<p>UCLA is overblown just like it may seem these days that a college education is overblown. It’s only considered “overblown” because there are many students at UCLA, and each one reflects the UCLA name to those that know them, just like everyone these days is going off to college, and everyone knows a college student. Going off to college is no longer impressive.
Even though I’ve often undervalued UCLA, I think the UCLA professors are the best of the best. I feel like if one were a graduate student, or if classes were a lot smaller, one would sense the true value of being taught by the best in X field. </p>
<p>Also, regardless of the image a UCLA student might portray in or outside of campus, it takes effort to get through UCLA, that or you have to be a really great BS-er, which already says something about the skill or talent level of the person vs. average joe. I think UCLA graduates don’t generally need to flaunt their intelligence just like I think some other students might need to at “better” known schools just to appear out of reach and not “average” or “accessible”.</p>
<p>To add to the above, how many people come in contact or (actually) know HYPSMC grads? They’re not as common as BIG STATE U, and when everyone knows at least or knows someone who went to BIG STATE U, the name becomes more “undervalued”(maybe because we know before hand what the BIG ST ATE U grad is like on his or her “downtime”), simply because more people have access to it.</p>