Do you identify and feel more connected with your undergrad or graduate institution?

[Anonymous]

Grad school.

Undergrad was a grind at a big school where no one even knew I was there. Grad school was a much smaller, tighter knit community.

[Anonymous]

+1 on the interesting question.

But I'll diverge. I have zero connection to my undergrad (NCSU)....but have way more gear and am invested in both DH's schools (Richmond and Auburn). Doesn't hurt that we live in RVA and attend many functions at UR. Best friend's spouse is of the Roll Tide category while their DC is a freshman at Auburn...so we have lots of fun ribbing each other over SEC foibles.

Also, I also feel more invested in our own DC's undergrad as, in just two years, we've already paid more to them than we did for our entire, collective post-HS educations. And we still have another DC to go!

And, for retirement, we will be looking for a small(ish) college town that we can "adopt" (although I would personally be ok with fall/winter in Auburn!). If done right, we love the spirit and community an institution of high education brings to an area.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:+1 on the interesting question.

But I'll diverge. I have zero connection to my undergrad (NCSU)....but have way more gear and am invested in both DH's schools (Richmond and Auburn). Doesn't hurt that we live in RVA and attend many functions at UR. Best friend's spouse is of the Roll Tide category while their DC is a freshman at Auburn...so we have lots of fun ribbing each other over SEC foibles.

Also, I also feel more invested in our own DC's undergrad as, in just two years, we've already paid more to them than we did for our entire, collective post-HS educations. And we still have another DC to go!

And, for retirement, we will be looking for a small(ish) college town that we can "adopt" (although I would personally be ok with fall/winter in Auburn!). If done right, we love the spirit and community an institution of high education brings to an area.

You would move to Alabama?

[Anonymous]

Undergrad, although I maintained more of my law school friendships. I think that's a matter of proximity and professional ties more than it is about our shared law school experience.

[Anonymous]

Grad school but ultimately feel more connected to DC's school than any other. I've never donated to my own school but have donated to DC's school, for example.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:+1 on the interesting question.

But I'll diverge. I have zero connection to my undergrad (NCSU)....but have way more gear and am invested in both DH's schools (Richmond and Auburn). Doesn't hurt that we live in RVA and attend many functions at UR. Best friend's spouse is of the Roll Tide category while their DC is a freshman at Auburn...so we have lots of fun ribbing each other over SEC foibles.

Also, I also feel more invested in our own DC's undergrad as, in just two years, we've already paid more to them than we did for our entire, collective post-HS educations. And we still have another DC to go!

And, for retirement, we will be looking for a small(ish) college town that we can "adopt" (although I would personally be ok with fall/winter in Auburn!). If done right, we love the spirit and community an institution of high education brings to an area.

You would move to Alabama?

Yep. Would prefer to snowbird it there with something further north during the hot, miserable Summers they can have.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Undergrad hands down (Dartmouth). For grad school, students didn’t live on campus and the pre-professional nature of it made students more focused on taking care of business than socializing.

+100

I was a teaching assistant. Lived off campus. There wasn't really a 'group' of us. It's not like undergrad where you all start out in the dorms together and have your 'coming of age' adventures and mishaps, forging bonds.

[Anonymous]

Grad school.

My undergrad was too big. Grad program was small, and we were mid 20s rather than late teens/early 20s, and we bonded more in the young adult, literal complete freedom environment. And it's a school with great school spirit.

This is very much a YMMV thing. If you went to, like, Vassar for undergrad and NYU for a master's in social work, or something, you'd probably have the opposite experience.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:+1 on the interesting question.

But I'll diverge. I have zero connection to my undergrad (NCSU)....but have way more gear and am invested in both DH's schools (Richmond and Auburn). Doesn't hurt that we live in RVA and attend many functions at UR. Best friend's spouse is of the Roll Tide category while their DC is a freshman at Auburn...so we have lots of fun ribbing each other over SEC foibles.

Also, I also feel more invested in our own DC's undergrad as, in just two years, we've already paid more to them than we did for our entire, collective post-HS educations. And we still have another DC to go!

And, for retirement, we will be looking for a small(ish) college town that we can "adopt" (although I would personally be ok with fall/winter in Auburn!). If done right, we love the spirit and community an institution of high education brings to an area.

You would move to Alabama?

Yep. Would prefer to snowbird it there with something further north during the hot, miserable Summers they can have.

NP. My in-laws moved to the Alabama coast (from a different part of AL) in retirement and their life is freaking idyllic.

It's also a progressive area, but I know that's a very hard thing for you to wrap your mind around, or even understand can be true.

[Anonymous]

Grad school 100%

[Anonymous]

Socially/lifelong friends - undergrad
Professionally - grad

[Anonymous]

I liked my grad school more. It was more me, but just not enough time to develop good lasting relationships.

I liked the last two years of undergrad. Met my true friends then. Feel that my undergrad, in retrospect, was too narrow focused. Same type of kids, same narrow minds. Good in some ways but not real world.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I liked my grad school more. It was more me, but just not enough time to develop good lasting relationships.

I liked the last two years of undergrad. Met my true friends then. Feel that my undergrad, in retrospect, was too narrow focused. Same type of kids, same narrow minds. Good in some ways but not real world.

It took me to my senior year of undergraduate to really enjoy it, which was then bittersweet for me.

Grad school I was working and busy with night classes; no connection.

[Anonymous]

Grad school

[Anonymous]

Undergrad - Seven Sisters