Does it seem like all anti-elite college folks never actually attended an elite?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Totally agree

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It seems the point of the OP was not that going to am elite school is a better path to success. Rather, that those who denigrate elite rarely have gone to one. I agree with the OP.

I agree with OP, too.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It seems like Harvard grads go out of their way to say this. Maybe as a way to forstall what they think would be envy? Or pity if they haven't achieved big success? Idk, but I've heard it from more than a few. Sort of "meh, it's not all that it's cracked up to be" kind of descriptions.

When you're handicapped in the looks area you need something to salvage your self esteem.

huh?

[Anonymous]

It seems to me that those who went to elite colleges and are truly comfortable in their own skin and happy would not belittle others' college choices.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I didn't go to an Ivy. I went to state school, and BU for law school. I'm a partner in a law firm. The partner in the office next to me went to Harvard and Duke. Yet we both wound up at the same place at the same age. Tell me again about how it matters?

+1000. Good example on how/why it really doesn't matter. There are multiple others as well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I didn't go to an Ivy. I went to state school, and BU for law school. I'm a partner in a law firm. The partner in the office next to me went to Harvard and Duke. Yet we both wound up at the same place at the same age. Tell me again about how it matters?

+1000. Good example on how/why it really doesn't matter. There are multiple others as well.

Actually a flawed statistical example. The fact that two people on different paths end up in the same place is a cute story but when looking at schools, one wants to look at averages. Does not mean it will always pay off but usually good to play averages, in the long run.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I didn't go to an Ivy. I went to state school, and BU for law school. I'm a partner in a law firm. The partner in the office next to me went to Harvard and Duke. Yet we both wound up at the same place at the same age. Tell me again about how it matters?

+1000. Good example on how/why it really doesn't matter. There are multiple others as well.

This is confirmation bias.
Plural of anecdote isn't data.

The non-peer could be an outlier or could have busted his/her ass for their job -- while the Harvard-Duke alum finished middle of their class and sort of coasted to partner.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I attended a no name school. Went to work at a very prestigious tech firm. Over time you came to realize that alot of your peers went to Ivy's, MIT, and often after going to the Andovers and Exeters of the world.

Some were scary smart and many not so much. Most, if not all, didn't discuss their pedigree.

Where the differences were: is I have to work for 5-7 years in the industry to get there, and get lucky, whereas they all went straight out of undergraduate/graduate and their networks (and sometimes their parents) helped. And their resumes still smoked mine because let's face it being a Princeton grad or Yale Law school grad is pretty studly.

And the other thing - they got educated. I went to school and worked to get a degree - they went to school to get educated- big difference in mindset. And they also understood the social aspects of life amongst the successful a lot better than I did. There was a level of refinement that they had that I lacked. That all said - some of them lacked the fire in the belly and it's the fire in the belly that eventually separates the men from the boys.

But don't forget - the real money is with the drop outs lol.

They will have had this prior to college, it comes from family background not college.

I think this is true. I grew up on a farm in a small rural community. I went to Harvard undergrad, and I remember being so awed and impressed by the sophistication of my roommates during my first year. They projected an air of confidence (not arrogance) in speaking (not only among peers, but with professors, waiters, and anybody else), and my small-town Catholic school did not produce anything like this. I'm not saying that I am ashamed of where I came from or what I am/was, but it has helped me so much to learn another code of behavior/standards, and to learn to be comfortable in both worlds. My siblings who went to state college did not have this advantage.

I am not convinced the academics at Harvard (undergrad) were necessarily superior, but the other things I learned have proved invaluable.