Does it really matter which undergraduate college (for bachelor degrees) you go to? (read the rest please....)

Question

Well Im sure most of you have heard of big shot Universities such as Harvard, Cambridge, John Hopkins, Yale, Princeton, etc. And I'm sure that all these universities have undergradute colleges (like Harvard College)

And I was wondering if it really mattered where I got my bachelor degree? Let's say I applied to harvard and my small town college and I get accepted to both (with full time scholorship of course :-D), would it make really that much of a difference of which I go to? I mean yeah i'd love to tell people I went to some nice college, but isn't it the degrees past your bachelor that matters?

I'm very confused about this matter and at this age, college really shouldn't occupy my mind all too much. Answer please?

No insults please, im not really all too "enlightened" in this and haven't really THOUGHT about it much. Contradictions accepted though.

Thanks!

Answer 1

well if you graduate from like a Harvard, you will almost guaranteed to get better jobs than those who graduated from tier 2 or 3 colleges. And yes what college you got your bachelors matters a LOT. Especially to the employers, they will look at where you graudated from.

Answer 2

College always seems like a big decision, doesn't it.

Okay, let's say Harvard and a small, private college accepts you. Congrats! You good enough for Harvard!

If you can go to Harvard and not have to sell your organs, then go for it. You'll have to work hard, but people will look at your degree with awe.

If you can't, don't worry.

Never worry.

Choosing a college isn't like choosing to have an abortion. You can transfer ANYWHERE and ANYTIME.

I spent 1 year at a huge university. Originally from a small town, I was like a small fish suddenly thrown into the big sea. I needed that wake up call though. I transferred to a small, private university. I appreciated it more.

There's no shame in transferring, and there's no shame in being honest with your finances. Try to avoid the student loans. There are millions of scholarships out there that are unclaimed. You just have to look.

Read Dave Ramsey's book, "Total Money Makeover." Every college-aged kid should read it.

Answer 3

Depending on what you major in, it does matter where you go, though probably not as much as people think. Your GPA also matters, at least for some jobs +/or some employers.

For some majors, the top school in the country isn't an ivy league school. Or, the top school is, but the number two school isn't. So, if you got a really good school for your major people in your field will catch that. Also, if you go to the top school and don't do well, it won't put you ahead of the person who goes to a top 10 school for that field but does really well. Some employers, like the government, will ask for your GPA on the application and having better grades than other people could get you hired.

For advanced degrees, there are correlations. Some of the prestigious schools only prepare people to teach at their school. I just finished my MA in History, and my profs all said that if you really want to teach History at the college level you should not go to Harvard or a school like that because they prepare you for the hard-core publish or perish job, not to actually teach undergrad classes.

Anyway, my point is that there is a difference between schools, but second tier does not equal second rate. You need to pick a decent school for your field and do well. That could be your local college, and if its a reasonably good school for your field and not as expensive (or its a cheaper place to live) you'll do just fine in the job market. You will need to check out the program and find out how good it is.

Answer 4

The undergrad college that you choose should be specific to the degree that you want to pursue. Some colleges are known for their Communications Departments while others may be known for their Business Schools. Do some research on what schools are best for what it is that interests you and find a good match. The prestige of the school will have little to do with your success if you are just in the wrong place. Your high-school counselor may have some advice for you on this subject and that would be a place to start. Next, look at successful people in your community. Look at what they do for a living. If you find a career that may be interesting to you, seek out a mentor in that field. It really isn't as hard as it sounds. Make some phone calls and interview somebody in the field that you choose. Ask where they went to school and ask for advice on how you could pursue the same career. You will get a lot of inof that way. Also, go to a local community college and visit their career center. They have all kinds of info on what schools specialize in what fields. It's okay that you are in high school still. They will talk to you and offer some guidance. Good luck with your search.

Answer 5

Unless you are planning on applying to an Ivy League graduate, law, or med school I don’t think it matters at all where you got the degree.

I’m in my senior year and attend a local university. I am only getting my bachelors. As long as you have the degree, why should it matter where you got it from?! It’s all the same classes. Why pay all that extra money?

My best friend is planning on applying law schools so she went away to one of those big well known universities.

Good luck on your decision!!!

Answer 6

While it shouldn't matter, the truth is that employers and graduate school respect the degrees from the more notable universtiies. A college degree today, is more like a high school degree 50 years ago. This does not make someone a bad person for going to a less prominent school, and, depending on your future plans, it may make no difference.

Good luck to you

Answer 7

Get a good education. Some of those Ivy league or top notch universities are more interested in their graduate students and research programs than the undergrads. Look into some of the really excellent State Colleges and Universities. Look for schools that have intensive programs where students have a lot of access to professors and independent study (that's my opinion) because if you have the discipline for independent study, you can really stretch your mind and learn how to learn.

Answer 8

It depends upon your career field. Sometimes people DO make connections in college that enable them to succeed in their subsequent careers. That said, the university is important for business majors, political science, and so forth. But nobody really cares where a Social Worker or English major went. In some occupations, it is just having the qualifications.

Answer 9

I've worked in HR departments. Other than certain fields (medical, legal, and very little engineering), it doesn't matter. All that matters is that the school is accredited. You can get a degree from podunk University and it's just as good as one from Harvard.

Answer 10

In most cases, the fact that you attained a degree will be more important to employers.

Some people view it like they view name brands, your basically paying for the name! Just because you are paying less does NOT mean youre getting less of an education.