Harvard, Yale, etc: Worth it or not?

Discussion in 'Science & Society' started by madanthonywayne, Sep 3, 2007.

  1. madanthonywayne Morning in America Registered Senior Member

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    My 17 year old son is a senior in high school this year. He's a smart kid, did very well on his SAT's, and is pretty good at high hurtles (conference champ, hopes to make it to state this year.)

    Anyway, his primary interest right now is computer engineering. Many universities have shown an interest in him. Some as a potential student athelete, others for his SAT scores (the fact that he has a Spanish last name might help too).

    Anyway, he's thinking of Purdue or Rose Hulman here in the great state of Indiana. But he has received a lot of material from Harvard (like something in the mail almost every day).

    He considers the idea of Harvard a joke, but I'm sure I could convince him to look into it. (He especially doesn't like the fact that Harvard would require him to take some extra SAT sections) But is there any point? Is a degree from an Ivy League university really that big of a deal?
     
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  3. Teetotaler Registered Senior Member

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    No. It's not. Unless you're getting, or plan on getting, a Harvard (or other Ivy league) MBA, MD, or JD.

    I heard of a girl getting a Bachelors degree in Finance from Harvard and couldn't get a job.

    The smartest thing to do, wherever he goes, is to network and to get involved in his major's societies, etc.

    And do internships over the summer! IT'S IMPORTANT!

    A degree is worth shit without job experience, sadly. Well, maybe not worth shit, a degree is a degree. But pre-graduation job experience is icing on the cake.

    I went into college as a computer science major and ended up in accounting. I graduated in August of 06' and still am unemployed.

    REMEMBER! HAVE HIM DO INTERNSHIPS!

    Good luck with your son.
     
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  5. SoLiDUS OMGWTFBBQ Registered Senior Member

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    Ivy League Universities can (keyword, can) look good on a resume.
     
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  7. Lord Hillyer Banned Banned

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    Yes. Perhaps it will give him the training for making such decisions for himself.
     
  8. dixonmassey Valued Senior Member

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    It's definitely a huge thing for the scientist pecking order. Computer engineering? Hmm, most likely, even if he'll find a job after college, he'll be unemployable as a comp. engineer by his 35 y.o. then he'll need to try to break into management, ivy league school wouldn't hurt in getting an MBA (which is worth$ getting).
     
  9. James R Just this guy, you know? Staff Member

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    What's the cost difference?
     
  10. Pandaemoni Valued Senior Member

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    Speaking as someone in what most people would consider Wall Street (not that your kid would wind up in the world of high finance, but you never know where his interests may lead him in college), I would say that it is worth it.

    It's not just a line on a resume, it *is* that (and I know many "resume snobs" who turn their nose up at non-Ivy League schools who have important positions in hiring), but it's also about the connections you make while in college. Surely you can learn just as much at any school as you can at Harvard, but there is definitely an "Old Boys Network" in the world and the backscratching can be a whole lot sweeter for those in the Ivy League, in my experience. (I'd also say, join a frat...stupid as they are, they are a great base social network that usually pays off in the long run.)

    Will getting a higher paying, higher prestige job make your child "happier?" Probably not, but if he has no other goal to aim at, prestige and pay aren't irrational targets at which to shoot.

    Purdue is a great engineering school. and if you could be sure that his interests wouldn't shift, it might be a wash at the end of the day. How anyone can be sure of their own interests before getting into college though...it's beyond my abilities.
     
  11. cosmictraveler Be kind to yourself always. Valued Senior Member

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    In Life, as you well know , it's not what you know, it's who you know.
     
  12. iceaura Valued Senior Member

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    A well-endowed Ivy League school might be cheaper, actually.

    And Harvard has some perks, or used to - at one time they gave each incoming student their own room, no roommate. I would have killed for that, back in the day. Almost did.

    And rich people's daughters are often very intelligent and beautiful. Tall.

    Another good thing about the smaller private schools - especially those without a grad program of their own, but Harvard as well by reputation - is that undergrads get to play with all the fancy gear and talk to all the upper-level profs. If you want Purdue fro undergrad, make sure the cyclotron or whatever is available to undergrads.

    But Harvard for computer engineering? hmmm. Seems like they had a decent robotics program, not too long ago - - -
     
  13. Pandaemoni Valued Senior Member

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    I would also add that, in many things, graduate school prestige is more important than undergraduate. I suspect that's as true for engineering graduate degrees as it is for business schools and law schools (my being more familiar with the latter two).

    It can make more sense to go to a less competitive school, if your kid can place at or near the very top in the smaller pond, because that will help him place in a better graduate program. Not that that helps, seeing as it cuts against the advice I gave in my last post, but is it a real consideration.

    (That is what I did; I am neither a product of an Ivy League education, nor did I join a frat. I simply see in retrospect that those things have some value--in my world--based mostly on the social networking opportunities they allow. I went to a smaller undergraduate university, then did well enough to land in "Top 10" (though still not Ivy League) law and business schools...and those were definitely worth it. I didn't know anyone who wasn't employed at graduation, and most people I knew got something close to their "dream jobs". Note: some dreams turned out to be well-disguised, highly paid nightmares.)
     
  14. Joeman Eviiiiiiiil Clown Registered Senior Member

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    Undegrad doesn't matter.

    As far as financial future is concerned, It doesn't make any different whether you go to a mediocre state college or an ivy league school. People who hire you care mostly about whether they like you or not. If you are good looking and can speak well, you find a job easily. Most jobs today are de-skilled and easy.

    Graduate school makes a difference only if you want to do research.
     

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