HYPSM vs lower elite schools for quality /opportunities
![[Post New]](/jforum/templates/default/images/icon_minipost_new.gif){kind=icon}
Anonymous
|
Are there any practical differences in opportunities for kids at HYPSM vs the lower elite schools? (by lower elite I mean, places like Columbia, Penn, Duke, UChicago, Brown etc).
I know HYPSM have obviously greater lay prestige and all, but what additional practical benefit do they provide over the other top places? |
Anonymous
|
I can speak for HYP vs another Ivy (children at both).
The child at the non-HYP Ivy is happier and more satisfied overall with the sense of community, undergrad focus, and quality of education. The child at HYP is pretty content as well, but there is a noticeable difference in funding and opportunities. For instance, child at non-HYP had to apply for competitive internship funding up to $4000, and while they got it, a number of friends didn't. Child at HYP got multiple summer experiences funded alongside international conferences during the school year (publicized by the school for all interested students), over $10000 to start a new organization, and a lot more. Key influential speakers visit the child at HYP a lot more to the point there's a joke about missing all the influential connections for a low-key party with food. The graduate facilities are distinguished and have a lot of connection to the undergrads at HYP, making it easy for a student to work at law, medicine, etc. if they desire. Many Nobel laureate faculty members who take undergrads within their wings. On campus recruiting is a major difference too- while non HYP child probably has little worry about getting a lucrative job in the long term, a lot more recruiting happens at HYP. All that said, we don't feel like there's a massive difference. HYP win by the sheer number of opportunities, sure, but at both HYP and non-HYP there are far too many opportunities to take advantage of than anyone could. Given the more positive experiences of our non-HYP child, we believe that our money is more worth it there. You can't go wrong with either group. |
Anonymous
| New poster - just want to thank the previous poster for that thorough, well-informed and very interesting and helpful response. |
Anonymous
| And the difference between lower Ivy and top public - the chasm is so wide and deep.... |
Anonymous
My kids is exploring both and we've heard over and over again this same feedback. Specifically the difference between Yale and Brown for example. |
Anonymous
| UChicago kid has friends at HYPM -- similar resources/opportunities. UofC intro level classes seem to be smaller. Profs have been very helpful, friendly, supportive. DC seems to have had more career advising than the others, but I can't tell whether that's a function of the institution or of which kids chose to take advantage of which opportunities at which stage. Got an excellent, paid, summer research opp after first year at a world class facility through a UofC program. |
Anonymous
| "Lower elite" is an obnoxious phrase. |
Anonymous
| This thread is obnoxious. |
Anonymous
| It also depends on the kid. My DD looked at ivys but none were places she wanted to attend. She wanted to get away from a city and away from a large school. So she is looking at schools that could be described as lower elite because that is where she feels most comfortable. I'm confident she'll do better in a small rural school because that is what she needs right now. So for her, I think she'll benefit more from a lower elite school than she would at the top schools you list. As I said, I really think it depends on the kid. |
Anonymous
I disagree. People tend to paint top schools with one broad brush. There are some big differences in how schools use their endowments to enrich the student experience. Some schools use it to have the best food options or build incredible living spaces. Others use it to fully fund internships and provide critical support to help students succeed. And others use it to make sure the student body is economically diverse. IMO it's important to understand these differences and how it impacts the overall student experience. Where this money goes = what the college actually values and I personally want to know that before shipping my kid off. |
Anonymous
+1 I'm interested in knowing about the practical differences that as well. |
Anonymous
|
Well, but there are those types of differences among HYPSM, as well as between HYPSM and other excellent colleges. So while your point is well taken, it's neither the question being posed nor the question being answered.
I agree that the thread isn't inherently obnoxious -- is all you're getting fame/name recognition or is there something qualitatively different about the education/opportunities offered by HYPSM is a legit question. |
Anonymous
| It comes down to how much a university is really investing in their classroom sizes (especially for that critical freshman year), how they approach their study abroad and summer programs, their hands on investing in post college results, the living situations and then the spending on extracurricular activities. Those are all prioritized and handled differently by each school. The question is a good one to ask but it can't be addressed well as HYPSM vs. all else. The answer comparing Harvard to Brown is different than between Harvard and Penn. |
Anonymous
|
Anonymous
|