I think smaller size is going to be the factor that determines level of faculty involvement and advising, as opposed to low prestige. You're best off at Cal Tech or the WASP schools, which are both small and prestigious. Plenty of big state schools have lower prestige and crud advising.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Generally, universities of lower caliber advise their students better. Also, professors at lesser universities reach out to their students more and more want their students to be successful.

When I think of quality advising and caring professors, UCF is the first thing that springs to mind. 124 in US News, but each one of those 70k kids is known and valued

Ha! I know a kid there. If you really believe this I have a bridge to sell you.

Anonymous wrote:I second the comment on W&M - totally different (read:better) experience than UVA in terms of the close knit relationships that are fostered and encouraged between students and faculty. At UVA the majority of kids will never have a close relationship with a prof - at W&M it’s the norm - this is an indisputable fact

You aren't really sacrificing much prestige there though. Sacrificing prestige would be turning down UVA for Mary Washington

I second the comment on W&M - totally different (read:better) experience than UVA in terms of the close knit relationships that are fostered and encouraged between students and faculty. At UVA the majority of kids will never have a close relationship with a prof - at W&M it’s the norm - this is an indisputable fact

It’s a philosophical issue. Schools that handhold students and spoon feed material are not preparing them for the job market. Students need to learn how to figure things out. I would take a school that offers more opportunities - research, co-OP’s, clubs - than a school with small classes and professors that reach out to individual students.

Nothing evaporates faster than prestige.

Pick a school that's good at educating, not a school whose core competency is smoke and mirrors.

False choice fallacy

Anonymous wrote:Generally, universities of lower caliber advise their students better. Also, professors at lesser universities reach out to their students more and more want their students to be successful.

Also the grapes in the dining halls of higher caliber universities are sour anyway.

A really smart friend of mine who graduated from a top 30 school is sending her kids to Jesuit colleges so they get more faculty attention. So far her older one is top of the class, has time to pursue EC's, and all is well. Younger one starts this fall.

If you want professors with a high-quality personal network who actually know people at top grad schools and employers, then sorry, those are the professors at elite schools not at "lower caliber" schools.

I went to W&M which is considered lower prestige on the national stage. The relationships I developed there propelled my career. I still talk to many of my professors 15+ years out -- they helped me get my first job, go to any ivy grad school, etc. I have friends in more prestigious colleges that struggled in the job hunt and had no relationship with their professors or the TAs that taught them.

Obviously YMMV but I think advisement and the quality of professors is a HUGE factor in success

If you have a kid who thinks they know more than any professor and that lectures in college are a waste of time because, really what does that PhD have to say about it anyway, then go for prestige. Prestige schools are sadly full of such students.

If you have a kid who wants to learn, pay attention to who is doing the teaching and make your choice that way.

Anonymous wrote:Generally, universities of lower caliber advise their students better. Also, professors at lesser universities reach out to their students more and more want their students to be successful.

When I think of quality advising and caring professors, UCF is the first thing that springs to mind. 124 in US News, but each one of those 70k kids is known and valued

if you believe that, you'd be a fool to go elsewhere.

Generally, universities of lower caliber advise their students better. Also, professors at lesser universities reach out to their students more and more want their students to be successful.