Did I make a wise college choice?

[shuttleboi]

Going to a top-tier school is important in two cases: (1) In your first ~10 years of industry, you will start off with a worse job with a worse pay if you go to a no-name school. Given the choice between a top student from a no-name school and a top student from a top-tier school and all other things being equal, most employees will pick the latter, hands down. Presumably, once you have ~10 years of industry experience, things start to even out if you have done good work (that's what my older colleagues at work say). (2) If you want to be a professor at a top-25 university, you must graduate from a top-10 grad school.

 

[shuttleboi]

One thing many of you are missing an important point. The fact that a person graduates from a top school is in itself not important. What is important is the indirect attributes of that person that is revealed by the fact that he graduated from a top school. Most likely, that person is intelligent and works hard; these characteristics are evident because he got into that school in the first place and that he graduated from there (assuming he's got a good GPA and accomplishments). When I meet someone who graduated from MIT, I don't place any value in the "MIT" part (it's a nice campus, but I've seen better). What I immediately draw from that fact is that he's probably very smart and works hard.

 

[Wuzup101]

Originally posted by: mercanucaribe
You made a mistake. With an Ivy League, you'd be almost guaranteed an exceptional future. You'd be among the best of the best in the WORLD. As it is, you're not guaranteed anything, and will be lucky to get just a regular tech job. Sorry.

You have no clue what you're talking about. You're guaranteed nothing in this world. You get out of life what you put in. Now, I'm not saying all school are created equal, certainly some are better than others; however, to think that because you graduated from an IVY people are going to be spoon feading you for the rest of your life is crazy. There are plenty of people that go to those schools who got in b/c daddy went there... or bought them a new library. Regardless, if you're planning on doing any type of grad school keep your grades up and get into a good one... that's where it matters more.

As for me, I'm currently at a state school (penn state). I'll be graduating with honors w/ degrees in biological engineering and biochemistry/molecular biology.

 

[GoSharks]

Originally posted by: ManiFirst off, the facilities, professors, resources, curricula, and opportunities for research are light years ahead in top schools.

Along those lines, whom better to hear about fixing cardiac regeneration with stem cells than from the people that are actually conducting clinical trials in that field? Being a top research institution means that I have oppertunities to learn about the most recent developments.

 

[IAteYourMother]

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.

I don't think he has any idea what he's talking about...

 

[bobsmith1492]

I'm in EXACTLY the same position; I've been going to Grand Valley State, getting a lil' money back, and studying EE and physics (hopefully as a second major, probably a minor) for over two years now. From everything I've seen and heard, by going to some fancy schmancy school, all you get is to work under professors who only care about their research projects and if you're lucky, you get to work with them. Here, the focus is all on real, hands-on work; we've been spending day and night for months on end working on projects, with the homework almost coming in as a second thought. From what I hear about other schools, you just do theoretical stuff all the time, and when the graduates come out and see how things REALLY work, they get all confusticated. Anyway, I'm sure we'll do fine; make the most of it while you're there, and if you're as smart as you make it seem, you'll be fine. If you want, do graduate work at one of the big schools; that's more impressive than an undergrad degree from a big school.

 

[Noobtastic]

Since its literally your life and your obviously blessed with an intelligence, state school isn't a bad idea..but if you could choose Private schools or Ivy league schools would look much better.

I have a feeling you might regret your decision. Attending 1 school and not the other based on a mere MINOR economic benifiet isn't good. You could always pay off student loans.

 

[halik]

Originally posted by: PoPPeR
nothing wrong with state schools. The community college I went to had guaranteed admission contracts with UC Berkeley, UC San Diego, UC Santa Barbara, and UC Davis (among others). I met the criteria for all of them. I chose to go to Arizona State instead to major in accounting. I'm not going to sit here and say that ASU is a better school than any of those (especially berkeley) in general, but for my field, I know i made a good choice. Sure I may make a couple thousand less than a UCB student, but I absolutely detest that geographic area and like you, I don't consider myself a "Berkeley" student. I have plenty of friends that go there and I know how hard you have to study.

Meanwhile, at ASU, I can keep a high GPA, meet a lot of people, get enough scholarships to make my education very inexpensive, while at the same time still attending a very respectable accounting/business school and not go insane trying to pass my classes.

The whole "state university" stereotype is incredibly stupid. Different universities are good in different areas. I dont care if you go to Berkeley if you're majoring in something that isn't competitive at the school. As long as you do your research and attend a university that excels in your field of study, then they can call themselves clown college for all anyone cares.

HAHAH so instead of majoring in accounting @ berkey, you decided to major in pussy at ASU? Decide to minor in any stds yet?

 

[halik]

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

Definitely not out of school (first 10 years ) and all things equal, someone with better school wins.

 

[Peetoeng]

Originally posted by: ed21x

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.

OP, you made the right choice IMO. 50k is a nice down payment on a house someday. And being debt free is beautiful thing.

This man speaks the truth. I graduated from engineering at a top ranked institution, and don't really see any significant difference in knowledge from someone in a supposed "lower ranked" engineering school. After your first job, college becomes only a second priority on your resume.

Thirded.

Do very well in college, work for a while, then go to ivyleague for grad school (free tuition!).