Private 4 year schools that aren't Top 25 ranked...

[kranky]

Originally posted by: Mo0o

Originally posted by: kranky

Originally posted by: Mo0o
For some really competitive fields liek IBanking or consulting, the top firms only recruit from the best colleges. If you want to be teh best, might as well be the big fish in the big pond rather than a huge fish in a tiny pond that no one is looking at. I never understood examples like kranky's. If someone couldnt hack it at a top 10 school but can do pretty well at a state school, they're essentially masking their lack of ability among weaker competition. On the other hand, if the kid is alreayd really smart, they'll likely do just as well at a top 10 school, in which case, a 4.0 at Harvard looks a lot better than a 4.0 at the local state school (please dont bring up specific majors/programs, im just making a generalization here)

I know the reputation of your undergrad is also a factor when applying to medical school as well. And for getting jobs after graduate programs, the name of the school on the diploman is a huge factor as well.

I don't agree with that. 80% of Harvard students graduate with honors. That being the case, I imagine there are plenty of 4.0 grads. Conventional wisdom is that getting in to Harvard is the hardest part, and you can coast through after that. It may impress some people, but not everybody.

I go back to my original point. In 1980, only 23% of large company CEOs were Ivy League grads, and this number is declining. In 2004, it was 10%. The whole "top school" thing is very overrated. People act like going to a middle-ranked school is a career suicide move and that's just not the case.

In certain fields its not overrated at all. Most of the bulge bracket banks and top consulting firms usually wont bother interviewing someone not from one of the top schools. Theres no enough spots to go around and they might as well just pick from the top schools. Sure you can work your way up, but why not just get in at the top

Of course it's true in certain fields. But you said don't bring up specific majors/programs

The ones at the top are the best of the best, going to the best schools. That's what, 0.0001% of all students? OK, I will agree for them, they should incur any amount of debt necessary to graduate from a top school. What about the ones who paid big money and got a 2.5 GPA? After all, not everyone can be at the top. Would those same recruiters be chasing them down? No. So where's the value for them?

 

[AccruedExpenditure]

Originally posted by: Babbles

Originally posted by: AccruedExpenditure

Originally posted by: Babbles
Seems like the OP - and many other people - seem to to misunderstand that there can be many reasons to choose one school over another. Simply put, not all college experiences are equal.

Personally I view college as a means to an end, demonstrating your ability to learn basic information in a field that may or may not be related to your future career. Regardless of the public/private status of a school you apply for the same jobs and grad schools when you're finished.

I understand some people have a preference for smaller class sizes but I guess it's hard for me to rationalize paying ~ 2 times more for college for smaller class sizes when the end result is the same especially when the Alumni networks at the non top-25 private schools don't a magnitude of doors more than an average state school

Then again I went to UCB so my view might be a bit skewed.

Frankly your idea of judgement schools as non top-25 is absolutely ridiculous. Whose judgement are you using? Even if you go by a "standard" of US News, then you still have a shit ton of fabulous schools that number greater than 25. It is the perpetuating notion that only top 25 (or top ten) schools are worth anything that is the fundamental problem. Granted I do realize law schools and some graduate programs do matter, but that is such a small percentage of the population it should be disregarded when generalizing the typical undergraduate experience.

Fundamentally I think that if you can not understand why somebody would choose to pay their money to have the college experience that they want, then this speaks far more about your small-mindedness than it does about the choices made by these students.

Re-read and try again
-AE

 

[evident]

i went to private school for same price i'd go to a state university. financial aid ftw

 

[Babbles]

Originally posted by: AccruedExpenditure

Originally posted by: Babbles

Originally posted by: AccruedExpenditure

Originally posted by: Babbles
Seems like the OP - and many other people - seem to to misunderstand that there can be many reasons to choose one school over another. Simply put, not all college experiences are equal.

Personally I view college as a means to an end, demonstrating your ability to learn basic information in a field that may or may not be related to your future career. Regardless of the public/private status of a school you apply for the same jobs and grad schools when you're finished.

I understand some people have a preference for smaller class sizes but I guess it's hard for me to rationalize paying ~ 2 times more for college for smaller class sizes when the end result is the same especially when the Alumni networks at the non top-25 private schools don't a magnitude of doors more than an average state school

Then again I went to UCB so my view might be a bit skewed.

Frankly your idea of judgement schools as non top-25 is absolutely ridiculous. Whose judgement are you using? Even if you go by a "standard" of US News, then you still have a shit ton of fabulous schools that number greater than 25. It is the perpetuating notion that only top 25 (or top ten) schools are worth anything that is the fundamental problem. Granted I do realize law schools and some graduate programs do matter, but that is such a small percentage of the population it should be disregarded when generalizing the typical undergraduate experience.

Fundamentally I think that if you can not understand why somebody would choose to pay their money to have the college experience that they want, then this speaks far more about your small-mindedness than it does about the choices made by these students.

Re-read and try again
-AE

Wow, I am beginning to think that perhaps you are dense. You said, and I quote:

. . .I guess it's hard for me to rationalize paying ~ 2 times more for college for smaller class sizes when the end result is the same. . .

I will attempt to keep this as succinct as possible: The end results may not be the same.

Edit:

Upon reflection I thought maybe I should clarify how I see this issue. I'm not trying to be an ass (maybe too late for that though). I think, AE, is that you have some preconceived notion of what the result of college should be. Based on what you have touched on, I would assume that you see the result of college is a job. Therefore perhaps the process of what school, how much, or whatever matters because in your view the only result is that the student has a degree in hand and is on the job market.

Assuming that this is your view, I just don't share that opinion. I think in addition to learning some set of marketable skills, there is the entire "college experience" that is part of the college result. Some people may choose a school - be it a top 25 or not - due to some circumstance that they personally favor. That is the result for them. Obviously that is not the same sort of result you are looking for. Therefore I think it is a bit short-sighted to use your standard of judgment on what is essentially the purpose of going to college and then subsequently apply that to all college students.

 

[Mo0o]

Originally posted by: Babbles

Originally posted by: AccruedExpenditure

Originally posted by: Babbles

Originally posted by: AccruedExpenditure

Originally posted by: Babbles
Seems like the OP - and many other people - seem to to misunderstand that there can be many reasons to choose one school over another. Simply put, not all college experiences are equal.

Personally I view college as a means to an end, demonstrating your ability to learn basic information in a field that may or may not be related to your future career. Regardless of the public/private status of a school you apply for the same jobs and grad schools when you're finished.

I understand some people have a preference for smaller class sizes but I guess it's hard for me to rationalize paying ~ 2 times more for college for smaller class sizes when the end result is the same especially when the Alumni networks at the non top-25 private schools don't a magnitude of doors more than an average state school

Then again I went to UCB so my view might be a bit skewed.

Frankly your idea of judgement schools as non top-25 is absolutely ridiculous. Whose judgement are you using? Even if you go by a "standard" of US News, then you still have a shit ton of fabulous schools that number greater than 25. It is the perpetuating notion that only top 25 (or top ten) schools are worth anything that is the fundamental problem. Granted I do realize law schools and some graduate programs do matter, but that is such a small percentage of the population it should be disregarded when generalizing the typical undergraduate experience.

Fundamentally I think that if you can not understand why somebody would choose to pay their money to have the college experience that they want, then this speaks far more about your small-mindedness than it does about the choices made by these students.

Re-read and try again
-AE

Wow, I am beginning to think that perhaps you are dense. You said, and I quote:

. . .I guess it's hard for me to rationalize paying ~ 2 times more for college for smaller class sizes when the end result is the same. . .

I will attempt to keep this as succinct as possible: The end results may not be the same.

Edit:

Upon reflection I thought maybe I should clarify how I see this issue. I'm not trying to be an ass (maybe too late for that though). I think, AE, is that you have some preconceived notion of what the result of college should be. Based on what you have touched on, I would assume that you see the result of college is a job. Therefore perhaps the process of what school, how much, or whatever matters because in your view the only result is that the student has a degree in hand and is on the job market.

Assuming that this is your view, I just don't share that opinion. I think in addition to learning some set of marketable skills, there is the entire "college experience" that is part of the college result. Some people may choose a school - be it a top 25 or not - due to some circumstance that they personally favor. That is the result for them. Obviously that is not the same sort of result you are looking for. Therefore I think it is a bit short-sighted to use your standard of judgment on what is essentially the purpose of going to college and then subsequently apply that to all college students.

It's quite an expensive "experience" if you dont come out the side with a marketable skill