashamed of themselves for trying to treat down another good state school.

Way to contradict yourself in the same sentence. You say that WI is less selective because it’s twice as big, then you say you came across more interesting papers from UW than UVA - which might also be expected when the faculty is also twice as big. Duh.

By the way, Michigan is also much bigger than UVA but equally selective. So are Berkeley and UCLA. So you can be both.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Wisconsin and UVA are peer institutions. Fighting over which one is better is stupid.

Lol no, UVA is much more selective

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm an HYPS grad and the only schools worth the premium (i.e. I would send my kid to) are the Ivies, Chicago, Duke, Stanford, Northwestern, MIT, Hopkins, Amherst, or Williams. Caltech and Harvey Mudd if they're engineers. These are the only true "prestige colleges" in America.

These posts always make me laugh. Why do you think being a “HYPS grad” gives you any more authority than anyone else on what the “premium” schools are than anyone else?

Same. That is a weird statement to make. Maybe that poster chose a school based on perceived prestige and over values that as a criteria?

[Anonymous]

My kid got in to an ivy off the wait list. I have not really told anyone in my office. I am kind of embarrassed about the amount of the tuition. She has accepted a state school originally.

[Anonymous]

It's funny, the Harvard grads I know don't like to tell people they went to Harvard.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's funny, the Harvard grads I know don't like to tell people they went to Harvard.

“Back when I was still in college, up in Massachusetts…”

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's funny, the Harvard grads I know don't like to tell people they went to Harvard.

“Back when I was still in college, up in Massachusetts…”

“Yeah, I went to school in Boston— well, right outside Boston, in Cambridge.”

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's funny, the Harvard grads I know don't like to tell people they went to Harvard.

Because people are so weird about it. Everyone has a comment.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wisconsin and UVA are peer institutions. Fighting over which one is better is stupid.

Lol no, UVA is much more selective

UVA may be more selective, but I don't think employers or graduate schools are going to distinguish between the graduates for the most part. The exception might be for UVA McIntire.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No way will child transfer out of Madison—kids transfer INTO Madison because they want the full college experience and live in maybe the best college town in US.

This is what I've heard! Looking forward to visiting him after he is a bit settled there.

Thanks from the trepidatious parent!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's funny, the Harvard grads I know don't like to tell people they went to Harvard.

Because people are so weird about it. Everyone has a comment.

Not in DC. You can’t swing a dead cat without hitting a Harvard grad.

No one cares.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's funny, the Harvard grads I know don't like to tell people they went to Harvard.

Because people are so weird about it. Everyone has a comment.

Not in DC. You can’t swing a dead cat without hitting a Harvard grad.

No one cares.

Yeah, that’s why we are on page 8 of a thread called “prestige colleges.” Lots of people in the DMV either are desperate to get their kids into an Ivy or are resentful of people who have gone to an Ivy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm an HYPS grad and the only schools worth the premium (i.e. I would send my kid to) are the Ivies, Chicago, Duke, Stanford, Northwestern, MIT, Hopkins, Amherst, or Williams. Caltech and Harvey Mudd if they're engineers. These are the only true "prestige colleges" in America.

+1. Would also add Vandy if they care for the social scene and top academics. A very fine school nowadays.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Prestige and selectivity are related, but not the same. Prestige is earned over a longer period of time. Selectivity is more of a short term and perhaps transient. If there is a demographic change driving increased selectivity for an institution, for instance, it doesn't necessarily drive an increase in prestige. An institution that remains highly selective over time will likely increase in prestige.

+1
For example, Smith and Vassar are regarded as being more prestigious than UVA, despite being less selective. At least that’s the case here in NY.

UVA has considerable swag in NYC. Certainly more than Smith at least. Get real.

No it doesn't. Not at all, unless you're talking about a minuscule sub-set of NY residents who hail from Virginia.

UVA is a top school buddy

Yes, but Smith and Vassar have more social cohesion and better social connections. A lot of that is because they're small and provide a more intimiate, more homogeneous experience to their undergrads. It would be hard for UVA grads ten years apart with different majors to find a share experience. Not so, Smith or Vassar.

I am sure UVA has tons of alumni money and networking, but it lacks the intimacy a smaller school has.

I'd rather send a kid to Smith or Vassar. I have a ton of friends who went to Vassar and their alumni network is impressive.