student travel

I don’t understand why an “ivy league” school is better, is it because US News and World reports says so?

Haven’t had any trouble finding work in my field of interest, nor making a good living, nor anything else that would be fixable with an “ivy league” education.

But then again I don’t have an insatiable ego to feed either

I went to an undisclosed ivy league institution, and went on to grad school at a prestigious but public university. During my time in grad school, i took some undergrad courses just for the heck of it and got to spend time with some of the undergraduates.

I must say that the difficulty of the undergrad coursework at the ivy institution was several degrees higher than the coursework at the prestigious public university i attended. In fact, even the grad classes were vastly simpler than my undergrad courses were. Also students I spent time with during my undergrad days were definately a cut above the undergrads I spent time with at the public school i attended.

The amount of concentrated talent amassed at any of the top 10 or so elite undergraduate programs in this country is simply astounding. I really feel that at least 50% of what I learned as an undergrad, I learned from these very special individuals.

It was a privilege to spend four years amidst such excellent individuals.

The subject matter of the conversations I had with my undergrad peers was also very different than the ones I had with the undergrads at the grad school i attended. There was more academic curiosity and a thirst for debate, discussion, and learning that I haven’t experienced in the 11 years since I graduated (except for when I go to social groups/gatherings full of ivy level folks…).

But at the end of the day, talking like Fraiser and being interested in obscure historical events is no better than talking about how kobe bryant prefers icyhot to bengay… it comes down to what you like to do. One thing is for sure… The people I went to college with NEVER turned into snooty snobs. They are just regular folks, who often prefer the company of the “workin folks” of the world over the white collar super stars (as do i!). Any snootiness vanishes within a few years of graduating… unless you’re a vain idiot.

By the way, UCLA is a fine institution. Is it harvard, or dartmouth, or columbia or whatever? no. but i would send my kids there if they wanted to go!

XOXO HTFH

I went to UCLA. Sure, it’s not one of the snooty elites, and sure, it’s a public school. But I object to your automatic assumption that merely it’s “less than great.”

I am a government attorney. I attended a U.C. law school, where one of my classmates was a Stanford grad. She was intelligent and sharp witted. She practiced for four years and then quit to become a mom. Before government work, I was in private practice, where two other attorneys were Stanford grads. They were good attorneys, but nothing exceptional.

I don’t doubt that the top-flight schools have their excellent alumni. But, it’s not the Stanford diploma that gets them there. It’s the personal qualities that got them admitted into Stanford to begin with. They would have been excellent no matter where they went.

Your post went on a little bender, when all I was trying to point out was that the mere FACT of a Stanford diploma is meaningless. It’s the person, not the paper, that counts.

Your response, however, is more telling.

TS.

Why all the personal attacks?

It’s true that prestigious institutions afford you more opportunities, but they aren’t offered so that you can be an elitest prick. Those of us blessed with these opportunities should go out and help others!

(P.S. judging by Terence’s IP address, I’d imagine he’s doing quite well for himself).

azia broke a bunch of laws, but i think given the circumstances, she should not be prosecuted–the publicity will hurt her enough already. just let her go…give her counseling and make sure her parents don’t kill her. everyone needs a break at least once in life, and i think azia could use one right now.

why is it that so many of my friends from said elite college went on to law school, medical school, and Ph.D. programs at ivy league institutions/stanford/caltech/MIT while those of my friends with diplomas from less prestigious universities say the percentage of graduates attending such institutions from their colleges are so much lower?

yeah, a diploma from an elite institution is worth much more than one from an average institution, but i guess you’d never know that since you’ve never attended a prestigious college. tell me, what do you do for a living? and what do your friends from college do for a living? how many of them are on their way to being at the forefront of their chosen professions? yeah, that’s what i thought