I know I need to be at a good university. My stats put me at the sweet spot for a lot of school in the ED round. My first choice does not offer ED, did not jump on the no-loan band wagon, might reject me in the RD round. I had a few no loan schools to pick from, and I picked the best for me. I don’t think it’s gaming the system. How is this any difference from picking a safety? I want a school I don’t begrudgingly go to in case there is no options.
Then I was deferred. They said the chance of being accepted in the RD round was 10%. Semi-reach suddenly became super reach. I never like to be in a losing battle so I put no further effort into that school at that point. I restarted my app from scratch and luckily I got into a few, even first choice.
I doubt anyone can say it was their first choice, even the ED kids. I’m satisfied now.
It was such a blanket statement, you think. Of course, only 75% of the students prefer HYPS over another, GIVEN that they have that option. But my point is, you don’t necessarily ED to a school because it was your top choice.</p>
<p>The other schools you’re mentioning are ALSO top schools. You have got to stop acting as though there are real, material differences between HYPS and the rest of the top 20 or so. They’re all great schools with highly intelligent students, lots of opportunities – they just offer different nuances and feels (big city, small city, intense, laid-back, more emphasis on pre-professional, more emphasis on liberal arts, etc.). </p>
<p>Someone else said on another thread that there are 4200 colleges in the US. To act as though there is a meaningful quality difference between any of them in the top 20 or so is totally stupid. It’s dancing on the head of a pin. A smart student will be well served by any of them.</p>
<p>Bourne, most of the users on this board are applying to undergrad, and many of us posting are undergrads ourselves.</p>
<p>And, Bezcraze, I do not have an inferiority complex. I was implying that your observations make it seem as if you do. My condolences on the lengthily deleted post.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>I’d imagine at places where an individual would feel most comfortable and motivated to succeed.</p>
<p>I am not acting, there are. If you do not believe this statement then you are out of touch with the real world. There is no question what so ever that having HYPS on your resume will provide more opportunities (its not guarantee, but its a nice boost) compared to Cornell, or Penn or Duke or whatever. I also have one question, how can you say there are no differences in the top 20 schools and then rag on WUSTL as inferior to some others in the same group, it seems to me that you cherry pick when you apply this “system”. Individuals can succeed from anywhere, I have not and will never deny that. Yet, it is a simple fact that the the best Universities provide more opportunities than would otherwise be available and that not all of these schools provide everything equally.</p>
<p>I think part of that “well-served” mantra is based on fit/atmosphere. There’s also the other part – funding, internship/research opportunities, abroad. </p>
<p>I don’t think the top 20 all perform equally well. I don’t even think they perform similarly well. I think you’re better served at certain institutions than others. I’d also add the top LAC’s into that mix though.</p>
<p>I agree with Bourne that fit is important, but for most people they can find a good fit at the top schools. To you kyle, most people would disagree that the differences between HYPS and another top 20 school, lets say Northwestern are negligible. For job recruiting, prestige, professors, quality of students, endowment and anything else you can mention they are significantly different.</p>
<p>middsmith - I have yet to see a good double-blind test for clairvoyance, but, since I don’t follow the research, maybe we can agree on an operational definition of “first-choice” that involves actually <em>applying</em> to said choice. The nice thing is how it dovetails with your other supposition of what a <em>reject</em> is.</p>
<p>I don’t think you’d find the same opportunities at H that you would at Emory. I don’t think you’d find the same opportunities at Vanderbilt that you would at Y. I think for the most part, the original statement is true. I do however think the “intelligent student” would be well served by either. I just don’t think they’d be equally served as someone would assume.</p>
<p>Bescraze, you are a rising high school senior. You’re not even old enough to drink or vote. I have been in the business world, both at the director level in corporate America and now as a consultant to some of the country’s biggest and best known companies, for twenty years. What makes your knowledge of “the real world” superior, again? </p>
<p>
</p>
<p>I think you need to check your posts / memory – you also called me a Cornell alum in another thread, when I have no personal connection to Cornell (indeed, have never even visited it). I have never ragged on WUSTL at all. In fact, I applied / was admitted there, but did not attend (no aspersions on WUSTL, but it was too close to home and I wanted to go elsewhere). Could you please clarify for me where I “ragged on WUSTL”? Thanks.</p>
<p>But not the general “you” – the very specific “you.” For example, the student who prefers a city atmosphere over a rural atmosphere will be better served by Harvard or Columbia or Penn over Cornell or Princeton. And vice versa, of course. That doesn’t make H/C/Penn “better” than Cornell or Princeton in the absolute – just different.</p>
<p>What is with all this unsophistication about understanding that these are different nuances that appeal to different people, as opposed to set-in-stone ratings of “best for everyone” on down? It’s disheartening that supposedly-the-brightest-kids-in-the-country think this way. It’s about as dumb as trying to find the one very best hotel in the world, or the one very best fine watch in the world.</p>
<p>Pizzagirl you totally are missing our points. Forget fit for a second, because after you graduate thats not what will matter. All that will matter is where you went and what you accomplished there. I can not say it any better than Bourne, that is the reality and that is what people think. Lastly, since you feel the need to assert your credentials should I list many people I have heard this from? Partner at GS, CEO of fortune 500, Billionare Real Estate Mogul…should I go on. My point is, ok you are apparently fairly successfull, it doesn’t make you right. At the same time, your view is very very PC, and it is not how most people think when they read a job application. For the record people do also try and find the best hotels in an area, in NYC its now considered to be the Four Seasons and in Paris I believe there are two, one is the Ritz and the other is ____, in Istanbul one is the Historical palace and the others is the Four Seasons… your hotel comparison doesn’t work, because people rank those too and there is always a hierarchy. Basically it comes down to this, do you honestly think that on a job application, it will make no differencet they see Cornell or Princeton, if you do then there is no point in discussing this with you.</p>
<p>You’re incorrectly assuming that fit will not affect your academics and your possibility of graduation. They are not mutually exclusive.</p>
<p>I don’t see how you can say HYP are the best schools to go to if you want to major in engineering for example. They are not the best in everything. In fact, Harvard and Yale don’t even offer my major, which is a pretty popular one across the country (civil engineering).</p>
<p>^^I think it goes even deeper than that; I think there is a need to believe in some kind of bedrock, totemic system. “Princeton is better than Cornell – that’s it. That’s reality.” The world must be a very scary place.</p>
<p>You’re dismissing his opinions without acknowledging the factual implications behind them. </p>
<p>Bescraze is a bit polarizing. He does however have somewhat of a point. </p>
<p>I find that a balance is necessary. Prestige means something. Not as much as some would have you think, but it does mean something. I do think – generally speaking – that there are amazing opportunities at all of the USNWR top 20. I also think there’s a reason HYPS carries such weight in their respective national communities. Don’t fail to acknowledge that. </p>
<p>Don’t imply that the Harvard brand isn’t more respected than the Emory brand. It is. It can open more doors for you.</p>
<p>There’s also the fact that no singular university will do more for you than you can do for yourself. By no means does a degree from a select University define anyone. Fit matters. Atmosphere matters. Prestige also matters. Even at the highest levels.</p>
<p>The problem has always been finding the balance.</p>
<p>I would have applied to Columbia, had it not been in NYC and if the campus was larger and spaced, out. But btw i would pick Duke over columbia in a heart beat, bc the campus is what i like. (And i have wanted to go to Duke for a while). But for law school Columbia hands down.</p>
<p>In terms of academic prestige, I would say Columbia wins hands-down. When I think of Duke, I think of more great sports then a great school. While they are both unquestionably good colleges, and will offer you about the same in terms of education, I’d have to give Columbia the edge simply in terms of renown and prestige.</p>