Parents, I need your help! Desperately!

jamimom
Fri, 05 Nov 2004 15:14:34 +0000

ceo1093, it appears that you are doing a great job at school and with the type of experience and opportunities you are getting, you will be at an advantage over many kid who are going to more selective schools. I suggest you go visit NYU and see what kind of opportunities are there if you should transfer and then when you get your aid package, I expect you will have to think long and hard about whether it is worth the extra money I’ll bet it will cost for you to go there. NYU does not tend to be generous with financial aid and is famous for “gapping” its student. Being a transfer and an international student is not going to help. Texas and other state school may be more comparable in price, and the you will have to weigh the possibilities and opportunities to shine at those schools vs what you know you can get at Buffalo. It is not a set formula that you will get a better job by going to a more selective or well known school. It depends on a lot of other factors and there are a number of studies that are saying that it doesn’t make a difference–the same student going to Harvard or Buffalo will be successful; the success is within the student. It’s just that Harvard has the privilige of being more selective so there are more successful type students there–it’s not necessarily Harvard that makes the student successful. Now there are many arguments about this, particularly in the contacts and connections end, but it is really difficult to come to any definitive conclusion. All I can tell you is that there are opportunities everywhere, and sometime it is beneficial to go somewhere that you can take those opportunities than where you are fighting for a piece of everything. You will have to make the ultimate decision.

Bear in mind, though, that there are so many factor in play for this. If you plan to work in NY, for instance, a Buffalo degree may advantageous over a Texas degree. And it is unlikely you will get any grants for any MBA program, that will have to either come from money you save or you will have to borrow. So going to a high cost college may not be a good idea. I think that Northstarmom put your situation in good perspective. But ultimately you need to make the decision. You may want to talk to someone in Buffalo, a counselor, a prof, anyone in the career office, as to what job opportunities that come available to graduates.