Ivy League grads...

[Anonymous]

Apart from the quality of your education , how many of the Ivy League graduates (undegrad college degrees) feel that their 'credential' is still giving them a professional benefit today? Or do you feel really beyond your initial post-college years, the distinct professional benefit is fairly minimal....

[Anonymous]

What do you mean by professional benefit? I'm not sure on its own it helps me get a position, but it may plug me into a network or may serve as a point of contact for others in my field.

[Anonymous]

If you go to at least a big 3 ivy...no one ever questions how smart you are...it makes life easier.

[Anonymous]

I hear it's all about connections, like earlier PP mentions. You get to know many people, the network of contacts, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you go to at least a big 3 ivy...no one ever questions how smart you are...it makes life easier.

Yes, just like Bush

[Anonymous]

What is a big 3 ivy? HY? P?

[Anonymous]

I think there is some instant credibility that comes from having gone to a name brand school, although I don't think it is limited just to ivies. I work in a field that puts a premium on credentials so it's been a plus. I have not found the networks to be a plus.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What is a big 3 ivy? HY? P?

Harvard, Yale, Princeton.

However, Cornell, Univ. of PA, Brown, and Columbia are all Ivy League and you have to just as smart to get into these schools and just as smart ot graduate as the requirements for H, Y, and P. Same thing for U. VA, Stanford, U. of Chicago, Havrford College, Northwestern, Tulane, MIT and so many, many others.

No everyone can afford to attend ILs but this doesn't negate their educational qualifications and it is nothing but insufferable snobbery to think that H, Y, and P are so much above the others.

Every year Princeton receives a couple of hundred requests for information about their law school. Princeton does not have a law school and more than a few of these requests come from graduates of Harvard and Yale!

[Anonymous]

I think a lot depends on one's field. I'm sure the credential has helped to get me in the door for some job opportunities, but it hasn't necessarily been any easy road. What I have valued is the education got and the way it has helped me with critical thinking etc. While I do remain in touch with many college friends and take part in some alumni activities on occasion, I'm not the best at networking. So, in that sense, I may not have taken advantage of everything being a graduate of one of "the big three" has to offer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What is a big 3 ivy? HY? P?

Harvard, Yale, Princeton.

However, Cornell, Univ. of PA, Brown, and Columbia are all Ivy League and you have to just as smart to get into these schools and just as smart ot graduate as the requirements for H, Y, and P. Same thing for U. VA, Stanford, U. of Chicago, Havrford College, Northwestern, Tulane, MIT and so many, many others.

No everyone can afford to attend ILs but this doesn't negate their educational qualifications and it is nothing but insufferable snobbery to think that H, Y, and P are so much above the others.

Every year Princeton receives a couple of hundred requests for information about their law school. Princeton does not have a law school and more than a few of these requests come from graduates of Harvard and Yale!

They should open up a LS. It is a cash cow and everyone will be banging on their doors to get in, not to mention dropping more money into the bucket while applying.

[Anonymous]

I think it helped my husband during interviews. He is an attorney.

As for me, well, my kids don't seem too impressed, and I got way better grades than their dad.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think it helped my husband during interviews. He is an attorney.

As for me, well, my kids don't seem too impressed, and I got way better grades than their dad.

You go girl!

[Anonymous]

Honestly, I do find it helps in a number of ways, still, and I've been out 15 years. I am a lawyer in a credential-happy practice, so that may be part of it, but people still always comment on it (like when they see my bio), and lots of 'important' people (in my area of practice) introduce themselves to me as fellow alums of my school, making networking easy. If I wanted to change jobs I would find it easy to call general counsels or law partners who are fellow alums and would undoubtedly get a foot in the door for an interview.

That said, I absolutely hated it - was forced to go there because I got in and dad threw a fit at the suggestion that I go elsewhere (and with his income there would have been no way to get federal financial aid to go elsewhere - you have to show your parents' tax returns to get it). Cant say I 'regret' it because of all the benefits it has conferred, but I always get a little sad when people talk nostalgically about college as the best time of their life. Not sure I'd do it again - I'd have done well somewhere else too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think it helped my husband during interviews. He is an attorney.

As for me, well, my kids don't seem too impressed, and I got way better grades than their dad.

LOL - my kids don't seen to care much either.

Although if/when I do start getting back into my old career I do think the network/reputation will help.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What is a big 3 ivy? HY? P?

Harvard, Yale, Princeton.

However, Cornell, Univ. of PA, Brown, and Columbia are all Ivy League and you have to just as smart to get into these schools and just as smart ot graduate as the requirements for H, Y, and P. Same thing for U. VA, Stanford, U. of Chicago, Havrford College, Northwestern, Tulane, MIT and so many, many others.

No everyone can afford to attend ILs but this doesn't negate their educational qualifications and it is nothing but insufferable snobbery to think that H, Y, and P are so much above the others.

Every year Princeton receives a couple of hundred requests for information about their law school. Princeton does not have a law school and more than a few of these requests come from graduates of Harvard and Yale!

You forgot Dartmouth....