Do Prestigious Schools Matter for Future Success?
![[Post New]](/jforum/templates/default/images/icon_minipost_new.gif){kind=icon}
Anonymous
| Title says it, but if I hear things like "My kid didn't go to an ivy and he turned out fine, he went to Duke undergrad and Stanford for an MBA." OBVIOUSLY that doesn't count if you're including two very prestigious schools that are better than most of the ivy league. I'm talking about going to regular schools (not top privates or flagship state schools) and having a great career. Thanks! |
Anonymous
| Would VT count as a "prestigious school" to you, then? What about Tulane? |
Anonymous
|
Wtf? This topic has been discussed endlessly —even recently. Just do a search.
Ugh |
Anonymous
|
Let me lay this out really simply. There is a very very limited subset of careers where going to an ivy might credible help set up for long term success. Like being elected president of the United States.
There are a subset of careers where it can help in the short term but that bump may or may not last over time AND an ivy isn’t the only pathway to success, for example certain business fields. There is an exceptionally large subset of jobs and careers where it simply does not matter. An elementary school teacher doesn’t need to go to an Ivy. Same with a physical therapist. Same with an accountant. Etc ad nauseum for 98% of actual jobs. If you have never met someone with a successful career who didn’t go to a top school I have to seriously wonder if you exist in the same world as the rest of us. |
Anonymous
| No. |
Anonymous
| The important question is how do you define “success”? |
Anonymous
|
nice duke trolling. it is no way better than most of the ivy league.
as for does it matter? ofcourse it does. Is it required for future success no - no, but it helps a ton. |
Anonymous
| It depends on your how far down you are comparing schools. UVA vs VT, no. UVA vs GMU, maybe, but probably not. UVA vs Longwood, absolutely |
Anonymous
| How many more of these threads do we need?! Again, look around and interact with people and you’ll meet plenty that went to these “other schools” and turned out just fine, and even lead successful lives. What do you think ends up happening to all those college grads from the many other universities across the country? |
Anonymous
School publish outcomes. Generally, but the time you're down to the the multi directional state college level, they are pretty bad |
Anonymous
My thoughts exactly. OP must either be a troll or just clueless. |
Anonymous
|
Look at bios of successful people in the field you are interested in. It will give you an idea. I know CEOs and very rich people from unremarkable schools. But if you are not able to figure out how to make it on your own and need to be at Goldman Sachs or something, then yes, it will matter.
I would say in the past it has not mattered much except in a few fields. That may change with this obsession with prestige we have going. Maybe not once people figure out many of these kids are not special and just cheated their way to 4.0. |
Anonymous
| Someone beating the same drum in different posts. Boring. |
Anonymous
|
Prestigious schools matter more for initial success as certain industries recruit primarily from elite schools.
Long-term success is dependent upon the individual rather than on one's school pedigree. |
Anonymous
+1000 There is even a great chance "those who attended those other colleges" are making the same or more than you, they likely are your boss, or your boss's boss. It's 99% more about "what you do once you are at college" than "where you attend college". If you can gain admissions to a T25, you will do well no matter where you go. And if you don't "do well", the attending a T25 wasn't going to change that, and if it was, well then you were likely well connected/from rich family, and you would do well no matter what because of those connections |