Did I make a wise college choice?

[eits]

you got into an ivy league school, yet don't know the difference between "due" and "do"?

anyways, check out mit. my mom taught a couple summers up at mit (boston = best college city in america... easily). not everyone who goes to mit is a brainiac rocket engineer.

if you don't like it, you can always transfer.

school name isn't THAT big a deal... it's what you do with your education that makes the difference. for example, my mom went to the university of michigan and graduated top of her class three times (first time for english, second for math, third for engineering). she's making around $100k (after a couple raises, of course... she started her job back in 1986) at the nuclear regulatory commission.

my dad was an immigrant from iran who went to some tiny-ass detroit institute of technology or something and built bridges, airports, roads, buildings, etc. making more than my mom was at the time (my dad ended up getting laid off during the first bush adminstration, so he decided to take a couple years off work and raise my brother and me... then, he decided to get into the work-force again and had to learn a bunch of new stuff in order to get in it). now, my dad is kinda freelancing his way around making about $75k+ per contract.

the moral of the story = if you can afford it, go to mit. why not? if you don't like it, you can transfer out to someplace else. but, if you wanna save your cash and feel like there's someplace else that's more fitting to you, go there. it won't really matter... application of knowledge and achievements are what matter. it's all about experience.

 

[GeneValgene]

i'm surprised at the negative stereotypes toward people who have attended ivys, namely that they are snoody, rich, spoiled brats, etc...many of my friends went to ivys (harvard, princeton, columbia, yale, etc...), or other top schools like stanford and caltech, and they are the most down to earth, smart, and fun people in the world. i come from a fairly competitive high school in houston, where i would say 40% of the asians go to ivys, while the other 60% stay in state and go to rice or UT.

i worked at a management consulting firm coming out of undergrad, and have worked with peers from stanford, princeton, upenn, and cornell over the past two years. they are all extremely bright, and cool as hell. it's not fair to dismiss a school, and label the students as all rich cocky nerds. you're going to find those people at any school you go to.

btw, most of my friends who went to ivys are no where as money driven as you guys are. and trust me, if you really care so much about how much you're making, get out of engineering and go to business.

 

[GeneValgene]

Originally posted by: eits
you got into an ivy league school, yet don't know the difference between "due" and "do"?

anyways, check out mit. my mom taught a couple summers up at mit (boston = best college city in america... easily). not everyone who goes to mit is a brainiac rocket engineer.

if you don't like it, you can always transfer.

school name isn't THAT big a deal... it's what you do with your education that makes the difference. for example, my mom went to the university of michigan and graduated top of her class three times (first time for english, second for math, third for engineering). she's making around $100k (after a couple raises, of course... she started her job back in 1986) at the nuclear regulatory commission.

my dad was an immigrant from iran who went to some tiny-ass detroit institute of technology or something and built bridges, airports, roads, buildings, etc. making more than my mom was at the time (my dad ended up getting laid off during the first bush adminstration, so he decided to take a couple years off work and raise my brother and me... then, he decided to get into the work-force again and had to learn a bunch of new stuff in order to get in it). now, my dad is kinda freelancing his way around making about $75k+ per contract.

the moral of the story = if you can afford it, go to mit. why not? if you don't like it, you can transfer out to someplace else. but, if you wanna save your cash and feel like there's someplace else that's more fitting to you, go there. it won't really matter... application of knowledge and achievements are what matter. it's all about experience.

btw, michigan is an excellent school

 

[Chronoshock]

For what its worth, I had a similar situation presented to me senior year. Could have either gone to a state-level school with full scholarship (tuition + room/board) or MIT. I chose MIT because I remembered someone who went there telling me that while the work there is incredibly hard (which it is, I'm finishing the fall semester of junior year majoring in EECS, just woke up from 3 hrs of sleep) you just wouldn't feel right anywhere else. I now see what they mean by that and I agree; you work a lot here, but you know you're learning as much as you possibly can. However, you said that that type of learning was not for you, so it seems that you made the right choice. More than school however, is attitude. You can certainly be successful if you are motivated, regardless of where you go to school. Likewise, you can do very poorly at a good school if you aren't into it. I know of someone who, after failing 3 consecutive semesters (slept through classes, didn't do homework or tests because he/she didnt' feel like it) is finally going home and dropping out. My advice to you is to make a decision, stick with it, and put your all behind it, never second guessing yourself.

 

[akubi]

Originally posted by: KillerCharlie
First of all, here's the scoop on undergraduate universities for engineering/CS. Schools like MIT and Stanford are BAD places for undergraduate education in engineering. Most MIT classes are taught by graduate students instead of professors. This is what a friend who goes there tells me and what some of my managers have told me. Stanford doesn't even have undergraduate degrees in many engineering areas (such as aerospace). However, for graduate degrees they're the best. (Except Stanford... it's pretty much just turned into a MS factory).

As long as you go to a top 20 university, you're fine.

uh wrong. profs teach ALL undergrad headers. and many of them authored the books they teach out of.

never heard of rowan. you should've gone to ivy.

 

[eits]

Originally posted by: GeneValgene

Originally posted by: eits
you got into an ivy league school, yet don't know the difference between "due" and "do"?

anyways, check out mit. my mom taught a couple summers up at mit (boston = best college city in america... easily). not everyone who goes to mit is a brainiac rocket engineer.

if you don't like it, you can always transfer.

school name isn't THAT big a deal... it's what you do with your education that makes the difference. for example, my mom went to the university of michigan and graduated top of her class three times (first time for english, second for math, third for engineering). she's making around $100k (after a couple raises, of course... she started her job back in 1986) at the nuclear regulatory commission.

my dad was an immigrant from iran who went to some tiny-ass detroit institute of technology or something and built bridges, airports, roads, buildings, etc. making more than my mom was at the time (my dad ended up getting laid off during the first bush adminstration, so he decided to take a couple years off work and raise my brother and me... then, he decided to get into the work-force again and had to learn a bunch of new stuff in order to get in it). now, my dad is kinda freelancing his way around making about $75k+ per contract.

the moral of the story = if you can afford it, go to mit. why not? if you don't like it, you can transfer out to someplace else. but, if you wanna save your cash and feel like there's someplace else that's more fitting to you, go there. it won't really matter... application of knowledge and achievements are what matter. it's all about experience.

btw, michigan is an excellent school

i know... i got accepted there. turned it down because, well, i'm an idiot.

western kentucky university sucks.... especially if you were raised in the d.c. area.

 

[dr150]

Fox5,
There's a lot of pretty irrelevant advice in this thread that doesn't relate to YOU or your engineering objectives....................An IVY-esque undergrad degree only helps if you wish to have a fair shot at the futily difficult to get Ibanking or Strategy Consulting jobs as they're tremendously Ivy-centric. Also Law schools prefer you go to a name school vs. no name school.

ASIDE of these inane non-engeering related jobs (btw, I've done both jobs and held high positions...I also attended Cal undergrad and Top IVY for MBA/PHd), which you apparently have no interest in SAVE YOUR MONEY by going private for undergrad! As there is no tangible benefit other than to keep a person in perpetual debt. The so-called networks that such schools market primarily "serve" the industries above. Otherwise, you're on your own. BY FAR, the best way of custom building your own network is by doing internships. Doing internships during school is GOLD for getting a good job. Wasting this opportunity will make your life much more difficult when you graduate. Internships > Nebulous Ivy Network

Engineering is arguably the most employable degree out of college. There is a shortage of warm bodies to fill these high paying jobs. You should have little problem getting a good job and advancing in your career as long as you learn your sh!t while attending.

If you're happy and are learning a lot at Rowan and feel that your school connects MOST of your older engineering comrades to jobs/summer internships then stay. Otherwise, per my advice above earlier in this thread, find yourself a solid/reputable engineering program at a State school with a "national" name.

Talk to professors in your engineering program (the ones that went to Purdue, Michigan, etc) and ask them for their opinion. Get a weighted avg. advice from these guys to add to your decision making process.

You could look into Purdue, GA Tech, Texas, Illinois, North Carolina. The tuition is dirt cheap and you could gain state citizenship in no time to take advantage of the tuition. Apply and see what scholies you get. From personal experience, Purdue/GA Tech have VERY generous aid packages (i.e. full rides). That could be what you're looking for.....

 

[Chronoshock]

Originally posted by: akubi

Originally posted by: KillerCharlie
First of all, here's the scoop on undergraduate universities for engineering/CS. Schools like MIT and Stanford are BAD places for undergraduate education in engineering. Most MIT classes are taught by graduate students instead of professors. This is what a friend who goes there tells me and what some of my managers have told me. Stanford doesn't even have undergraduate degrees in many engineering areas (such as aerospace). However, for graduate degrees they're the best. (Except Stanford... it's pretty much just turned into a MS factory).

As long as you go to a top 20 university, you're fine.

uh wrong. profs teach ALL undergrad headers. and many of them authored the books they teach out of.

never heard of rowan. you should've gone to ivy.

Yep, lectures are all taught by profs here, most are very distinguished in their field. Recitations (where you go over practice problems in smaller groups) are sometimes taught by professors or grad students.

 

[g8wayrebel]

Originally posted by: Fox5

Originally posted by: Kauru
job interviewer:
to you: okay, let's see, you majored in EE from (your state school here)? I'll call you back
to MIT grad: you majored in EE from MIT? very impressive, you're hired.
(you never hear back)

College DOES make a difference. People do care where you go to college. Sure you're saving money now, but will you be earning money later? Perhaps not as much had you gone to a better school. Just consider it. A Brown education will get you a lot farther than a state college education. A friend of mine who went to Brown: making $75,000/yr out of college in San Francisco, another friend of mine (just as smart) went to the University of Maine and is not even making half as much.

In the end, it's your decision, but IMO, a better education will do you a lot of good in the long run.

Wow, that sure makes me feel less sure about my decision.

Excelling where you are will get you where you need to be. You can always pursue further education with a a design on increasing worth.

For the record , $75,00 dollars in SF is comparable to about $40-45,000 in the Mid-West. It is not exactly something to brag about.

I think you have made a good choice. It is better to go to a school with good merit and do very well than go to one with a reputation and be mediocre, no matter who is asking the questions/doing the hiring.
You have chosen a pretty good school in general , and well above average in your field of interest.
Taking some business courses to bolster the resume would be a good idea since you have a light load.
It would also be a good idea to have a good explanation for your choice when it comes time to interview since you clearly could have chosen bigger more reputable schools.
The one you have offered here is not the best tach for the purpose of an interview IMO.

Interviewing is the key no matter where you come from. If you don't have an " in" with a company (ie. Almamater ,political connections , family pull, etc), the necessity for the company to "need" you rather than you need the company should be your goal.
Applicable courses that others may not have and excelling at those you take , plus your attitude and outlook, are what will really make a difference.


ALL IN ALL , good choice for the end results if you continue to lead the class.

Good luck

 

[Siddhartha]

How important is the school you attend?
I work for a large multinational company. It actively recruits from only three or four schools and the people who run the company have degrees from Ivy League schools.

Over 60% of the US presidents of the last fifty years attended either a military academy or an Ivy League school.

It depends on what you want to do.

 

[dabuddha]

You made the right decision. Most good employers look for experience, not what stuffy school you went to.

 

[Fox5]

Originally posted by: g8wayrebel

Originally posted by: Fox5

Originally posted by: Kauru
job interviewer:
to you: okay, let's see, you majored in EE from (your state school here)? I'll call you back
to MIT grad: you majored in EE from MIT? very impressive, you're hired.
(you never hear back)

College DOES make a difference. People do care where you go to college. Sure you're saving money now, but will you be earning money later? Perhaps not as much had you gone to a better school. Just consider it. A Brown education will get you a lot farther than a state college education. A friend of mine who went to Brown: making $75,000/yr out of college in San Francisco, another friend of mine (just as smart) went to the University of Maine and is not even making half as much.

In the end, it's your decision, but IMO, a better education will do you a lot of good in the long run.

Wow, that sure makes me feel less sure about my decision.

Excelling where you are will get you where you need to be. You can always pursue further education with a a design on increasing worth.

For the record , $75,00 dollars in SF is comparable to about $40-45,000 in the Mid-West. It is not exactly something to brag about.

I think you have made a good choice. It is better to go to a school with good merit and do very well than go to one with a reputation and be mediocre, no matter who is asking the questions/doing the hiring.
You have chosen a pretty good school in general , and well above average in your field of interest.
Taking some business courses to bolster the resume would be a good idea since you have a light load.
It would also be a good idea to have a good explanation for your choice when it comes time to interview since you clearly could have chosen bigger more reputable schools.
The one you have offered here is not the best tach for the purpose of an interview IMO.

Interviewing is the key no matter where you come from. If you don't have an " in" with a company (ie. Almamater ,political connections , family pull, etc), the necessity for the company to "need" you rather than you need the company should be your goal.
Applicable courses that others may not have and excelling at those you take , plus your attitude and outlook, are what will really make a difference.


ALL IN ALL , good choice for the end results if you continue to lead the class.

Good luck

Thanks for the advice. Oh, by lead the class, do you mean #1 or top percentage? The honors program here is full of kids like me. There are two other kids from my school who could have gone to an Ivy or near Ivy, and at least 3 or 4 kids from other schools who also could have. Actually, one of them has already announced his plans to transfer to an Ivy now that his parents are willing to sign the loans.

 

[gigapet]

I would have taken on some small debt to goto an ivy league. Especially with your major. I don't see how this can be argued any other way.

 

[kevinthenerd]

Originally posted by: thereaderrabbit
Fox, the right path for some may not be the right path for others and any degree is what you make of it. This is not a moral question so there is no right or wrong. The key to being happy is making the most of your decisions/circumstance, talents and friendships- no matter where you are.

I learned this the hard way.

Part of the reason why I recommend the state school over the brand-name school is that some people just KNOW where they HAVE to be. They're motivated toward their dreams. You won't be happy in a top-tier school full of insanely motivated students if you yourself aren't motivated to be there. Hang out with losers like I did, and you'll quickly discover whether being a loser for the rest of your life is for you. Some like it. Some might actually be "called" to being a "loser" by spiritual forces and instead become fantastic poets and artists. It's all up to you. Figure it out. We can't, and we shouldn't.

 

[Accipiter22]

Originally posted by: oddyager

Originally posted by: Accipiter22

Originally posted by: Fox5
I could have gone to basically any school I wanted, including Ivy Leagues. In addition, I could have had $20,000/year in scholarships to virtually any school I wanted. I chose to go to a state school, and I actually get around $500 back a semester do to having more scholarship money than the cost of the school.
An alternative would have been to go to a roughly $40,000/year school. I had around $50,000 in savings for college, so I would have had to come up with another $30,000 in the end to pay for college.

My major in electrical and computer engineering, though my personal interests and aptitudes are more towards computer science (which I'm attempting to minor in). Well, I'm apparently also good at creative writing, but it's not a big interest of mine.

It was both an economic and a personal decision for me to go to a state school. I'll come out of college with >$50,000 in cash, while I would have owed $30,000 at other schools. That, and I wasn't the hardest worker in high school, and didn't view myself as a typical MIT "I've successfully designed and built a helicopter" type student, and I didn't know if I'd be able to hack it, or if my education / experience would be $80,000 better. I didn't want to waste money on a chance.

So as it is, I'm going to a state school, majoring in Electrical and Computer Engineering, tentatively minoring in Computer Science (though, physics seems to be a more natual fit for the field from what I've seen, much less classes too), and with an Honors concentration. It seems I will also have a 4.0 GPA as of the end of the first semester, and I'll graduate with >$50,000 in cash.

So, did I make the right choice or no? Any comments?

I went to a VERY good school and I'll just say this much. All you're doing is paying for the name on your degree. Ivy league schools are a joke to be honest. I did more work when I was going to college in highschool (a program they had) versus what had to be done at an Ivy league. I compared similar classes between my mother, who was going for a teaching certificate, and what I had to take for various requirements and her classes invariably were more in depth. And she was at a state school. You're paying for a name on a degree, not the education, and too many institutions are relying solely on reputation at this point. Fortunately people are starting to catch on to this.

For a majority of the professional fields out there, large companies are going to look at the name of your school first before they even consider your resume and I doubt it will change anytime soon. Whether or not the quality of education is the same is debatable but one can expect more avenues of opportunity (whether it be connections through your professors, network from the schools themsevles, etc) available for an Ivy league grad than a regualr state school grad.

this is true...I suppose reputation matters more than the actual breadth and depth of the education nowadays.

 

[kevinthenerd]

Originally posted by: halik

Originally posted by: thereaderrabbit

Originally posted by: LS20

Originally posted by: halik


actually there's been studies saying that your wage potential actually desclines with a Ph.D because that pretty much limits you to reasearch in academia. I'd recommend a profeffional degree over a Ph.D

truth. masters are the new hotness

Not true! I finished my Ph.D. this summer and now have a nice development job at a major chip maker. I'd say over 80% of the development team at my company holds doctorate degrees. FYI- My degrees are in Chemical Engineering and Materials Science & Engineering.

Oh yeah,
it's very dependant on the field you're in. Silicon design would be very Ph.D oriented just because of the nature of the work.

I saw a 6000-level class the other day that said "Introduction to Photonics" or something like that. INTRODUCTION! I wonder how hard the INTERMEDIATE class would be or, God forbid, Advanced Photonics!

Yeah, some fields require it, some don't. In some areas, like teaching high schools, a Ph.D. might be prohibitive because you're "over qualified," which means they have to pay you too much to give you enough of an incentive to stay.

 

[kevinthenerd]

Originally posted by: GeneValgene
i'm surprised at the negative stereotypes toward people who have attended ivys, namely that they are snoody, rich, spoiled brats, etc...many of my friends went to ivys (harvard, princeton, columbia, yale, etc...), or other top schools like stanford and caltech, and they are the most down to earth, smart, and fun people in the world. i come from a fairly competitive high school in houston, where i would say 40% of the asians go to ivys, while the other 60% stay in state and go to rice or UT.

i worked at a management consulting firm coming out of undergrad, and have worked with peers from stanford, princeton, upenn, and cornell over the past two years. they are all extremely bright, and cool as hell. it's not fair to dismiss a school, and label the students as all rich cocky nerds. you're going to find those people at any school you go to.

btw, most of my friends who went to ivys are no where as money driven as you guys are. and trust me, if you really care so much about how much you're making, get out of engineering and go to business.

My theory has been that "old money" people don't talk about money because they've always been rich and always will be rich. It's a given, trusted thing. It's a fundamental constant in their universe, as set-in-stone as Newton's gravitational constant or the speed of light. The "new money" people who were once poor never want to go back, and the "no money" people want a piece of the action enjoyed by their television idols. From what I've seen myself, your average student at an expensive private university is from an "old money" family and doesn't have to work a crappy job while going to school to pay for it all.

I've said it before, and I'll say it again: CORRELATION DOES NOT PROVE CAUSATION. Even if you assume that Ivy League graduates are more successful, you can't say that going to an Ivy-League school MAKES you more successful. An Ivy-Leage students wants what's best for their material future, and these schools therefore bring a lot of motivated people. Ivy-league schools cost an assload of money to attend, so they draw students who have either loads of scholarships (and are therefore brainiacs predisposed to academic success) or rich kids who sponge off their parents (and therefore don't have to work while attending school, leaving more time for study and resume-padding extracurriculars).

The same thing goes for fraternities and sororities. Even though some fraternities and sororities don't cost a lot to join, the social notion that these organizations are for rich people pervades our society, causing affluent people to be drawn to their "own kind." When you bring a lot of rich students together, you're going to get more successful people because they spend time studying together, free from the burden of a job and family responsibilities. A good majority of them have parentally-supplied cars. You know who I'm talking about.

If you are one such person of whom I speak, please don't get immediately defensive. Sure, some of you might balk at the uncomfortable notion that your success is not the product of your feigned attempts of scholasticm; you don't enjoy facing the reality that you landed on home plate by the hit out of the park by your "old money" forefathers. When I tell you that you are successful not by your own making you suddenly realize that you've done nothing but sit back and let familial aristocratic succession take its course. It's not your fault that you're rich, so I can't hold you personally accountable, but I do find your complacent mannerisms repulsive. Never forget the less fortunate, or, as far as I see it, the more fortunate.

 

[CChaos]

My uncle went to Rowan back when it was Glassboro State and another uncle went to Rutgers and spent many years as an engineer for GE. I believe they sent him for his MBA and he's now in management there. Of the two, I'm suprised you wouldn't have chosen Rutgers, but I bet it's because you're closer to home at Rowan. I can't give you much advice here because when I was applying to colleges I really didn't care too much about where I went. I ended up at the University of Delaware which would have been great if I was a Chem E major. Invest that $50k so you can afford your Master's and kick ass at Rowan and I think you'll be ok.

Luck!

 

[kevinthenerd]

Originally posted by: Siddhartha
How important is the school you attend?
I work for a large multinational company. It actively recruits from only three or four schools and the people who run the company have degrees from Ivy League schools.

Over 60% of the US presidents of the last fifty years attended either a military academy or an Ivy League school.

It depends on what you want to do.

That goes along with my recent post. Ivy Leage people get into Ivy Leagues because of their wealth, connections, or ability. (Some would like you to think it's 100% ability, but those are the ones with wealth or connections.) You can get the presidency through wealth, connections, or ability.

 

[Fox5]

Originally posted by: CChaos
My uncle went to Rowan back when it was Glassboro State and another uncle went to Rutgers and spent many years as an engineer for GE. I believe they sent him for his MBA and he's now in management there. Of the two, I'm suprised you wouldn't have chosen Rutgers, but I bet it's because you're closer to home at Rowan. I can't give you much advice here because when I was applying to colleges I really didn't care too much about where I went. I ended up at the University of Delaware which would have been great if I was a Chem E major. Invest that $50k so you can afford your Master's and kick ass at Rowan and I think you'll be ok.

Luck!

Yeah, I am closer to Rowan, though that wasn't a big factor to me. I chose Rowan over Rutgers because I prefer the suburban atmosphere to that of a city.

BTW, in Rowan's engineering program they have a big sign posted displaying that Rowan is ranked 4th in Chem Engineering by US News and Weekly in 2006, and I believe 11th in Electrical Engineering. They don't list a ranking for computer engineering (though they only seem to cover the top 20 schools), which could mean that Rowan just didn't rank well in it or becuase Rowan does not have seperate electrical and computer engineering programs.

 

[NarcoticHobo]

I was in your situation when I was choosing schools, I didn't really have a choice of Ivy League though. It came down to going to USC (South Carolina) and making money from extra scholarships or go to Furman (#40ish top liberal arts colleges) and having to pay around $15k per year after scholarships. I chose Furman while a lot of my friends (a few with better records than me) chose schools like USC and Clemson. Having talked to them about what type of classes we take I feel that the quality of education I'm getting is much better (i.e. I learn more in Physics Introduction than they do).

Just my $0.02.

 

[Mani]

You can succeed wither way, with a reputed education or a non-reputed education. The difference is, at a non-"name" school, you had better bust ass and get great grades and accolades, or develop some contacts who can get you a good job upon graduation. If you are even above average but not exceptional in a school like yours, you will have to work pretty hard to make yourself stand out.

The major advantages of a reputed education are 1. Contacts 2. Companies actively recruit at good schools and 3. A name school can give you instant respect/credibility with people, and much more than you might think in the work world. I say this from experience - I graduated just above average grades from a "Public Ivy" with a top 5 engineering school. When I was graduating, despite the fact that the economy had just gone down the sh*tter in late 2001, companies were actively recruiting my school - I felt like the interview was in some cases just a formality for them to get me on board. In my senior year I had multiple offers in hand, among those GE (Med Systems), Dell, and Level 3. In all 3, the only work I had to do to get an interview was sign up when companies were visiting. No company questions your work ethic, technical competency, or intelligence when you survive a top engineering school curriculum so the only things they need to find out are whether you are not socially inept and can work well in teams. My interviews were a cakewalk.

Here's another thing - when someone tells you that you will get the same education in school X as reputable school Y, that is bullsh*t. They point to things like using the same textbooks, or "this school teaches rather than researches", etc. First off, the facilities, professors, resources, curricula, and opportunities for research are light years ahead in top schools. Secondly, there is no substitute for competition - it makes you better and having smart people around you and it forces you to learn the stuff. And finally, those books that the schools share - chances are they were written by professors at a "name" school.

 

[jwhitt]

dude i drank my four years through college

 

[erwos]

Originally posted by: miniMUNCH
Bottom line: Your education (and your future earning potential) is up to you and it is all about what you learn and can do. You don't learn something any better because you go to MIT...MIT may push you to learn more in each area of engineering or science but, in comparison, I have not found that to necessarily be the case.

Totally right. Whether it's a private school or a public school is almost entirely irrelevant - it really depends on you. Hell, I had a 2.5 GPA in college, and got a great salary right out of school, because I had taught myself some rather useful skills.

However, you do want to choose a school that's well-ranked for your major. This doesn't have to be top 10, but you should try to stay in the top 25-30. Employers don't get impressed that you went to MIT - they get impressed that you went to MIT and got a degree in economics or CS or the like.

And, as someone else said, when in doubt, a master's degree is a nice equalizer, and it doesn't even take that much longer.

-Erwos

 

[tooltime]

i think it is a good idea you are looking down the road. it is also a good habit to develop now regardless of what school you may attend