<p>Now that I’ve spent some time in college, at a relatively prestigious pad, I think I have a good perspective on this.</p>
<p>It all; let me repeat, it all comes down to the composition of the student body and particularly the friends you make. Though I love the fact that everyone I talk to is really smart and motivated, it’s not impossible to find a group of similarly motivated and industrious students at any state school. </p>
<p>While it’s really awesome that professors from the Ivies win Nobel prizes (most recently, Princeton’s Krugman), ultimately such prestigious awards don’t necessarily make for a good teacher. Since most of the learning happens outside the classroom in nearly standard textbooks, it really doesn’t matter so much whether you go to an Ivy or not. </p>
<p>One important note however on rigor. Though it’s possible to nearly major in “Easy” at the Ivies, state schools often have less rigorous standard courses, and so it’s up to the student to challenge themselves because otherwise the education won’t be the same. I know my classes demand more from me than the classes some of my friends take a state schools. </p>
<p>And while I still maintain that an Ivy isn’t everything and that a fantastic education CAN await a motivated and industrious student at a state school, the things I’ve outlined are pretty important. Who doesn’t want to have a group of really smart friends that companionably complain about work? Who doesn’t want to have challenging and interesting classes? These two things, in general of course, are usually, if not always, characteristic of the Ivies. Makes life a bit easier, eh? But these things are also present at the top 20, even 30 schools as well. Getting a great, and entirely intellectually fulfilling education at state schools, IMHO, is just a little bit harder.</p>