Anonymous wrote:PP, this is just not true and if you actually believe it, you are doing your child a disservice. The quality of schools varies tremendously, and it might be true that some kids can thrive anywhere it is certainly not true that schools are all fungible. There are lots and lots of mediocre or just good schools, and often at those schools, many kids have trouble graduating.

I think that has a lot to do with the type of students they accept. Let's be honest, many kids at these third tier schools really aren't college caliber, and the graduation rates show it. I went to see one, so i know. I do think the better schools have more peer pressure to do well, and probably better tracking/resources to keep kids in college, but a dedicated/smart student is going to get a good education at most decent colleges.

PP, this is just not true and if you actually believe it, you are doing your child a disservice. The quality of schools varies tremendously, and it might be true that some kids can thrive anywhere it is certainly not true that schools are all fungible. There are lots and lots of mediocre or just good schools, and often at those schools, many kids have trouble graduating.

Bottom line- a student will get a GREAT education just about anywhere if they are truly engaged and committed to learning and getting ahead. PERIOD. There are a million "great schools" out there.

And I agree with OP. People are way too hung up on the barometer of rankings. Hogwash.

Anonymous wrote:Maybe, just maybe there are a whole lot of good schools in this country? Imagine that. Yeah, but if there were so many "good" schools in this country we'd be attracting students form all over the globe - right? Well that seems to be the case, so maybe there are a lot of good schools.

I'm all for the best education possible, but show me a person that tries to draw hard lines between the college they attended and other colleges and I'll show you a person who is not satisfied with their life post-college.

+1

Good grief....some serious over analyzing going on here. I have experienced this at opposite ends of the spectrum, one kid went to top 10 another to a "top 300" (I say it tongue in cheek). Ironically my "former slacker" who went to the lesser school is today a serious entrepreneur who at 25 just cracked making 2 million in 2 years, not bad for someone who went to a school that doesn't illicit much of a reaction.

My eldest who went to a top 10 is working hard, paving his way but slowly and earning a fraction. So go figure.
School is what you make of it. I am with OP in that its what you make of it, and EVERY school is a good school if they have a truly connected committed staff that are "making a difference" in the lives of those they teach. I personally feel the rankings are pure hogwash.

I completely agree with this kind sentiment. I do the same thing ... people know my kid went to a top Ivy so you never want to make someone feel bad if their kid is going to MCC or wherever. It never hurts to be nice...the tables can always turn in life. That MCC kid might turn out to be an entrepreneur with Ivy kids working for him/her.

Anonymous wrote:When I say, "That's a good school," it's meant to be supportive when, typically, the school mentioned isn't generally ranked very high. For instance, a friend of mine just had a son start classes at Salisbury. I said, "Oh, that's a good school!" I say the same sort of thing re: Towson & similar institutions, complete with a genuine smile and warm wishes. Higher-ranked institutions generally get something more like, "Awesome!"

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So your DH went to a lesser known undergrad ---- and then went to an IVY LEAGUE law school.

Sorry, but that fact completely undermines your entire argument.

r

I thought her argument was undermined by her inability to refrain from telling is her DD's college was nevertheless in the USNWR Top 50.

And I thought her "argument" was undermined by her inability to construct a coherent sentence.

Also, for all the grief the U.S.'s primary schools face, the country clearly has an extraordinarily large number of excellent universities.

Anonymous wrote:When I say, "That's a good school," it's meant to be supportive when, typically, the school mentioned isn't generally ranked very high. For instance, a friend of mine just had a son start classes at Salisbury. I said, "Oh, that's a good school!" I say the same sort of thing re: Towson & similar institutions, complete with a genuine smile and warm wishes. Higher-ranked institutions generally get something more like, "Awesome!"

Yup. DC's top school elicits "wow" and "do you have any tips?"

I'm with the PP who thinks there are tons of "good" schools and calling them "good" is just being accurate and fair. I don't get all the distrust when someone calls a school "good". It's not patronizing, it's a fact. Schools all over the country are filled with great new PhDs like my BIL because, surprise, there are only so many tenure-track jobs at the Ivies. There's no need to be suspicious of the word "good," there's no need to search for synonyms, because you can get a good--a great--education at most schools in the country.

Anonymous wrote:Maybe, just maybe there are a whole lot of good schools in this country? Imagine that. Yeah, but if there were so many "good" schools in this country we'd be attracting students form all over the globe - right? Well that seems to be the case, so maybe there are a lot of good schools.

I'm all for the best education possible, but show me a person that tries to draw hard lines between the college they attended and other colleges and I'll show you a person who is not satisfied with their life post-college.

Right! So calling a school "good" might simply be ... accurate! Geez, you people.

Maybe, just maybe there are a whole lot of good schools in this country? Imagine that. Yeah, but if there were so many "good" schools in this country we'd be attracting students form all over the globe - right? Well that seems to be the case, so maybe there are a lot of good schools.

I'm all for the best education possible, but show me a person that tries to draw hard lines between the college they attended and other colleges and I'll show you a person who is not satisfied with their life post-college.

I think you guys are reading way too much into "it's a good school."

I'm with 7:25. We're trying to be warm and supportive. There's no craven motive here. And it's not simply ignorant worship of USNWR, because some of you can't grasp that many of us possess information outside the USNWR.

So, what should we say instead of "good school"? Think about the alternatives. Do you really want us to wear blank looks on our faces? Or should we pat our friends on the shoulders to comfort them about their disappointment? Should we fake a "wow!" for every single school that gets mentioned?

Anyways, many of you have completely missed the criticism many of us are making about OP. OP clearly thinks that "mediocre" and "premier institutions" exist, but she apparently wants some new definition that includes her husband and DD but excludes "ANY" (her words) random school, because for some incomprehensible reason it bugs her when certain institutions in the "ANY" category get called "good." This strikes many of us as much more hypocritical than the simple old "good school" phrase.

But its an overused phrase. I think pp you mean well and I have probably done it myself but am now more aware of just how generic (and sometime insincere) it can come across so refrain from using it. I do agree with OP that people half the time or more don't know a thing about the school other than they heard its good so go back to their comfort phrase of "that's a good school". I would love to shoot back "how do you know" I am sure most of the time they might be stumped.

When I say, "That's a good school," it's meant to be supportive when, typically, the school mentioned isn't generally ranked very high. For instance, a friend of mine just had a son start classes at Salisbury. I said, "Oh, that's a good school!" I say the same sort of thing re: Towson & similar institutions, complete with a genuine smile and warm wishes. Higher-ranked institutions generally get something more like, "Awesome!"

Sounds to me like you are p[practicing for how your status will be when your brilliant D goes to a third tier school. Its OK. Just live it.