Aside from prestige, what are you tangibly getting out of from the school?
You are more marketable in your field of study post-graduation.
Ex. You can say you completed a difficult program from MIT, and instantly have more credentials than a student from Georgia Tech who completed the same program under less strict requirements.
No two educations are identical: accredited schools teach mostly the same stuff, but not always all of the same stuff to the same depth or at the same rate; nor is that stuff taught by the same people in the same style; nor are the TAs and students with whom you interact the same. Those are just a few of the major differences in learning experience/quality that make the academic side of things unique to each school.
Another benefit is the friends you will make. Some of them will remain your friends for a very long time. You will not meet the same people at different colleges. So, specific relationships is another area in which no two college experiences are the same.
Right there are two highly impactful areas where schools are quite practically and applicably different.
College isn’t just about getting a job; a much more worthy goal and benefit is the education itself. That will stay with you through all of your vocational changes and wherever you go. And no two schools teach the same stuff exactly the same way. So it is important to find your academic fit.
Meeting different people… well that’s chance. But it does make each school unique, you have to say…
Your peers. Educationally, you will get out what you put into ANY college and make your own opportunities if you are ambitious. It is fun, however, to be around classmates and friends who raise the level of the discussions you’ll have in class and in the dorms and dining halls. That said, you probably can find a few friends like this wherever you go.
@Anon2600 But how do we know exactly if any school is more rigorous than the other, students take advantage of the school’s resources, and facilitate their passion. There have been college students who use to work full-time in the computer storage market in the 80s and are now making over 300k in their field of specialty w/stock options, and they didn’t need the prestige of a degree to get to that level. It was their experience that got them a secure jobs as VP of multiple companies. However, life is greater than money. personally i believe in college you are getting a new perspective and develop a passion that will drive you and contribute to this world. Tangibly, I believe you have an advantage of networking in college. Steve Jobs was lucky to have a network of people back at his home, and have a following of investors, since he grew up in Silicon Valley when it was expanding the personal computer industry. For top schools, I believe you have a more refined network than other schools, have students who know how to utilize resources and be self-sufficient with their passion.
The network you build is a huge advantage. My sense is even if you leave your field of major, you’ll be in contact with people who are hiring managers @ top companies & firms. This can make a world of difference for your resume to get pushed in for an interview rather than in the trash bin.
@KillerQueen21 , I only spoke to your matter of something that’s “tanglible,” nothing more than that. That means a job, a carreer, etc. Knowledge is only tangible when you transcribe it into something physical, which unfortunately not all do.
I gave you the short answer, but if you feel like reading the long answer, here ya go. Your answer about finding the proper school is in there too:
Because of the position I am in, I believe I have credibility to talk about tangibility. As for actually learning and making friends, that is a more complicated question. Aside from military or boarding–like programs, there is no one school that is going to guarantee that you will bond with other people or make friends that will last for life - that is ignorant. The knowledge part is more simple… I’ll explain further down.
At any rate, here is my background: I am a senior undergraduate member of a leadership program in the business college at my school. This program sponsors the members to network and achieve professional excellence. Now, my school has a very aggressive business program and we are always in the top 5 in the nation for whatever degree you throw out there. I represent the business college for companies that come in looking for programs to sponsor, kids to give scholarships to, etc. My point, I deal with tangibility and networking OFTEN.
The surest way to find out what school are best, or more rigorous, or whatever, is to visit them. I know that sounds unrealistic but that’s your answer. You need to know what program you are going to participate in - business, nursing, arts & sciences, etc - and you need to visit those colleges specifically. Some colleges are way over-funded, or under-funded, in comparison to others. For example, in my school, the business and medical colleges outweigh funding of all other departments by at lest 3:1… don’t hold me to that number but you can tell by the facilities & amenities, quality of faculty, graduation rates, employment rates, etc. You can tell when you are somewhere that you fit. You will have a warming faculty/staff that will look out for the best of YOUR interests and guide you in your ways (and they will have the proper facility, funding, and degree programs to be able to help you achieve your goals).
As for knowledge, the same applies… better funding = better teachers. Again, my school’s business college is very well funded and as I told you, always top 5. However, this never guarantees that you won’t have a bully for a teacher, a bad advisor, or that you may have other circumstances limiting your ability to fully take in the material. If that’s the case, something has got to give. However, with the proper teachers, facility, and staff helping you achieve your goals, there is nothing stopping you from anything but time, money, and brainpower.
Lastly, for your stock guys and genius guys… well, not everyone has the same capacities. You will notice that in college. You will have people much smarter, and much dumber than you. Stay in your lane and do what makes you comfortable and happy. That being said, leave no stone unturned. If you feel like you have the potential to do something great even for a second (or that you might be a genius), hustle and get after it. I know it sounds cheesy but you can do anything you set your mind to. The only constraints, according to today’s laws of society, are time and money (and your capabilities, biologically).
@Anon2600 Gotcha! I am a current undergrad student myself. Thats actually a great response, I am looking for a discussion. Yes there are always going to be people who are smarter or dumber. However, one thing I have an inquiry about is the branding of a school. Take for example, if you have someone who is gifted in a not-so-prestigious school, and they contribute to this world by doing something that is unique (Starting a business, writing a famous blog, becoming a cast of a broadway show, etc), would they come out as considered, unintelligent because of the school they went to? The same question applies for people who go to a prestigious school and do nothing to contribute in this world.
In my view I believe being classified “smart” is a major contradiction in society. You can have a valedictorian of a class, but he could be conducting stupid actions you could probably imagine.
@KillerQueen21, that’s one of those case by case things. However, more often than not, a school that has a negative image will most likely also leave the student in that light. If you go somewhere prestigious and actually make it through, there has got to be some kind of fall from grace for the person to be called out on bad behavior, and that’s a bit harder than just automatically having a stigma attached to you.
@Anon2600 Do you agree that we can’t fully guarantee who is worthy of attending any prestigious or not?
@KillerQueen21, of course not. Grades don’t speak about character.
@Anon2600 Indeed, I believe that there are people who make a contribution in this world and those who won’t.