None of this matters that much.

What matters is what you do in college to prepare for life after it - and I don't mean grades. Internships, volunteering, setting yourself up to find that first job.

I went to a small liberal arts school on the west coast that most east coasters haven't heard of. Between the ages of 25 and 50, I've probably hired over 100 people for very desirable jobs - Capitol Hill, political and policy work -- and the college someone went to never mattered to me.

In fact, because I was a west coast girl, I didn't know enough in my first decade to be impressed by UVA and William & Mary. UVA might as well have been the University of Tennessee, and William & Mary / Franklin & Marshall could've been the same level of prestige as far as I knew.

I'm sure someone will say I was an idiot for not fawning over the UVA applicants, but really, I cared more about how much work experience you had in the field, references from employers or intern supervisors, and the interview. I hired good people from Yale and UVA. But I also hired great people from schools like the University of Oregon, JMU, and Wittenberg. And I'd never even heard of JMU or Wittenberg until I hired those people!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:^ how would you determine whether a school has name recognition or not? Based on what you know? That’s even worse.

From a market research standpoint, you would need to define the sample population you care about and do a survey of a reasonable number of relevant people (hundreds at minimum).

Journalist rankings tend to survey academics because they are more likely to know of more schools vs. a general audience such as college-educated voters.

What you'd ideally want to see is a survey of h.r. executives. The only thing school prestige matters for in the real world is a hiring edge.

It would be expensive to do a survey like that within a region. It would be costlier than state level polling because of the specialized audience.

On a national level I think it's reasonable to assume that many institutions would have low levels of awareness and familiarity outside their region.

You spent all this time typing this out? Are you suggesting OP run a market research survey? You are weirdly invested in this thread which is an informal survey of DCUM. Your attitude reminds me of my autistic DD (whom I love) with your narrow definition of brand recognition and this talk of market research. I believe the point of this thread has gone right over your head.

PP. I'm definitely not autistic, but I'd like to point out that you just took time to take a gratuitous shot at neurodivergent people for no reason (glad you do love your DD though). I admit to being bored enough to hang out on DCUM a lot.

It's kind of sad to watch SLAC fans have the same pointless pissing matches over "how recognized school X is". There are a million threads like this...only rarely with evidence beyond anecdote.

The answer, given infinite money and time to be accurate would be: "Your favorite small school is far less known than you would expect it or hope it to be". The person who said her Ivy League school wasn't recognized is the kind of person you should listen to.

I love the liberal arts and the idea of getting personal attention from profs. I also know it's quite possible to get personal attention from profs at giant state flagships. Because I've done it and others in my family have done it.

A lot of people are overpaying for small schools based on an illusion of reputation/prestige. Caveat emptor.

I'm not taking a shot Neurodivergent people at all. I am in fact, neurodivergent myself. Your intense focus on this topic and inability accept other view points are neurodivergent traits. But I also forgot you were calling people stupid, questioning how someone could be a lawyer and I guess, insulting janitors? And so that points away from neurodivergence to just being a jerk who needs to get a life.

I am the PP you called neurodivergent, and I wrote about market research, but I am not the one you were exchanging words with about lawyers and janitors immediately before that. Therefore you are attacking the wrong poster AND labeling me. I should have put NP. You, in turn, probably need to take a break from DCUM.

But if I take a break, you won’t have a reason to post long winded responses to thread over and over again…there is so much more you have to teach us.

Anonymous wrote:My DC attends F&M. I get plenty of puzzled looks. Plenty of "great school!" comments also. Don't think this is a unique SLAC experience. If college choice was a name recognition contest, sure, probably would have went elsewhere.

It is a great school. I also think there is a lot to be said for spending four years at SLACs with intellectual kids who aren't offended if you've never heard of their college and are happy to tell you about it if you're interested.

My DC attends F&M. I get plenty of puzzled looks. Plenty of "great school!" comments also. Don't think this is a unique SLAC experience. If college choice was a name recognition contest, sure, probably would have went elsewhere.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:^ how would you determine whether a school has name recognition or not? Based on what you know? That’s even worse.

From a market research standpoint, you would need to define the sample population you care about and do a survey of a reasonable number of relevant people (hundreds at minimum).

Journalist rankings tend to survey academics because they are more likely to know of more schools vs. a general audience such as college-educated voters.

What you'd ideally want to see is a survey of h.r. executives. The only thing school prestige matters for in the real world is a hiring edge.

It would be expensive to do a survey like that within a region. It would be costlier than state level polling because of the specialized audience.

On a national level I think it's reasonable to assume that many institutions would have low levels of awareness and familiarity outside their region.

You spent all this time typing this out? Are you suggesting OP run a market research survey? You are weirdly invested in this thread which is an informal survey of DCUM. Your attitude reminds me of my autistic DD (whom I love) with your narrow definition of brand recognition and this talk of market research. I believe the point of this thread has gone right over your head.

PP. I'm definitely not autistic, but I'd like to point out that you just took time to take a gratuitous shot at neurodivergent people for no reason (glad you do love your DD though). I admit to being bored enough to hang out on DCUM a lot.

It's kind of sad to watch SLAC fans have the same pointless pissing matches over "how recognized school X is". There are a million threads like this...only rarely with evidence beyond anecdote.

The answer, given infinite money and time to be accurate would be: "Your favorite small school is far less known than you would expect it or hope it to be". The person who said her Ivy League school wasn't recognized is the kind of person you should listen to.

I love the liberal arts and the idea of getting personal attention from profs. I also know it's quite possible to get personal attention from profs at giant state flagships. Because I've done it and others in my family have done it.

A lot of people are overpaying for small schools based on an illusion of reputation/prestige. Caveat emptor.

I'm not taking a shot Neurodivergent people at all. I am in fact, neurodivergent myself. Your intense focus on this topic and inability accept other view points are neurodivergent traits. But I also forgot you were calling people stupid, questioning how someone could be a lawyer and I guess, insulting janitors? And so that points away from neurodivergence to just being a jerk who needs to get a life.

I am the PP you called neurodivergent, and I wrote about market research, but I am not the one you were exchanging words with about lawyers and janitors immediately before that. Therefore you are attacking the wrong poster AND labeling me. I should have put NP. You, in turn, probably need to take a break from DCUM.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:^ how would you determine whether a school has name recognition or not? Based on what you know? That’s even worse.

From a market research standpoint, you would need to define the sample population you care about and do a survey of a reasonable number of relevant people (hundreds at minimum).

Journalist rankings tend to survey academics because they are more likely to know of more schools vs. a general audience such as college-educated voters.

What you'd ideally want to see is a survey of h.r. executives. The only thing school prestige matters for in the real world is a hiring edge.

It would be expensive to do a survey like that within a region. It would be costlier than state level polling because of the specialized audience.

On a national level I think it's reasonable to assume that many institutions would have low levels of awareness and familiarity outside their region.

You spent all this time typing this out? Are you suggesting OP run a market research survey? You are weirdly invested in this thread which is an informal survey of DCUM. Your attitude reminds me of my autistic DD (whom I love) with your narrow definition of brand recognition and this talk of market research. I believe the point of this thread has gone right over your head.

PP. I'm definitely not autistic, but I'd like to point out that you just took time to take a gratuitous shot at neurodivergent people for no reason (glad you do love your DD though). I admit to being bored enough to hang out on DCUM a lot.

It's kind of sad to watch SLAC fans have the same pointless pissing matches over "how recognized school X is". There are a million threads like this...only rarely with evidence beyond anecdote.

The answer, given infinite money and time to be accurate would be: "Your favorite small school is far less known than you would expect it or hope it to be". The person who said her Ivy League school wasn't recognized is the kind of person you should listen to.

I love the liberal arts and the idea of getting personal attention from profs. I also know it's quite possible to get personal attention from profs at giant state flagships. Because I've done it and others in my family have done it.

A lot of people are overpaying for small schools based on an illusion of reputation/prestige. Caveat emptor.

I'm not taking a shot Neurodivergent people at all. I am in fact, neurodivergent myself. Your intense focus on this topic and inability accept other view points are neurodivergent traits. But I also forgot you were calling people stupid, questioning how someone could be a lawyer and I guess, insulting janitors? And so that points away from neurodivergence to just being a jerk who needs to get a life.