What’s the point of going to a top school if you end up in the same place as someone who didn’t

[Anonymous]

I went to Ivies for undergrad and grad and do remember, regretfully, the snobbery that could go with it. Then cold hard reality hit. I work for a major F200 firm and our consulting team is global and people come from all kinds of schools and universities. On the US side I'd say 80% are graduates of flagship state universities. My own boss went to a no name directional state university, not even the flagship. And she's the head of the entire North American business line. And she's only 40.

I've been incredibly impressed by everyone I work with. And it does affect how I look at colleges. When people come to me for advice I merely say find a good school where you'll be happy for four years, work hard, learn to network, focus on delivering over and beyond and make sure you have a good time. Social skills are important too. And you'll be fine.

Even back in the 90s when I was applying to colleges, we had the same discussions and it was shown kids who were qualified (stat wise) for an Ivy/top college but went elsewhere instead ended up in the same places in life as those who did. And now that I'm 25 years out of high school, I can say some of the most accomplished, financially or professionally, were dullards in HS who went to unremarkable colleges, while some of the brightest who went to top colleges have not done well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Here are some reasons, not all will apply to everyone:
- you get access to the most elite employers (consulting, banking, and private equity) right out of college. After a few years, you can jump into a more senior role at a “regular” company if you want. The training and skills will continue to serve you and propel you forward throughout your career (well ahead of the peers that didn’t have this sort of training)

- you get access to the most elite employers, stay, and make bank

- you will have access to really interesting guest speakers, events etc throughout your time. Like small dinners or cocktail events with Supreme Court Justices, top business leaders, Presidents of foreign nations etc. This sort of thing continues for life via alumni clubs for those interested.

- many of your classmates will be extremely interesting/ unique/ rich and connected. Some will have amazing summer homes and invite you. Others may want to marry you.

- many of your classmates will be passionate about the same topics as you (literature, politics, science, whatever) and you will have great conversations and feel like you’ve found “your people”

- Top 10 schools offer extremely generous financial aid (let’s see if this continues). If you are not upper middle class to wealthy, a top school is likely to be your cheapest option.

- people tend to give you the benefit of the doubt and assume you’re smart, unless you prove otherwise. This means it’s also easier to get job interviews (lots of caveats of course)

- you get to learn from truly brilliant professors - this is true at many universities but imagine studying Economics at MIT vs. your local state school: Nobel Laureates are teaching you instead of “merely” brilliant phd’s

- many/ most elite grad schools consider the rigor of your undergraduate education during admissions (not med school, of course). Top MBA’s in particular are tough to crack if you didn’t go to a very highly ranked undergraduate school.

- you get to enjoy meeting and working with people from all walks of life without feeling threatened / having a chip on your shoulder

I would agree with a lot of this. Your built in network will allow you to have a lot more opportunities than at Pitt right off the bat and in the future.

[Anonymous]

Yep, the analogy I like to use is that going to a top school is like having insurance. You may not ever use its benefits, but they can come in quite handy if need be.

[Anonymous]

I went to a decently prestigious college, University of Chicago, though 20 years ago it wasn't as hard to get in as now. It's never helped my career and my co-workers are from all kinds of colleges. I still made the right choice for me. I had a great four years with people I liked and classes I loved. That said I 1) didn't come close to killing myself to get in and 2) was on enough financial aid that every college was basically the same cost for me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What is point of living a life if we all end up in graves?

This.

[Anonymous]

Go to the school that will make you a better, well-rounded human being. That’s not necessarily the highest ranked school that accepts you. All work and no play makes a dull boy/girl.
That’s why my kid chose a big State U that has a rep as a fun place to be a student.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am not a troll. I’m the parent of a HS sophomore who is killing themselves excelling in school and participating in extracurriculars to be competitive for T20.

At the same time, I see parents on here posting how their kid went to Cornell and ended up in the same place as someone who went to Pitt or another similarly ranked school.

At the same time, in my job I work alongside people who have gone to ivies and schools I’ve never heard of. I went to Michigan, btw.

My sister did her undergraduate at Oxford, stayed in the UK and is now partner at a well respected consulting firm alongside other partners that went to no name schools from India.

So seeing the stress my kid goes through, I am honestly asking what is the point of a Yale or Princeton if they take you to the same place that a school like Rutgers and Radford can take you?!

I very much doubt that those consulting partners in the UK went to no name schools in India. I'd bet good money they went to IITs or other elite schools in India. Just bc you haven't heard of them doesn't mean that they are no name. Excelling in the Indian higher ed system is a HUGE achievement, and consultants in particular care about pedigree.

[Anonymous]

Oh get real. We all know why it’s important that your kid attend a top college: so you can brag about it. Because you think it reflects on you. That’s what it’s all about. Who are you trying to kid.

[Anonymous]

Another troll intern post

[Anonymous]

The peers and education? One of my freshman roommates was a cabinet member for the last administration. My freshman TA is currently one of the most well known professors in computation. I have the network to do something more "interesting" but I cherished the education more than anything else.

[Anonymous]

I think if you have to ask, the answer won’t really make sense to you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The peers and education? One of my freshman roommates was a cabinet member for the last administration. My freshman TA is currently one of the most well known professors in computation. I have the network to do something more "interesting" but I cherished the education more than anything else.

That and there’s something about being at a place where things like study abroad, seminar-style classes, summer internships and the 4-year residential college experience are the norm, not the exception for most kids at the school. I was the first person in my family to attend a LAC. Everyone else before me went to lesser known state schools- great outcomes and they’re doing very well, but they didn’t do things like study abroad, write theses, attend reunions, live on campus all 4 years, etc. it’s just a different experience.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am not a troll. I’m the parent of a HS sophomore who is killing themselves excelling in school and participating in extracurriculars to be competitive for T20.

At the same time, I see parents on here posting how their kid went to Cornell and ended up in the same place as someone who went to Pitt or another similarly ranked school.

At the same time, in my job I work alongside people who have gone to ivies and schools I’ve never heard of. I went to Michigan, btw.

My sister did her undergraduate at Oxford, stayed in the UK and is now partner at a well respected consulting firm alongside other partners that went to no name schools from India.

So seeing the stress my kid goes through, I am honestly asking what is the point of a Yale or Princeton if they take you to the same place that a school like Rutgers and Radford can take you?!

No offense, you’re exposing how small-minded and dumb you are coming from 50,000-student degree mill Michigan. You don’t realize you’re “working with” a handful of Ivy alums who were probably in the bottom of their classes. You also apparently don’t realize what a truly powerful tightknit alumni network and dating pool are. To be clear, a powerful alum network is not “our degree mill alumni network is so big there are grads everywhere!” But I know that’s what your kind thinks.

[Anonymous]

I didn’t want to go to my local state flagship because I was doing much better in high school than kids who were going to go there. It irked me at 17 but surprise it didn’t matter in the end.

[Anonymous]

There are no guarantees in life. My uncle went to Ivies and worked in prestigious law firms and was absolutely miserable until retirement (and a divorce). People here are obsessed with prestige but there are many, many paths to success.