It’s Time to Tell Your Kids It Doesn’t Matter Where They Go To College

[Anonymous]

OP here. I think there's some merit to this article, but my impression is that it's overly simplistic--like everything, it depends.

I looked a little into the research, and it appears that the outcomes are more mixed than this article would suggest. For example, the extent to which an elite college education matters for later outcomes may depend on the specific field (as PPs have pointed out), on whether a child is already from a privileged background, is black or Hispanic, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:As long as we, and employers, buy into this illusion of prestige, it will continue to matter. The difference in an education received at an Ivy as compared to the education received at a different reputable school is miniscule. It is only the perception of superiority that keeps the schools in demand.

No, it has to do with competition. The effort you'll have to exert at prestigeous school when in a class of all very very smart people is far more than the effort you'll need in a class with 10-20% of those smart people.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. I think there's some merit to this article, but my impression is that it's overly simplistic--like everything, it depends.

I looked a little into the research, and it appears that the outcomes are more mixed than this article would suggest. For example, the extent to which an elite college education matters for later outcomes may depend on the specific field (as PPs have pointed out), on whether a child is already from a privileged background, is black or Hispanic, etc.

This part is crucial.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is akin to it's doesn't matter which restaurant you eat at, you'll be full once you've ate. But sometimes you want the best food you can afford, or the best food for your money.

I do believe how a kid turns out has to do with her/his personality and work ethic more than the college s/he attends though.

I agree.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:As long as we, and employers, buy into this illusion of prestige, it will continue to matter. The difference in an education received at an Ivy as compared to the education received at a different reputable school is miniscule. It is only the perception of superiority that keeps the schools in demand.

I think it probably mattered more in the past when we hired more for soft skills -- we assumed that the person who went to the pricey LAC was learning how to think critically, write well, etc. Nowadays, most job listings want to know very specific things like can you code in Python, can you use this event management software, do you have a particular credential in human resources management. Having a recurring fight with my husband on this issue -- he says that if it continues the way it's going, in the future it truly won't matter whether you went to the University of Phoenix or UVA, as long as you passed the cybersecurity exam, got the credential, etc.

[Anonymous]

It matters for your first few jobs, but it matters much less as you get older.

Your career trajectory, positions held, reputation and networking circle will always always always matter the most.

[Anonymous]

I think it might help get a first or second job, but then what's more important is experience and which companies you worked for...

[Anonymous]

I Think the reality is that for some people it matters not at all and for others it matters quite a lot. It depends on what else you’re bringing to the table.

[Anonymous]

Some schools are better for certain majors/fields. Some schools, as educational institutions, are better than others. But is it worth it to put yourself 100k+ plus in debt just to attend a prestigious university? No. Buy the education that is best for you that you can afford with minimal debt.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think it might help get a first or second job, but then what's more important is experience and which companies you worked for...

It takes longer for someone who didn't go to a great university to get to that place.

I went to a no name university. I don't necessarily think that top university students make for better workers (I've experienced this in the workplace), but it does make it easier to get your foot in the door, and if you are a good worker, to go up faster than if you went to a no name school.

But I do agree that it doesn't make you any happier. That comes from other things for most people.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Some schools are better for certain majors/fields. Some schools, as educational institutions, are better than others. But is it worth it to put yourself 100k+ plus in debt just to attend a prestigious university? No. Buy the education that is best for you that you can afford with minimal debt.

+1 I want my kids to go to a great university if they can, even it means some debt, but not a huge amount.

[Anonymous]

or care if they went to college at all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here. I think there's some merit to this article, but my impression is that it's overly simplistic--like everything, it depends.

I looked a little into the research, and it appears that the outcomes are more mixed than this article would suggest. For example, the extent to which an elite college education matters for later outcomes may depend on the specific field (as PPs have pointed out), on whether a child is already from a privileged background, is black or Hispanic, etc.

This part is crucial.

OP again. The fact that there are mixed data with respect to other variables was discussed extensively in another group I'm in (women in academia). Someone posted this article, in case anyone's interested.

"Black students who graduate from institutions like Harvard University are about as likely to get a well-paid job as a white graduate from a less-selective state university, new study finds."

https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2015/03/06/elite-college-degrees-give-black-graduates-little-advantage-job-market

Not an expert by any stretch, but my tentative read of this and other studies is: if you're a parent of modest means or a POC, it may be worth it to choose the "best" college you can reasonably afford. Other studies I read mentioned similar situations to the PP with the niece at Shenandoah--families with limited means send their kids to schools with better aid packages, but the kids are not challenged and privilege continues to accrue at the top schools, which helps to get their foot in the door with more prestigious jobs, grad schools, etc. There may be other scenarios also where a more elite or non-elite college may be preferable, depending on intended major, the child's drive, etc.

Rushing out for lunch--hope helps further the discussion at least a bit.

[Anonymous]

Oh, I agree 100%.
I think you should send your kids to Wichita State. I mean they'll do just as well.
Us, we're aiming for one of the Ivies or top 10 SLACs though.

[Anonymous]

I think we should be asking not only “does it matter” but should it matter. Admission to top schools is hardly a meritocracy anymore (even among the kids who genuinely earned it you must consider the advantages they’ve had). And as others have noted lower income kids who get in often cannot afford to go.