Reply to Why do you want your child to go to a "top" college?

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[quote=Anonymous]I'd like my child to attend a college where he will be challenged, meet decent people, and have a lot of opportunities to try different activities, fields, and jobs.

I think the first and third criteria are more likely to be met by a top college.  I went to an Ivy League school, went to grad school at a public flagship, and then worked as a college professor at a second tier university.  The kids at the Ivy were better prepared, and the public flagship kids were really hard-working.  The second tier school was another matter.  The kids weren't that well-prepared or hard-working, and you generally teach to the class median, so professors tended to skip the harder topics in the textbooks.  Thus, the same courses were less rigorous than at the Ivy or the public flagship.  Grade inflation was rampant, and teaching evaluations affected tenure decisions, so professors gave A's and assigned little debates instead of requiring papers.

That said, the second criterion isn't necessarily well-served by a top college.  I met some great people at the Ivy.  I also met a lot of jerks.  These days, so many of the kids at top schools are headed for Wall Street that ethics may not be a top priority.  [/quote]

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