College tiers?

[Anonymous]

Honestly, this list is not done very well. I hope it didn't take too much time. I'll address the top since that is all DCUM tends to really care about.
MIT and Princeton are not at top in everything in the same way as Harvard and Stanford.
Those two are in their own tier and Yale would go with MIT and Princeton.
Most of the differences between the others are too subjective to break into multiple tiers (though a few schools may need to be removed). Deciding between them based on aid and preference is entirely reasonable.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Honestly, this list is not done very well. I hope it didn't take too much time. I'll address the top since that is all DCUM tends to really care about.
MIT and Princeton are not at top in everything in the same way as Harvard and Stanford.
Those two are in their own tier and Yale would go with MIT and Princeton.
Most of the differences between the others are too subjective to break into multiple tiers (though a few schools may need to be removed). Deciding between them based on aid and preference is entirely reasonable.

How are Princeton and MIT not top at everything along with Harvard and Stanford? MIT’s main forays into humanities (economics, social sciences, psychology) are top tier. Princeton is incredible for every discipline as well across STEM and humanities, Princeton has no weak link at the undergrad level

[Anonymous]

Yale's STEM weakness was a big deal 10 years ago and maybe even 5 but they've been throwing $$ at the issue for quite a while and are seeing returns. DCUM is out of date. Their CS program is on the rise and their students do great on objective online coding tests. For undergrad CS, I actually think Yale is a good option and gives you access to amazing other programs. If you are looking to get a PhD, it isn't Stanford or MIT, but for an undergrad, you'll be 100% fine.

[Anonymous]

Stanford and Harvard have literally no weak departments and schools. Just to give an easy example, MIT's Literature, Linguistics and Anthropology programs are average to above average.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:Really depends on major. I think it is generally ivy+ as tier 1, then t30 as tier 2 and then tier 3 is like Boston university and northeastern.

BostonU and Northeastern are more competitive and selective than some of the T30(by USN&WR) schools.

Stop trying to make Northeastern happen. No One in the T30 even thinks about Northeastern.

People would choose Northeastern over 2nd tier UCs or UF unless instate.

What?! Not on your life. Please speak for yourself, not "people."
DP

My DMV kid chose Northeastern over UF. Didn't apply any UCs.

After MA and NY/NJ, CA is the biggest population at Northeastern. Even many Californians choose Northeastern over 2nd tier UCs.

Geographical diversity is another strength for schools like Northeastern.
2nd tier UCs ad UF probably have 80% instate students.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:WashU, Emory, CMU are not below Georgetown and Umich.
You have a vendetta. Umich has a 20% acceptance rate.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Stanford and Harvard have literally no weak departments and schools. Just to give an easy example, MIT's Literature, Linguistics and Anthropology programs are average to above average.

You could say Harvard mechanical engineering is also average to above average

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The overwhelming majority of parents at our private school, members of our country club, neighbors who live in $2M+ houses, executives at DH’s or my companies, did not attend any of the schools in OP’s post. However, someone on my team graduated from Harvard and makes $175k 15 years out of school, which is nice, but achievable from pretty much any school.

I will never get the obsession of people like OP. No one I know IRL cares this much about where their kids go. I’m guessing OP is the first gen in her family to achieve UMC and hasn’t been exposed to enough wealthy people to see the millions of paths to success that don’t involve a “Tier 1” school.

I agree with you on the first part, but do know lots of folks on the second. Even DH's cousin, who has a college admissions business and tells clients that there are "thousands of schools out there" with "many paths to success," would have died if her DCs did not attend one in the club or close enough. She is chiding the parent of a client on the phone about not being open minded about schools, then turns around and tells her DH that there is no way their DC is going to attend X state school as the DC will not meet the "right folks" there.

+1. It is true that "the overwhelming majority of parents at our private school, members of our country club, neighbors who live in $2M+ houses, executives at DH’s or my companies, did not attend any of the schools in OP’s post", but those people desperately want their kids to go to the schools in OP’s post.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The overwhelming majority of parents at our private school, members of our country club, neighbors who live in $2M+ houses, executives at DH’s or my companies, did not attend any of the schools in OP’s post. However, someone on my team graduated from Harvard and makes $175k 15 years out of school, which is nice, but achievable from pretty much any school.

I will never get the obsession of people like OP. No one I know IRL cares this much about where their kids go. I’m guessing OP is the first gen in her family to achieve UMC and hasn’t been exposed to enough wealthy people to see the millions of paths to success that don’t involve a “Tier 1” school.

That may all be true but I bet the people you know from your neighborhood etc still want their kids to go to prestigious schools

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DCUM obsession with prestige is so exhausting. Everything must be ranked and hierarchical.

I wonder what someone gets out of this, especially the choice to separate the Ivies into different tiers. It's all subjective. There is no right answer. Is it just to feel better about a decision?

The ivies are not all equal of course, some are better than others

True enough. Cornell best at architecture, engineering, undergraduate business, etc.

[Anonymous]

The prestige of a great school stays with you forever. Honestly, just scan the obits. Money comes and goes and can easily be a facade.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Honestly, this list is not done very well. I hope it didn't take too much time. I'll address the top since that is all DCUM tends to really care about.
MIT and Princeton are not at top in everything in the same way as Harvard and Stanford.
Those two are in their own tier and Yale would go with MIT and Princeton.
Most of the differences between the others are too subjective to break into multiple tiers (though a few schools may need to be removed). Deciding between them based on aid and preference is entirely reasonable.

Disagree. I am very familiar with the schools you mentioned, and MIT/Stanford go together in the first tire, while the others are second tier - if we are ranking top schools, which I personally think is ridiculous - especially considering that most people on DCUm have very little, if any idea what they are talking about (and certainly no personal experience).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:WashU, Emory, CMU are not below Georgetown and Umich.
You have a vendetta. Umich has a 20% acceptance rate.

+1

GU and CMU are comparable - the others are fine schools, but a tier below. DP here.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Really depends on major. I think it is generally ivy+ as tier 1, then t30 as tier 2 and then tier 3 is like Boston university and northeastern.

BostonU and Northeastern are more competitive and selective than some of the T30(by USN&WR) schools.

Stop trying to make Northeastern happen. No One in the T30 even thinks about Northeastern.

People would choose Northeastern over 2nd tier UCs or UF unless instate.

What?! Not on your life. Please speak for yourself, not "people."
DP

My DMV kid chose Northeastern over UF. Didn't apply any UCs.

After MA and NY/NJ, CA is the biggest population at Northeastern. Even many Californians choose Northeastern over 2nd tier UCs.

Geographical diversity is another strength for schools like Northeastern.
2nd tier UCs ad UF probably have 80% instate students.

Northeastern is a fine school, based on who our private firm hires. Do not get caught up in the DCUM Northeastern hate rhetoric, started and perpetuated by DCUM parents of those applicants not accepted to Northeastern.

Same schtick, different day. Do not engage.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Honestly, this list is not done very well. I hope it didn't take too much time. I'll address the top since that is all DCUM tends to really care about.
MIT and Princeton are not at top in everything in the same way as Harvard and Stanford.
Those two are in their own tier and Yale would go with MIT and Princeton.
Most of the differences between the others are too subjective to break into multiple tiers (though a few schools may need to be removed). Deciding between them based on aid and preference is entirely reasonable.

Disagree. I am very familiar with the schools you mentioned, and MIT/Stanford go together in the first tire, while the others are second tier - if we are ranking top schools, which I personally think is ridiculous - especially considering that most people on DCUm have very little, if any idea what they are talking about (and certainly no personal experience).

*tier