springisintheair

Affording one of the prestigious schools can mean a bill of nearly $6,000 each month (approx $50,000-54,000 annually with books, etc.)...many families do not have this type of money for four years of college. Even if they have the $50,000 ++ per year, or are willing to take out student loans, equity loans, dip into retirement accounts, etc. it does not necessarily equate to a better or more valuable education. AND it leaves students and parents with the burden of debt, which in itself can be a detriment to success.

Fit, motivation, affordability, internships, alumni connections and simply what you do with your college experience and the degree you receive are the most important considerations of a college degree. Many renowned doctors, lawyers, professors and other successful and admirable people went to state universities, smaller, less known colleges (some did not go to college at all)!!! and have placed an indelible mark on our world.

Know yourself, students...know where you will be comfortable in your own skin, and parents, know and love the kid on the couch, not the one you want or have conjured them up to be...

Grcxx3

<<would you rather go to UT Austin or Stanford>>

I actually know someone who faced with this choice a few years ago. She was all psyched about going to Stanford - until she visited. Something about the place didn't sit well with her, so she chose UT and couldn't be happier.

There is a lot more to the college experience than just "fulfilling your academic potential."

deprofundis

Springisintheair: That's all true - I was studying in (fairly) socialist England, so because I got in it was free. That's all changed here too.

I am merely saying that if money isn't a factor in a choice, go for the place that will stretch you, not the one that will provide a comfort blanket.

And places might not sit well at first; hang in there and you are very likely to find a niche.

pacificvista

It depends on the person- I think its natural for human beings to want to get into "selective" schools- it isn't wrong or bad at all. I don't believe in "fulfilling" your potential hogwash, however. You don't have to go to Harvard to get an amazing education.

Schmaltz

IB Class06, just because those students got into their first choice, it doesn't mean that was the "best" college they could have gotten into. The very topic we're discussing here is when the best college you could have gotten into is NOT your first choice, and no doubt some students don't see the logic in applying to schools that are more difficult to get into than their first choice school. For example, if a straight-A, 2300 SAT student in Wisconsin grew up bleeding Badger red, and was dying to go to U of Wisconsin, he probably wouldn't even bother applying to Northwestern, Wash U., or U of Chicago. That sort of midset is heresy in the Northeast and in California. But what so many people on collegeconfidential can't grasp is that a huge % of people in the USA DON'T chase prestige thru their choice of college. I recall when somebody from the midwest started a thread saying he/she was having a tough time deciding between Dartmouth and Notre Dame, and many posters were in shock at the mere question.


Heck, I'd guess that at least half of the students in the country west of Pittsburgh and east of California don't even APPLY to be best colleges they could get into.

tenisghs

ring_of_fire, Stanford is not a place for everyone, even if it's considered very prestigious.

deprofundis

The word "prestige" derives from a Latin word meaning delusion or illusion - according to my VERY old dictionary, the secondary meaning is "glamour; influence or reputation derived from previous character, achievements or success". A lot of people posting on CC seem to think that prestige is illusory; there is contempt evident in many of the posts about applying to prestigious places. But why? The places that have prestige are at great pains to maintain their reputations with excellent teachers and excellent research. The people who go are not necessarily chasing prestige. They might well be chasing academic excellence.

ring_of_fire

People obsess too much in this country about fit. In this rough economy, you need to go to the best option on the plate. Stanford is a once in a lifetime opportunity and turning it down for a school like UT Austin is wholly irresponsible on part of the individual.

tenisghs

^^^ Wrong, that is YOUR opinion. People should follow their gut feelings more so what other people think.

hoedown

Just can't agree with the absolutism of this. The nation must be filled with "wholly irresponsible" people by this standard, because many, many students make similar choices when it comes to college.

karabee

Everyone keeps talking about "fit". But parent guilt trips could be just as influential in a college decision.... Luckily my parents know I'm strong-willed (read: stubborn), but even they tried to convince me that UT would be better for me because it was better for them, despite my feelings. I loved Vandy and couldn't see myself at UT. They still like to guilt trip me about matriculating at VU, despite May 1 being long gone. "We could've gone on vacation this year, you know, but YOU chose to go to Vanderbilt." "The reason we never have groceries is because we put all of our money towards Vanderbilt." And so forth.

So I'm just saying that's definitely a viable reason for people to not go to the best/their favorite school.

scottaa

I am very blessed to live in this country. I'm even more blessed to have finances that would put into what is likely the top 5% of the country.

That said, I can't describe how disappointed I am in the title of this thread and the OP. If a college is "beneath" you, then the people at that college must be "beneath" you as well. This is the kind of elitism that we do not need. Whether it be financial, intellectual, sexual, or racial; elitism is a cancer in this country that needs to be destroyed.

Can anyone here defend this? What is the difference between judging a person is "beneath" someone else based upon the college they went to, or their sex, or the color of their skin?

Tyler09

What an incredibly misinformed post. UT Austin is a powerhouse that has all the resources any undergrad could need.

deprofundis

I was in a class once where the teacher said "does anyone know the difference between fact and fiction?" (This was at a university in Wales with a poor reputation.) It's potentially an interesting question. You can look at Oliver Stone and "faction", and that sort of thing, the fact that history and story are the same word in some languages. The answer she wanted was "fact is true, and fiction is made up".

If you want to aim higher than a class like that, you shouldn't be accused of elitism. The anti-elitism thing let Bush run America for too long: "Hey, you want a smart person to run the world? You're an elitist...let's have this guy instead..."

noimagination

^ UT Austin is just fine for job offers in Texas.