For those who attended non-Ivies, do you regret not trying harder to get into an Ivy?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My husband went to an Ivy League school for both undergrad and law school.

Not once has he said his education makes him superior to anyone else. Not once has he brought it up in conversation. In fact, if someone asks him where he went to school, he simply says, "Up north." If they push further, he will say, "New England." He never brags about where he went because he recognizes that he is no better a person nor attorney than someone who went to a different school.

Our kids are encouraged to go wherever they feel is best for them-- Ivy, state school, community college, military, trade school, workforce, etc. We will never push them to follow a certain path.

This is such an Ivy cliche. He should stop.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My husband went to an Ivy League school for both undergrad and law school.

Not once has he said his education makes him superior to anyone else. Not once has he brought it up in conversation. In fact, if someone asks him where he went to school, he simply says, "Up north." If they push further, he will say, "New England." He never brags about where he went because he recognizes that he is no better a person nor attorney than someone who went to a different school.

Our kids are encouraged to go wherever they feel is best for them-- Ivy, state school, community college, military, trade school, workforce, etc. We will never push them to follow a certain path.

This is such an Ivy cliche. He should stop.

It was criticized a decade ago: https://slate.com/culture/2014/05/harvard-grads-say-i-went-to-college-in-boston-and-call-it-the-h-bomb-get-over-yourselves-ivy-leaguers.html

[Anonymous]

I feel like anything in the top 30 (or maybe even 50?) is the same. There is a difference though my my colleagues from lower tiered schools though.

I didn’t apply to any Ivys. I only had a 1450 SAT but did have straight As and was IB. I’m beyond thrilled with my state flagship I went to. Best 4 years with so much school spirit. Always had lots of job offers. Duke was where I’d wanted to attend. I got in and didn’t want to go, very glad with that decision.

[Anonymous]

In my field (consulting), Ivy League grads are seen as less likely to roll up their sleeves and do real work. We hire a lot from state schools and some privates where students are more practical and down to earth. Some (but not all) Ivy students I’ve encountered seem to think their Ivy education is all that and don’t get that they need to work hard and fit into the work environment where they are. Being a state school graduate has not hurt my career at all. I made Partner/Managing Director and have had further promotions and good bonus/equity. And - I had no debt!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:1. I am not sure regret is a useful way to spend your time.
2. I received an excellent education. It is a lot more about what you put in than where you go.

This.

No one in my office went to an ivy. Top tier gov affair firm.

And we laugh sometimes in front of 40 year olds who mention they went to Harvard. I tilt my head and say “awww you were smart at 18 to get in why is that relevant now.”

I am a lobbyist. Many I work with worked on the Hill and graduated from State U. Above poster-- you sound like a real peach with an inferiority complex with a need to put down people smarter than you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's easy to see why so few of you ended up at an Ivy. You either didn't understand the question OP asked or are ignoring it.

Clearly it's directed at folks who in retrospect had an actual, realistic chance at admission to an Ivy but didn't push it. Many of you don't qualify to respond -- by a long shot -- and those of you who got in a turned it down don't qualify either.

OP - My question was directed at people who didn't try hard enough to get into an Ivy in the sense that maybe they didn't push to get As in their classes and settled for Bs (but could have gotten As if they worked harder), maybe they didn't bother taking a rigorous enough course load, or maybe their ECs weren't that interesting, etc. But I've been enjoying the varied responses I see here, especially since the heart of my question is about how much going or not going to an Ivy is important for future success. I'm embarrassingly still insecure about this, so it's nice to see others talk up other colleges, especially state schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:1. I am not sure regret is a useful way to spend your time.
2. I received an excellent education. It is a lot more about what you put in than where you go.

This.

No one in my office went to an ivy. Top tier gov affair firm.

And we laugh sometimes in front of 40 year olds who mention they went to Harvard. I tilt my head and say “awww you were smart at 18 to get in why is that relevant now.”

I am a lobbyist. Many I work with worked on the Hill and graduated from State U. Above poster-- you sound like a real peach with an inferiority complex with a need to put down people smarter than you.

Yeah I always feel the need to drop an accomplishment that happened 20 years ago....... I am very very insecure.

[Anonymous]

With my grades I knew I was just average. What I do regret is not taking school seriously and put in 100%. While I do have a decent job/good benefits it is not my 'dream job'.

[Anonymous]

I attended an ivy and am disgusted. Have you seen what is going on at ivy league schools lately?

[Anonymous]

I worked very hard in high school and graduated near the top of my class. Could I have gotten into an Ivy? Maybe. I never applied because I knew we couldn’t afford a private school. But I never felt badly about that. I went to one of the best public universities in my state, which had one of the best programs in the country for what I wanted to study. I got a great education and graduated without debt. Had I gone to an Ivy, I would still be paying off loans, and I would not have had access to the unique internship opportunities that were only available at my school. No regrets.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My husband went to an Ivy League school for both undergrad and law school.

Not once has he said his education makes him superior to anyone else. Not once has he brought it up in conversation. In fact, if someone asks him where he went to school, he simply says, "Up north." If they push further, he will say, "New England." He never brags about where he went because he recognizes that he is no better a person nor attorney than someone who went to a different school.

Our kids are encouraged to go wherever they feel is best for them-- Ivy, state school, community college, military, trade school, workforce, etc. We will never push them to follow a certain path.

This is such an Ivy cliche. He should stop.

Yet, he is doing it for a valid reason. Why give fodder to all of you people who will make snide remarks, like some have on this thread, just because he has gone to Harvard/Yale/etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My husband went to an Ivy League school for both undergrad and law school.

Not once has he said his education makes him superior to anyone else. Not once has he brought it up in conversation. In fact, if someone asks him where he went to school, he simply says, "Up north." If they push further, he will say, "New England." He never brags about where he went because he recognizes that he is no better a person nor attorney than someone who went to a different school.

Our kids are encouraged to go wherever they feel is best for them-- Ivy, state school, community college, military, trade school, workforce, etc. We will never push them to follow a certain path.

This is such an Ivy cliche. He should stop.

Yet, he is doing it for a valid reason. Why give fodder to all of you people who will make snide remarks, like some have on this thread, just because he has gone to Harvard/Yale/etc.

DP. I went to Princeton and never talk about it. At this point in my life (I'm 50), it doesn't matter an iota.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I worked very hard in high school and graduated near the top of my class. Could I have gotten into an Ivy? Maybe. I never applied because I knew we couldn’t afford a private school. But I never felt badly about that. I went to one of the best public universities in my state, which had one of the best programs in the country for what I wanted to study. I got a great education and graduated without debt. Had I gone to an Ivy, I would still be paying off loans, and I would not have had access to the unique internship opportunities that were only available at my school. No regrets.

Financial aid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DD got accepted at 2 Ivy Law Schools but instead chose a Law School not even in the top 100, because 1) the gave her full tuition and 2) They were ranked #1 in the field she wanted to specialize in.

It does matter where you go to graduate/professional school. Undergrad not so much.