What is the most impt factor in selecting a college? - Page 8

terrybhs06 · 11-10-2005, 06:56 PM

so am i basically the only person on cc who doesnt care about prestige?

sakky · 11-10-2005, 08:39 PM

Quote:

coz anyones gonna take a student who has done engg from harvard over a student from gtech even though gtech teaching is better?]

Is the Gtech teaching really better than Harvard's, even in engineering?

Let me put it to you this way. Caltech is a superbly prestigious research powerhouse when it comes to science and engineering. But many if not most Caltech students will concede that the actual teaching is mediocre at best. The RESEARCH at Caltech is great. But the teaching? You can even go to the Caltech section of this forum and ask the current students, and even they will admit that on average, Caltech teaching isn't the best. Sure, there are some Caltech profs who are good teachers, but there are many others who are not so good at teaching. They're great at research, but when it comes to teaching, not so much.

Don't get me wrong. I'm not trying to put down Caltech. Indeed Caltech has many great things about it. It's just that actual teaching skill is not one of them.

So I ask, why do you say that the Gtech engineering teaching is going to be necessarily better than Harvard engineering teaching. I would agree that the Gtech research might be better, but the teaching? I don't know about that. You gotta remember that these profs are hired and promoted not because they're good teachers, but because they're good researchers.

Glass-Box · 11-18-2005, 07:45 PM

I consider both prestige and tuition cost as the biggest factors in selelcting a college...

ckmets13 · 11-25-2005, 02:45 PM

1. Top 100 Universities
2. Somewhere east of the Mississippi
3. A few highly ranked sports programs (preferably bball or football)

DianeR · 12-22-2005, 03:28 PM

Having to choose just one, I would have to say academic strength in the intended major. I suppose if a student weren't quite sure in what field they would end up, overall academic excellence would be the key factor.

Now other things being equal, then other things can factor into the decision. But the academic program is why one goes to college, right? (You can tell I'm a parent ...)

My kids have ended up at prestigious schools, but this didn't seem to factor into their decision-making. My son looked at lists of top engineering programs, and then started winnowing them down using other factors (the city, his feel for the student body, and extracurriculars primarily). My daughter is going into such an esoteric field that where she would apply was pretty much preordained -- although finding the schools to begin with wasn't that easy. Fortunately, she made it into the only school that has an major in what she wants to do. It's an Ivy, but that wasn't a factor in the decision. If this one program was at some much cheaper state school she would have gone there.

Neither of my kids are enamored with distribution requirements. So my son found a place he liked that would require very little in the way of nontechie things and my daughter found a place that has no distribution requirements whatsoever. But I suppose this goes into the strength of the academic program in a way. If you aren't taking courses you just have to take to fulfill some college requirement, you can be taking those that relate in some way to your field or that you find personally interesting.

klf1120 · 12-23-2005, 01:05 PM

My choice came down to the location of the school, the size, and academics. I also went with my gut feeling when I went and visted schools as to if it felt right.

RodLo · 12-23-2005, 01:09 PM

Good vibes...point blank.

You could go to the most prestigious, highly rated, yada yada yada...college in the nation and still be completely miserable. If you don't feel comfortable, don't like the campus, and aren't happy with the student body...well, then was it really worth it?

In my opinion, I'd rather go to a lesser-known, less prestigious school that I feel comfortable at and *LOVE*. But hey, that's just me.

Really, some of you on here worry WAY too much about a school's name than what's really your right fit.

Zella · 12-26-2005, 06:57 PM

I was surprised how many people voted "Good vibes" (I was one of them) - especially in this forum, where prestige means everything.

stewie314 · 12-28-2005, 03:25 PM

Yeah, I mean, come on, what have you got against Harvard, Enjoipainball? I mean yes, it's overated, by a lot, but it's still a great school in many respects, and there are a ton of extraordinary bright people who go there.

ohhhhhh....did someone get rejected?

firewalker · 12-28-2005, 11:50 PM

i dont think there is any "most important factor" in selecting a college, it's really a mixture of many things; a holistic sense

eviltwin3029 · 01-16-2006, 02:48 PM

Uber, prestige doesn't mean anything. After you have a job and are in the real world, no one could care less where you went. When you go to a work force, a guy from Penn State could very well be working next to a guy from Stanford.

aussie_steve · 02-24-2006, 07:08 PM

184.73% of people voted in this poll.... hmmm I think some people are unable to decide there most important factor.

WealthOfInformation · 02-24-2006, 10:22 PM

Statistics and recent research has shown that 1) distance from home and 2) cost are the most important factors.

AcceptedAlready · 02-27-2006, 11:06 PM

For the avg applicant: Yes
For the avg CC applicant: It's about prestige and costs(in-state?)

"Uber, prestige doesn't mean anything. After you have a job and are in the real world, no one could care less where you went. When you go to a work force, a guy from Penn State could very well be working next to a guy from Stanford."

Yea but you can bet your bottom that there would be more guys from stanford-type schools working at top firms than guys from penn state type schools.

Even for graduate school, top schools are considered "feeders". I'm not saying at all you can't get into good jobs or graduate schools from Penn state type schools, just that it may be harder (less chances) than if you went to a Stanford-type school.

PS: Just like how a 95 from Stuy High School in NY or Thomas Jefferson High School in Virginia is worth more than a 95 from a random HS.

DianeR · 02-28-2006, 06:37 AM

What about the study saying that it is the qualifications of the applicants that determines how they later do financially? Someone looked at the earnings of those who went to elite schools in comparison to those who were admitted to such schools but opted to go elsewhere. The earnings were the same.

In other words, this study indicates that the difference in earnings for graduates of different types of schools just reflects a difference in their average abilities. People good enough to get into an elite school -- even if they don't go there - do better.

I haven't read about any studies about graduate schools. But I have heard any number of people on CC with experience in this area say that one's undergraduate school is fairly irrelevant to the admission process. Far more important, apparently, are grades, test scores, recommendations, research, personal statements, etc. Of course, people at elite schools may on average tend to do better in these categories. But this wouldn't be because of their school.

Now if a very selective school has a better program in a particular field, that would be a different matter.