Moms who went to public schools

[Anonymous]

Just curious, for those of you who did not attend a top tier school, did you get into the college of your choice or find the career you wanted?

[Anonymous]

Naahhhh... Don't you know if you don't go to NCS you're doomed to be unhappy until the end of time?


Really, isn't this kind of a silly question? Do you work? I do. With a whole bunch of women who went to decidedly middle-of-the-road public schools, and yet somehow managed to end up in a wonderful job that they like. Some of them (gasp) even when to state colleges!

As for me, I went to one of the "top" public schools in the area... screwed around... went to a decidedly mediocre college (which I loved), and still managed to go to a great law school, and end up with a great job that I love.

[Anonymous]

yes I work, went to a public school, and I have a career that I love. I just read so much of mom's being scared that their kids will end up in "sub-standard" schools, and know there are probably many of us who went to such schools and still made something great of ourselves professionally. So I was just curious to hear other people's experiences.

[Anonymous]

oops. I meant moms without the apostrophe.

[Anonymous]

Odd question--I think that the people who went to top tier schools don't get that most people don't go to top tier schools and still manage to lead productive, successful lives and have careers. Geesh.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Odd question--I think that the people who went to top tier schools don't get that most people don't go to top tier schools and still manage to lead productive, successful lives and have careers. Geesh.

which is exactly why i posted my odd question...to show that us public school moms do in fact lead the professional lives we aspired to...without a top tier school. I was not trying to bring out your positive experiences to share, not sarcasm.

[Anonymous]

oops again, I meant I WAS trying to bring out your positive experiences. My typing is out of wack today.

[Anonymous]

Yeah, I think this is a perception held by folks who went to prestigious schools. They can't imagine having obtained what they have without that factor. However, those of us who went to public school, from kindergarten through college and beyond, know that a strong work ethic, excellent skill set, and a friendly, positive personality will get us most anywhere.

The one advantage I can see of going to these high-priced schools is the connections you'll make. I've been helped by personal connections, and maybe I would have gotten even more help (had more connections) if my diploma were in Latin. I dunno. I'm still pretty happy with how things have turned out.

[Anonymous]

I think the biggest myth of my adult life has been that life's a meritocracy, and if you go to the best college and the best grad school, you'll get the "best" job and promoted the fastest and the most money.

There are tons of people who are more senior than me (which incidentally means they usually make more than me by a long shot) who went to Unversity of Beach party town and just were in the right place at the right time with their careers.

It has taken me a while to get used to the fact that yes, some people have been with the company for 10 years and are further along than me, and some people bought a house in 1999 and don't have the double their mortgage I have. They are not smarter than me though.

Life is 1/2 hard work and 1/2 luck.

Or as Woody Allen said (maybe?) life is 99% just showing up.

[Anonymous]

I don't even have one friend that attended a private school, so when I come to this board I feel a bit out of place with all the top school talk, but strangely can't stop coming back either to read the gossip and advice.

[Anonymous]

Not only did I go to public schools, but I went to DC public schools, which, as everyone on this forum well knows, doom you to a life of mediocrity. But to seriously answer your question, I've never been rejected from any school, undergrad or grad, that I've applied to, including some Ivy-league caliber schools (although not technically Ivy League). That said, I've always ended up a a good school that offered me a scholarship where I was able to finish pretty high in the class and that strategy has served me well as I have what many would consider to be "elite" credentials in my chosen career (law).

I have many childhood friends who went to top private schools in DC and they have done no better in terms of school acceptance and career success than I have.

[Anonymous]

Connections and luck are key.

[Anonymous]

I graduated from a fine but not outstanding Fairfax Co. public H.S., went to an Ivy League school for college, Ivy League graduate school, have a good job, nice family, am happy. Woman in office down the hall graduated from a similarly fine Fairfax Co. public H.S. in the same year I did, attended a very mediocre state university, went to an excellent state graduate program, was promoted above me, makes more money than I do, has a nice husband, lives in a nicer house in the same zip code that I live in, has more kids, seems happy, appears to work harder than I do.

Life is long, and we each have our own definition of and path to success and happiness. It is a wonderful privilege to go to a top-notch college because in itself it is a rich and valuable experience, but it is not some magic key that will spring open all doors.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
which is exactly why i posted my odd question...to show that us public school moms do in fact lead the professional lives we aspired to...without a top tier school. I was not trying to bring out your positive experiences to share, not sarcasm.

Not to be nitpicky... but if you want to just share your theory, and ask for experiences to share, why not just do so? Instead of asking a loaded question?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Not only did I go to public schools, but I went to DC public schools, which, as everyone on this forum well knows, doom you to a life of mediocrity. But to seriously answer your question, I've never been rejected from any school, undergrad or grad, that I've applied to, including some Ivy-league caliber schools (although not technically Ivy League). That said, I've always ended up a a good school that offered me a scholarship where I was able to finish pretty high in the class and that strategy has served me well as I have what many would consider to be "elite" credentials in my chosen career (law).

I have many childhood friends who went to top private schools in DC and they have done no better in terms of school acceptance and career success than I have.

that is awesome. exactly the kind of experience I was hoping to read about.