Ivies aren't the best

[Anonymous]

We've seen the Dale and Kruger study showing that it doesn't matter where you go to college. This thread should be required reading for all the Ivy-obsessed posters here:

https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/1093901.page

[Anonymous]

Here is the wisest comment from that thread:

I am the PP who grew up in suburbia and did fine at an Ivy but did not excel, there or in life.

My parents were the first in their families to go to college and they pushed me to do well (I went to public high school) and none of us really thought about what it would take to succeed after I got into a good college. They had no clue. I had no clue. I went to an Ivy that is notorious for not being supportive (esp. in the 80s/90s) and I basically just floated through, getting mored depressed as graduation was coming.

As for the PP who said all you need is hard work and hustle, I push back on this. I waitressed and nannied, and had other jobs through college. I got good grades, I did ECs. I wasn't a slacker with a trust fund just coasting on the Ivy name.

I just didn't understand newtowkring, or parlaying the hand I had into something bigger.

Grad school and law school seemed out of reach for me. I didn't have a passion or a plan and my parents did not have the $ for grad school, so taking on that much debt for something I wasn't sure about seemed irresponsible.

As a mother I tell my kids it is way more important to attend a school where you grow into the best you, have mentors, access to professors, and feel like a part of the school community than it is to have a brand name.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Here is the wisest comment from that thread:

I am the PP who grew up in suburbia and did fine at an Ivy but did not excel, there or in life.

My parents were the first in their families to go to college and they pushed me to do well (I went to public high school) and none of us really thought about what it would take to succeed after I got into a good college. They had no clue. I had no clue. I went to an Ivy that is notorious for not being supportive (esp. in the 80s/90s) and I basically just floated through, getting mored depressed as graduation was coming.

As for the PP who said all you need is hard work and hustle, I push back on this. I waitressed and nannied, and had other jobs through college. I got good grades, I did ECs. I wasn't a slacker with a trust fund just coasting on the Ivy name.

I just didn't understand newtowkring, or parlaying the hand I had into something bigger.

Grad school and law school seemed out of reach for me. I didn't have a passion or a plan and my parents did not have the $ for grad school, so taking on that much debt for something I wasn't sure about seemed irresponsible.

As a mother I tell my kids it is way more important to attend a school where you grow into the best you, have mentors, access to professors, and feel like a part of the school community than it is to have a brand name.

Well, all the Ivies (save Columbia, which is a fake Ivy anyways) have a much stronger sense of community than most flagship state schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Here is the wisest comment from that thread:

I am the PP who grew up in suburbia and did fine at an Ivy but did not excel, there or in life.

My parents were the first in their families to go to college and they pushed me to do well (I went to public high school) and none of us really thought about what it would take to succeed after I got into a good college. They had no clue. I had no clue. I went to an Ivy that is notorious for not being supportive (esp. in the 80s/90s) and I basically just floated through, getting mored depressed as graduation was coming.

As for the PP who said all you need is hard work and hustle, I push back on this. I waitressed and nannied, and had other jobs through college. I got good grades, I did ECs. I wasn't a slacker with a trust fund just coasting on the Ivy name.

I just didn't understand newtowkring, or parlaying the hand I had into something bigger.

Grad school and law school seemed out of reach for me. I didn't have a passion or a plan and my parents did not have the $ for grad school, so taking on that much debt for something I wasn't sure about seemed irresponsible.

As a mother I tell my kids it is way more important to attend a school where you grow into the best you, have mentors, access to professors, and feel like a part of the school community than it is to have a brand name.

Well, all the Ivies (save Columbia, which is a fake Ivy anyways) have a much stronger sense of community than most flagship state schools.

Really? I think Maryland has a very strong sense of community (go Terps) and from what I can tell so does UCLA, UT Austin, Penn State, Michigan ...

[Anonymous]

I find the study mildly interesting, but quite amusing as both Stacy Dale and Alan Krueger hold degrees from Ivy League schools including Princeton, Harvard, and Cornell.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Here is the wisest comment from that thread:

I am the PP who grew up in suburbia and did fine at an Ivy but did not excel, there or in life.

My parents were the first in their families to go to college and they pushed me to do well (I went to public high school) and none of us really thought about what it would take to succeed after I got into a good college. They had no clue. I had no clue. I went to an Ivy that is notorious for not being supportive (esp. in the 80s/90s) and I basically just floated through, getting mored depressed as graduation was coming.

As for the PP who said all you need is hard work and hustle, I push back on this. I waitressed and nannied, and had other jobs through college. I got good grades, I did ECs. I wasn't a slacker with a trust fund just coasting on the Ivy name.

I just didn't understand newtowkring, or parlaying the hand I had into something bigger.

Grad school and law school seemed out of reach for me. I didn't have a passion or a plan and my parents did not have the $ for grad school, so taking on that much debt for something I wasn't sure about seemed irresponsible.

As a mother I tell my kids it is way more important to attend a school where you grow into the best you, have mentors, access to professors, and feel like a part of the school community than it is to have a brand name.

Well, all the Ivies (save Columbia, which is a fake Ivy anyways) have a much stronger sense of community than most flagship state schools.

Really? I think Maryland has a very strong sense of community (go Terps) and from what I can tell so does UCLA, UT Austin, Penn State, Michigan ...

NP here. I went to UMD for undergrad and Columbia for grad school, and I actually think the latter has a stronger sense of community.

[Anonymous]

Attending and graduating from an Ivy League school generates opportunities. Whether or not one takes advantage of those opportunities is an individual matter, not a criticism of Ivy League schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I find the study mildly interesting, but quite amusing as both Stacy Dale and Alan Krueger hold degrees from Ivy League schools including Princeton, Harvard, and Cornell.

Isn't academia very prestige-conscious?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Here is the wisest comment from that thread:

I am the PP who grew up in suburbia and did fine at an Ivy but did not excel, there or in life.

My parents were the first in their families to go to college and they pushed me to do well (I went to public high school) and none of us really thought about what it would take to succeed after I got into a good college. They had no clue. I had no clue. I went to an Ivy that is notorious for not being supportive (esp. in the 80s/90s) and I basically just floated through, getting mored depressed as graduation was coming.

As for the PP who said all you need is hard work and hustle, I push back on this. I waitressed and nannied, and had other jobs through college. I got good grades, I did ECs. I wasn't a slacker with a trust fund just coasting on the Ivy name.

I just didn't understand newtowkring, or parlaying the hand I had into something bigger.

Grad school and law school seemed out of reach for me. I didn't have a passion or a plan and my parents did not have the $ for grad school, so taking on that much debt for something I wasn't sure about seemed irresponsible.

As a mother I tell my kids it is way more important to attend a school where you grow into the best you, have mentors, access to professors, and feel like a part of the school community than it is to have a brand name.

Well, all the Ivies (save Columbia, which is a fake Ivy anyways) have a much stronger sense of community than most flagship state schools.

That’s not true at all -Harvard and Yale (law) grad

[Anonymous]

In my opinion, if you don’t get into Brown, don’t bother going to college at all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Here is the wisest comment from that thread:

I am the PP who grew up in suburbia and did fine at an Ivy but did not excel, there or in life.

My parents were the first in their families to go to college and they pushed me to do well (I went to public high school) and none of us really thought about what it would take to succeed after I got into a good college. They had no clue. I had no clue. I went to an Ivy that is notorious for not being supportive (esp. in the 80s/90s) and I basically just floated through, getting mored depressed as graduation was coming.

As for the PP who said all you need is hard work and hustle, I push back on this. I waitressed and nannied, and had other jobs through college. I got good grades, I did ECs. I wasn't a slacker with a trust fund just coasting on the Ivy name.

I just didn't understand newtowkring, or parlaying the hand I had into something bigger.

Grad school and law school seemed out of reach for me. I didn't have a passion or a plan and my parents did not have the $ for grad school, so taking on that much debt for something I wasn't sure about seemed irresponsible.

As a mother I tell my kids it is way more important to attend a school where you grow into the best you, have mentors, access to professors, and feel like a part of the school community than it is to have a brand name.

Well, all the Ivies (save Columbia, which is a fake Ivy anyways) have a much stronger sense of community than most flagship state schools.

That’s not true at all -Harvard and Yale (law) grad

This is encouraging. People go to Yale law and still end up spending their free time on DCUM like the rest of us.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Here is the wisest comment from that thread:

I am the PP who grew up in suburbia and did fine at an Ivy but did not excel, there or in life.

My parents were the first in their families to go to college and they pushed me to do well (I went to public high school) and none of us really thought about what it would take to succeed after I got into a good college. They had no clue. I had no clue. I went to an Ivy that is notorious for not being supportive (esp. in the 80s/90s) and I basically just floated through, getting mored depressed as graduation was coming.

As for the PP who said all you need is hard work and hustle, I push back on this. I waitressed and nannied, and had other jobs through college. I got good grades, I did ECs. I wasn't a slacker with a trust fund just coasting on the Ivy name.

I just didn't understand newtowkring, or parlaying the hand I had into something bigger.

Grad school and law school seemed out of reach for me. I didn't have a passion or a plan and my parents did not have the $ for grad school, so taking on that much debt for something I wasn't sure about seemed irresponsible.

As a mother I tell my kids it is way more important to attend a school where you grow into the best you, have mentors, access to professors, and feel like a part of the school community than it is to have a brand name.

Well, all the Ivies (save Columbia, which is a fake Ivy anyways) have a much stronger sense of community than most flagship state schools.

That’s not true at all -Harvard and Yale (law) grad

This is encouraging. People go to Yale law and still end up spending their free time on DCUM like the rest of us.

Ok this might literally be the best DCUM comment ever. Maybe second only to fish maw. Well done!

[Anonymous]

How much it matters depend upon who you are — and what your resources are. I’m African American, and attended urban public schools. Going to Yale changed my peer groups, my options for graduate school, and increased the chances that my cv will get a longer glance instead of a shorter one. Maybe it doesn’t matter for people who already have certain types of educational experiences and connections, but for some of us, it can completely change the trajectory of our lives.

So the real question is more like: Best for what? Or perhaps: Best for who — under what circumstances?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I find the study mildly interesting, but quite amusing as both Stacy Dale and Alan Krueger hold degrees from Ivy League schools including Princeton, Harvard, and Cornell.

Same is true for billionaires come to tell us money does not matter.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How much it matters depend upon who you are — and what your resources are. I’m African American, and attended urban public schools. Going to Yale changed my peer groups, my options for graduate school, and increased the chances that my cv will get a longer glance instead of a shorter one. Maybe it doesn’t matter for people who already have certain types of educational experiences and connections, but for some of us, it can completely change the trajectory of our lives.

So the real question is more like: Best for what? Or perhaps: Best for who — under what circumstances?

Yeah, I think the Dale and Kruger study made an exception for first-gen/low-income Ivy students and also URMs.