Why do people insist that their kid can always "go to an Ivy for grad school?"

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I see a lot of people on this board myopically insist that undergrad prestige doesn't matter and that their kid can go to an Ivy for grad school. This seems misguided. The top firms only recruit from Ivies and other T20 schools. Going to an HYPSM for undergrad will increase your odds of landing at one of them.

If you go to an elite school and do everything right, you don't even need to go to grad school. The people on here saying that their kids at a state school or some no-name SLAC can "always go to an Ivy for grad school" seem misguided. Not all grad schools pay off. I had a woman in my neighborhood say the same thing -- her daughter went to a selective but not elite SLAC, and her mom insisted that her college education paid off since she's at Columbia for her PhD in History. Ummm.... hello?!!!! A PhD in the humanities is the LAST thing I would want my kid to do.

Does it include being born on the third base?

I know lots of unhooked middle class kids at Ivies ending up as quant traders on Wall Street (often middle-class Asian kids with lots of math aptitude) or management consultants. Investment banking is more tilted towards the rich kids, but there are still unconnected kids breaking in.

[Anonymous]

The whole premise of OP's statement is wrong. It's been demonstrated ad nauseum by many people that top firms want top people, not diplomas from colleges everyone has heard of. Here's a list of references. I'd love to see OP's support for their statement.

Dale and Kruger, a peer-reviewed study of outcomes for college grads comparing elite colleges to their backups.

Less High School Stress (website cited frequently on DCUM with tons of data looking at this from multiple angles.

LinkedIn, on which anyone can do their own research and see from which colleges any firm is hiring.

Harvard Schmarvard (book by Jay Mathews)

Where You Go is not Who You'll Be (book by Frank Bruni)

Numerous DCUM threads.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The whole premise of OP's statement is wrong. It's been demonstrated ad nauseum by many people that top firms want top people, not diplomas from colleges everyone has heard of. Here's a list of references. I'd love to see OP's support for their statement.

Dale and Kruger, a peer-reviewed study of outcomes for college grads comparing elite colleges to their backups.

Less High School Stress (website cited frequently on DCUM with tons of data looking at this from multiple angles.

LinkedIn, on which anyone can do their own research and see from which colleges any firm is hiring.

Harvard Schmarvard (book by Jay Mathews)

Where You Go is not Who You'll Be (book by Frank Bruni)

Numerous DCUM threads.

Sorry, here's a link to LHSS https://lesshighschoolstress.com/

[Anonymous]

Because they can! Some of the proudest Ivy grads went to crappy Harvard Kennedy school degree mill masters’ programs!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The whole premise of OP's statement is wrong. It's been demonstrated ad nauseum by many people that top firms want top people, not diplomas from colleges everyone has heard of. Here's a list of references. I'd love to see OP's support for their statement.

Dale and Kruger, a peer-reviewed study of outcomes for college grads comparing elite colleges to their backups.

Less High School Stress (website cited frequently on DCUM with tons of data looking at this from multiple angles.

LinkedIn, on which anyone can do their own research and see from which colleges any firm is hiring.

Harvard Schmarvard (book by Jay Mathews)

Where You Go is not Who You'll Be (book by Frank Bruni)

Numerous DCUM threads.

Also, Fit Over Ranking, a white paper out of Stanford.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Does everyone share your desire to lead an "elite" life?

She is an Executive Mom giving Executive Advice for Executive Teenagers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does everyone share your desire to lead an "elite" life?

She is an Executive Mom giving Executive Advice for Executive Teenagers.

She's raising the next Jordan Belfort

[Anonymous]

I went to Arizona State and got into Chicago and Columbia for grad school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I see a lot of people on this board myopically insist that undergrad prestige doesn't matter and that their kid can go to an Ivy for grad school. This seems misguided. The top firms only recruit from Ivies and other T20 schools. Going to an HYPSM for undergrad will increase your odds of landing at one of them.

If you go to an elite school and do everything right, you don't even need to go to grad school. The people on here saying that their kids at a state school or some no-name SLAC can "always go to an Ivy for grad school" seem misguided. Not all grad schools pay off. I had a woman in my neighborhood say the same thing -- her daughter went to a selective but not elite SLAC, and her mom insisted that her college education paid off since she's at Columbia for her PhD in History. Ummm.... hello?!!!! A PhD in the humanities is the LAST thing I would want my kid to do.

Different strokes for different folks. Going to an Ivy is no guarantee of anything!

I’m a poster who subscribes to this belief. I did it and our kids in STEM are doing it. It works for some. Not everyone wants to go into investment banking or management consulting, which frankly do nothing to help our world from what I’ve seen.. For us, mental health trumps academic prestige. The kid has to want it, we’re not going to push it. Life is about so much more.

OP here. So you would be okay with your kid going to an Ivy for a PhD in, say, Biology and then end up as a fed scientist? That would be awful. They would have no earning power in their 20s (as they'd be living on a grad student stipend) and they would top out at an income of $180k. How would they afford housing or childcare in their 30s in the DMV?

Life is more than money, I agree. But money is damn important.

NP. I didn't go to an Ivy, but I went to a top 10 undergrad and a top 20 law school, and my income just hit $100K at age 38 (my husband just hit $65K for the first time). I've always been able to afford housing and childcare.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I see a lot of people on this board myopically insist that undergrad prestige doesn't matter and that their kid can go to an Ivy for grad school. This seems misguided. The top firms only recruit from Ivies and other T20 schools. Going to an HYPSM for undergrad will increase your odds of landing at one of them.

If you go to an elite school and do everything right, you don't even need to go to grad school. The people on here saying that their kids at a state school or some no-name SLAC can "always go to an Ivy for grad school" seem misguided. Not all grad schools pay off. I had a woman in my neighborhood say the same thing -- her daughter went to a selective but not elite SLAC, and her mom insisted that her college education paid off since she's at Columbia for her PhD in History. Ummm.... hello?!!!! A PhD in the humanities is the LAST thing I would want my kid to do.

Different strokes for different folks. Going to an Ivy is no guarantee of anything!

I’m a poster who subscribes to this belief. I did it and our kids in STEM are doing it. It works for some. Not everyone wants to go into investment banking or management consulting, which frankly do nothing to help our world from what I’ve seen.. For us, mental health trumps academic prestige. The kid has to want it, we’re not going to push it. Life is about so much more.

OP here. So you would be okay with your kid going to an Ivy for a PhD in, say, Biology and then end up as a fed scientist? That would be awful. They would have no earning power in their 20s (as they'd be living on a grad student stipend) and they would top out at an income of $180k. How would they afford housing or childcare in their 30s in the DMV?

Life is more than money, I agree. But money is damn important.

There is more to life than money and a top scientist at a good agency is nice life. It is interesting work, family friendly and good benefits.

-Double fed family, with an nice house in a good school district in NWDC and can afford to send my kid to college full pay.

[Anonymous]

It's MAJOR dependent. If you are an engineer or computer science major, you don't need grad/professional school.

I was a biology major. I needed to go to grad school or med school unless I only wanted to be a science teacher in MS/HS or work as a low level lab assistant.

If you are a history major or communications or poly sci--it's the same. You are going to need grad school or law school, MBA, etc.

[Anonymous]

I'm a Fed scientist in Biology and all of my co-workers have a minimum of a Master's Degree and the vast majority are PhDs. I had to go back and get a graduate degree. Engineers in my agency don't need the grad degree, but other sciences they do and the people they are competing for jobs with are PhD qualified.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm a Fed scientist in Biology and all of my co-workers have a minimum of a Master's Degree and the vast majority are PhDs. I had to go back and get a graduate degree. Engineers in my agency don't need the grad degree, but other sciences they do and the people they are competing for jobs with are PhD qualified.

Oh and what I meant to say is in my incoming class of 14--at least 9 had Ivy degrees, many for undergrad and grad.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Depends on the major and end goal.

Grad school is much easier to get in.

Only stupid people would pay a lot of money for grad school

No, it is not.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I see a lot of people on this board myopically insist that undergrad prestige doesn't matter and that their kid can go to an Ivy for grad school. This seems misguided. The top firms only recruit from Ivies and other T20 schools. Going to an HYPSM for undergrad will increase your odds of landing at one of them.

If you go to an elite school and do everything right, you don't even need to go to grad school. The people on here saying that their kids at a state school or some no-name SLAC can "always go to an Ivy for grad school" seem misguided. Not all grad schools pay off. I had a woman in my neighborhood say the same thing -- her daughter went to a selective but not elite SLAC, and her mom insisted that her college education paid off since she's at Columbia for her PhD in History. Ummm.... hello?!!!! A PhD in the humanities is the LAST thing I would want my kid to do.

Different strokes for different folks. Going to an Ivy is no guarantee of anything!

I’m a poster who subscribes to this belief. I did it and our kids in STEM are doing it. It works for some. Not everyone wants to go into investment banking or management consulting, which frankly do nothing to help our world from what I’ve seen.. For us, mental health trumps academic prestige. The kid has to want it, we’re not going to push it. Life is about so much more.

OP here. So you would be okay with your kid going to an Ivy for a PhD in, say, Biology and then end up as a fed scientist? That would be awful. They would have no earning power in their 20s (as they'd be living on a grad student stipend) and they would top out at an income of $180k. How would they afford housing or childcare in their 30s in the DMV?

Life is more than money, I agree. But money is damn important.

Is this satire? Most people in the DMV live on WAY less than $90k, $180k or $360k.

Get out more, please.