Anonymous
03/12/2026 10:51
Subject: Choosing program prestige over college prestige
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:I have to laugh at this thread. The ones who want prestige of school rather than program are probably Asian, like Chinese or Korea. They treat prestigious college as status symbol like luxurious cars and bags. Also their family members back in home town probably only know about HYPSM. Or they sent their daughters to IVYs to find future husbands from upper class. lol
As a Chinese American mom, I have to say it is quite true. I personally care less about the prestige of school. I sent my son to GT for CS, and this fall will send my daughter to GT for engineering. So many of my friends "recommended" me I should do whatever I could and try to send my children to Ivies for elite networks, especially for daughter because she can find future husband there. I secretly roll my eyes when I hear these.
Also, if any of the kids got into Ivies (plus), many parents immediately became "college admission expert" and started business. They have that halo of Ivy surrounding them, no one cared about which major their kids study in, the ivy name alone is their signature.
This really is no different to a lot of umc/wealthy white families.
Anonymous
03/12/2026 09:30
Subject: Choosing program prestige over college prestige
Wealthy families from Latin America tend to only value Ivy schools, along with a few more elite universities.
Our son is at UVA, and when he goes back to visit the “abuelos”, the extended family is not aware of the quality of UVA. There is also that Ivy or bust mentality down there. Do international students pay more in tuition at private universities? Are the standards lowered to international students? I am not saying that all foreign students are generally weaker, but are some schools money hungry for these wealthy students with influential families?
Our son is at UVA, and when he goes back to visit the “abuelos”, the extended family is not aware of the quality of UVA. There is also that Ivy or bust mentality down there. Do international students pay more in tuition at private universities? Are the standards lowered to international students? I am not saying that all foreign students are generally weaker, but are some schools money hungry for these wealthy students with influential families?
Anonymous
03/12/2026 00:19
Subject: Choosing program prestige over college prestige
Anonymous wrote:I have to laugh at this thread. The ones who want prestige of school rather than program are probably Asian, like Chinese or Korea. They treat prestigious college as status symbol like luxurious cars and bags. Also their family members back in home town probably only know about HYPSM. Or they sent their daughters to IVYs to find future husbands from upper class. lol
As a Chinese American mom, I have to say it is quite true. I personally care less about the prestige of school. I sent my son to GT for CS, and this fall will send my daughter to GT for engineering. So many of my friends "recommended" me I should do whatever I could and try to send my children to Ivies for elite networks, especially for daughter because she can find future husband there. I secretly roll my eyes when I hear these.
Also, if any of the kids got into Ivies (plus), many parents immediately became "college admission expert" and started business. They have that halo of Ivy surrounding them, no one cared about which major their kids study in, the ivy name alone is their signature.
Anonymous
03/11/2026 16:10
Subject: Choosing program prestige over college prestige
Anonymous wrote:I have to laugh at this thread. The ones who want prestige of school rather than program are probably Asian, like Chinese or Korea. They treat prestigious college as status symbol like luxurious cars and bags. Also their family members back in home town probably only know about HYPSM. Or they sent their daughters to IVYs to find future husbands from upper class. lol
Gosh, then why do so many white legacies still send their kids to Ivies? Let me guess, when white people seek ivy prestige it's just them wanting those connections. When Asian people do it, it's them being prestige whores looking to find marriage partners. Right? LOL
FWIW, my kid with super high stats didn't care about ivies. My Asian cousin who went to Harvard told their DC not to apply to Harvard for their major in CS.
-signed an Asian American
Anonymous
03/11/2026 16:01
Subject: Choosing program prestige over college prestige
I have to laugh at this thread. The ones who want prestige of school rather than program are probably Asian, like Chinese or Korea. They treat prestigious college as status symbol like luxurious cars and bags. Also their family members back in home town probably only know about HYPSM. Or they sent their daughters to IVYs to find future husbands from upper class. lol
Anonymous
03/11/2026 10:25
Subject: Choosing program prestige over college prestige
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:This is a hill I die on. It will serve you much better to go to a prestigious college over a prestigious program.
Yeah, let me go study public policy at Indiana instead of Yale! That's the way! Please.
That's a bad example. How about CS at GT instead of Yale.
My CS/math major kid with very high stats applied to GT, CMU..., but not to Yale (or any other ivies).
Anonymous
03/10/2026 23:52
Subject: Choosing program prestige over college prestige
Anonymous wrote:This is a hill I die on. It will serve you much better to go to a prestigious college over a prestigious program.
Yeah, let me go study public policy at Indiana instead of Yale! That's the way! Please.
That's a bad example. How about CS at GT instead of Yale.
Anonymous
02/23/2026 18:20
Subject: Choosing program prestige over college prestige
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:NP, here's a hypothetical:
If admitted to both, would you choose
engineering at Georgia Tech or Dartmouth?
computer science at CMU or Yale?
If you knew for sure you wanted a career in Engineering/CS? Georgia Tech and CMU. I have a PhD in CS and interview SWEs/EEs in industry today. Engineering/CS reputation of a school is more helpful than general reputation. Exception might be if you wanted to double-major in CS & humanities or focus on something interdisciplinary — in that case I’d consider Yale.
At the margins...but Dartmouth and Yale grads have all the same opportunities available to them as CMU and Ga Tech grads.
It doesn't really matter when the schools are top 20 or top 5 overall.
This is really only a difficult decision if say you are picking University of South Carolina for International Business vs. Wharton. Where the overall ranking is significantly different than the program ranking.
I think PP with the hypothetical is trying to say most people would choose Yale over CMU even if it's for CS
Anonymous
02/23/2026 18:16
Subject: Choosing program prestige over college prestige
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:NP, here's a hypothetical:
If admitted to both, would you choose
engineering at Georgia Tech or Dartmouth?
computer science at CMU or Yale?
If you knew for sure you wanted a career in Engineering/CS? Georgia Tech and CMU. I have a PhD in CS and interview SWEs/EEs in industry today. Engineering/CS reputation of a school is more helpful than general reputation. Exception might be if you wanted to double-major in CS & humanities or focus on something interdisciplinary — in that case I’d consider Yale.
At the margins...but Dartmouth and Yale grads have all the same opportunities available to them as CMU and Ga Tech grads.
It doesn't really matter when the schools are top 20 or top 5 overall.
This is really only a difficult decision if say you are picking University of South Carolina for International Business vs. Wharton. Where the overall ranking is significantly different than the program ranking.
Anonymous
02/23/2026 17:36
Subject: Choosing program prestige over college prestige
Anonymous wrote:NP, here's a hypothetical:
If admitted to both, would you choose
engineering at Georgia Tech or Dartmouth?
computer science at CMU or Yale?
If you knew for sure you wanted a career in Engineering/CS? Georgia Tech and CMU. I have a PhD in CS and interview SWEs/EEs in industry today. Engineering/CS reputation of a school is more helpful than general reputation. Exception might be if you wanted to double-major in CS & humanities or focus on something interdisciplinary — in that case I’d consider Yale.
Anonymous
02/23/2026 17:25
Subject: Choosing program prestige over college prestige
Anonymous wrote:NP, here's a hypothetical:
If admitted to both, would you choose
engineering at Georgia Tech or Dartmouth?
computer science at CMU or Yale?
This might be helpful
https://www.facebook.com/groups/collegeadmissionsexperts/posts/10161953633200087/
https://www.reddit.com/r/dartmouth/comments/1imgkvu/engineering_at_dartmouth/
Anonymous
02/23/2026 17:18
Subject: Choosing program prestige over college prestige
Anonymous wrote:NP, here's a hypothetical:
If admitted to both, would you choose
engineering at Georgia Tech or Dartmouth?
computer science at CMU or Yale?
Hmmmm..let me think
https://www.collegetransitions.com/dataverse/top-feeders-engineering/
Anonymous
02/23/2026 17:16
Subject: Choosing program prestige over college prestige
Anonymous wrote:NP, here's a hypothetical:
If admitted to both, would you choose
engineering at Georgia Tech or Dartmouth?
computer science at CMU or Yale?
Georgia Tech #3 Engineering
Dartmouth #58 Engineering
CMU #2 Computer Science
Yale #16 Computer Science
Anonymous
02/23/2026 17:00
Subject: Choosing program prestige over college prestige
NP, here's a hypothetical:
If admitted to both, would you choose
engineering at Georgia Tech or Dartmouth?
computer science at CMU or Yale?
If admitted to both, would you choose
engineering at Georgia Tech or Dartmouth?
computer science at CMU or Yale?
Anonymous
02/23/2026 16:35
Subject: Choosing program prestige over college prestige
100% college over program, Something like 70% of incoming freshman will change their majors.