<p>The following is my view on those that look down upon elite schools such as Cornell and the like for “not being old enough” or “not the best.”
First of all we have to note that if there are over 4,000 instiutions of higher education and lets say Cornell is ranked 15th (US News for 2009 I believe) that puts it in the top 0.375% of the nation’s schools. I think at that point you have to ask yourself why you are putting down a school in the top four tenths of a percent?
Secondly, and more importantly, it is in this day and age that we as Cornellians will be in the small minority in the entire worlds population that get the privaleage of getting one of the best educations money can buy. Out of the 6 billion people on earth can you tell may how many have ever been blessed with the resources, intelligence, and monetary assistance needed to attend a world class educational institution of higher learning? Ponder the fact that in a developing country like the Dominican Republic the average educational life expectancy is 12 years of age (got that from CIA worldbook last year if my memory serves me). Also the average high school day there is only 4 hours. How could they possibly compete with the Indian Engineering student who scored and 800CR on the SATs? What about trying to impress the admissions committee when you have to compete against the IB students who are starting sophmores? </p>
<p>So for those that put down your school tell them that! Be proud to be a Cornellian!</p>
<p>Back around freshman year of high school, I secretly wanted to get into an/several ivy league(s) and reject them… and I end up only applying to Cornell of the Ivy Leagues and then going =P.</p>
<p>I occaisonally wish Cornell wasn’t technically an Ivy because I feel as though it’s “Harvard (or any other) Rejects” school to some people, but I have a friend going to Yale, and he always raves about the prestige of going to an Ivy, regardless of which, and it’s kind of like snob-pride… and I don’t know, he does it in a harmless way and that makes me feel like what the heck I’m going to Cornell, it’s nobody’s business to classify me as a reject from another place =).</p>
<p>On a different note, once I was babysitting for a friend of my mom’s, and they asked:
Wife: “Where are you going again this fall?”
Me: “Cornell”
Her: “Oh, I had an aunt who went there, isn’t it an Ivy League?”
Husband: “No not quite”
Her: “Oh well it’s close…”
Me:…shakes head resignedly
lol</p>
<p>So true. This was one of the most humbling things I learned when I was in high school researching colleges. I met some very bright people who went to various state schools, and I realized that the name of the school had little to do with the quality of one’s intellect.</p>
<p>"Quote:
For example: there are many very smart kids in state universities; but the thing is, when you meet such a person (for the first time) and they tell you that they went to a state school, often one does not automatically view the person as bright. Unfortunately, one might view the person as not very bright due to his or her education. </p>
<p>So true. This was one of the most humbling things I learned when I was in high school researching colleges. I met some very bright people who went to various state schools, and I realized that the name of the school had little to do with the quality of one’s intellect. "</p>
<p>Me:
That attitude bothers me so much; a few weeks ago I was hanging out with a few of my friends from high school, who are going to places like UChicago, Cornell and RISD and another friend going to University of MD (our state school) and they were apologizing to her and such. She mentioned that her parents had a prepaid way of paying for her education at UMD set up when she was born or very young and the friends at the party/gathering responded, “Oh! Well isn’t that kind of depressing… I mean to think they didn’t think you could do any better…” </p>
<p>I kind of wanted to uh, have a confrontation, lol, but really if that’s a certain persons opinion at this point, I probably haven’t the ability to straighten it out… the reason I’m going to Cornell and not UC Berkeley (my first choice was a state uni- huh what?!) is entirely financial… I mean California’s got some troubles in that department right now…</p>
<p>I don’t mean to sound rude or resentful or judgemental, but I think that the attitudes regarding state schools are often unfairly degrading… not to mention inconsistent. I guess the inconsistency is due to the fact that certain state schools like Berkeley UVA and UMD are certainly comparable if not more presitigious (at least to a wide group) than many private institutions, whereas there are certainly state universities that are not as strong academically.</p>
<p>I agree with you about that attitude, shalala<em>lala</em>la. My dad seems to have it and it bothers me.</p>
<p>I applied to Cornell knowing that if I got in, their financial aid would make it cheaper for me to go there than any state school (barring scholarships).</p>
<p>The top kids in my graduating class are almost all going to our state flagship, UNC Chapel Hill. It’s a great school, but here’s me, the person who feels like she’s not as smart as these other kids going to an Ivy League. Carolina is the college people here aspire to.</p>
<p>They are VERY smart kids, and I never want to judge someone based upon their school. I just got lucky in admissions, because if I didn’t get in I would probably be going to NC State.</p>
<p>Your Berkeley comparison isn’t very valid, as I’m pretty sure most people in the world consider it even with Cornell, if not better than Cornell at many subjects (Berkeley has 61 Nobel Laureates, Cornell has 40), whereas Maryland certainly does not have a reputation as strong as Berkeley.</p>
<p>Obviously, there are many strong nationally-renowned public schools out there; UC Berkeley, UVA, UNC Chapel Hill–to name just a few. I don’t think kids from such schools have to deal with the “state school prejudice” in the way that others do; particularly those from lesser known state schools and community colleges. </p>
<p>To be sure, these state schools have pockets of really smart kids, but these same kids are still sometimes unfairly viewed as average or less than average in intelligence because of a public school education. And the thing is, I think we all do it to some extent–its hard not to make generalizations, especially when you’re meeting someone for the first time. But this is, in my view, unfortunate.</p>
<p>I don’t really care about the Ivy name, although in my town everyone knows it is an Ivy, and I immediately get stamped as being intelligent. However, I think Cornell would have some more issues if it was not in the Ivy League, becuase that in itself attracts so many applicants, and without it, Cornell could very well be just a decent university instead of what it is right now.</p>
<p>i didnt apply to cornell because it was an ivy, but i like that it is. when my peers ask me what school i go to, i usually just say ‘an ivy league school’, more because im SURE they wont have heard of cornell and <em>most</em> of the time i can bet theyll have at least heard of the term ivy league (although so many here have not). when adults ask me, however, i just say cornell.
i will be very honest. i WANT to sound smart when i say that, as snotty as that sounds. i honestly do look down at a lot ofmy peers because half of them wont even attempt community college, and i ones that do end up going to ASU i reallyd ont see that as much of an accomplishment. i applied there in case i didnt want to go out of state, and you pretty much have to have a pulse to get in. the application consisted of almost nothing. when people say they go to ASU, that doesnt say much to me. i know there ARE very smart people who go there, but i dont expect that right off the bat, and iw ant my peers to know that im not your average student. because of my outgoing personality i guess, a lot of ppl are surprised when they find out im in AP classes or goign to a more prestigious school.</p>