OP, I was just thinking that this morning.

Seems like people should take into account the trickle down of good students. As the number of applicants to top schools has increased while the number of spots has remained constant, kids that in the past would have gotten into Ivies are now going one tier down. The second tier kids are now going third tier and on and on. There are plenty of smart kids at all of the top 100 schools so we need to rethink how we perceive certain schools.
Something that I remember hearing back when I was touring colleges - schools that are in good locations attract good professors. So even if you may think Northeastern isn't so great, Boston can attract good profs.

Anonymous wrote:Yes, NYU and Northeastern have remade themselves and get bashed all the time, as if they should “know their place.” Vanderbilt to some extent, too.

northeastern is the one that I still view as the Boston area safety/commuter school even though that's changed

Oh Yes, the way this board treats Emory as if it's a safety for every student with above a 1400, just to be surprised in March. It's less about perception and more about not wanting things to change. Because if schools like Emory and Vandy become very prestigious (they already are) then other schools will become less prestigious like north east LAC's or everyone's favorite public school UVA.

Emory and Vandy could not compete with UVA on student quality 30 years ago. That's FAR from the truth today.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yep. I would never pay to send my kid to GMU. It was basically a commuter community college when I was growing up.

My friends who went there in the 90’s turned out to be a dentist, physician and consultant. They are not doing too badly and saved some money in the process.

Yup. My friends who went in the 90s are currently lawyers and tech millionaires (yes, plural). And it was still a commuter school back then.

Shit even Vandy was considered a regional school 25-30 years ago.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes, I went to HS in LA in the 80s. I don't think I'll ever be able to see USC as particularly prestigious.

+2 The kids from my hs that went to USC were mediocre students that couldn't get into UCLA, Cal or UCSD.

LOL, same here. I told my kids I'd pay OOS for a UC before I'd pay for USC (even though I was impressed after our tour - the school is like a resort and the students we met were impressive).

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes, I went to HS in LA in the 80s. I don't think I'll ever be able to see USC as particularly prestigious.

+2 The kids from my hs that went to USC were mediocre students that couldn't get into UCLA, Cal or UCSD.

Mediocre *rich* students. AKA the University of Spoiled Children. The involvement of USC in the Varsity Blues scandal only reinforced that image for me.

Yes, NYU and Northeastern have remade themselves and get bashed all the time, as if they should “know their place.” Vanderbilt to some extent, too.

Anonymous wrote:Yes, I went to HS in LA in the 80s. I don't think I'll ever be able to see USC as particularly prestigious.

+2 The kids from my hs that went to USC were mediocre students that couldn't get into UCLA, Cal or UCSD.

Yes, I went to HS in LA in the 80s. I don't think I'll ever be able to see USC as particularly prestigious.

Anonymous wrote:Yep. I would never pay to send my kid to GMU. It was basically a commuter community college when I was growing up.

My friends who went there in the 90’s turned out to be a dentist, physician and consultant. They are not doing too badly and saved some money in the process.

Oops, shut out! haha

Anonymous wrote:Yep. I would never pay to send my kid to GMU. It was basically a commuter community college when I was growing up.

LOL, you must not have had a 2021 senior. That would have a great option for lots of kids shit out.

Yep. I would never pay to send my kid to GMU. It was basically a commuter community college when I was growing up.

This application cycle, I've been struck by how much the perception of a school stays fixed (mainly in the minds of parents/adults) even when the reputation/prestige level of the school changes over time.

Even top 25-30 schools get bashed on these boards based on outdated perceptions.

As I reflect on the many challenges of this year, that's another one that stands out. Wondering if others have had the same experience.