5 ms·

> Better to get a C at MIT than an A at RPI. That is a poor example. RPI is an excellent institution. After you get past the top-50 or so schools, reputation m

> Better to get a C at MIT than an A at RPI. That is a poor example. RPI is an excellent institution. After you get past the top-50 or so schools, reputation matters far less. If you are truly attending a 'low-tier' school then MIT might matter, but for most jobs the vast majority of institutions are only small differences. For my first job post PhD I was told I was selected over folks from Stanford and Princeton: my doctorate was 'only' from UT Austin. I've also sat on admissions and fellowship committees for doctoral programs and students. GPA matters more, at least among the 'good' schools. And even then, I've never seen a 2.0 student beat a decent GPA (3.5+). Now after about 3.3-onward, I agree that GPA does not matter a bit. In fact, I'm adverse to hiring or selecting students with a 4.0. This typically indicates a poor optimization heuristic (GPA over learning/challenges/interests).

hitekker 8y ago
I graduated from RPI summa cum laude, with a dual major, in two honor societies, and went straight to a tech giant, working as a software engineer. So I have standing to say that RPI has been mismanaged as an institution. Besides my personal experience, RPI's political troubles are well-documented and well-known [1][2][3]. With failed leadership and failed policies, this university has come to sit below CMU which itself is just below MIT. UT Austin is a fine school from what I heard, and does not seem to have the toxicity of the RPI brand. That is, a second-rate school for second-rate students. [1]https://www.chronicle.com/article/How-One-Leader-Set-a-Toxic/240655 https://www.chronicle.com/article/How-One-Leader-Set-a-Toxic... [2]https://news.vice.com/article/americas-highest-paid-college-president-is-dragging-her-school-into-crippling-debt https://news.vice.com/article/americas-highest-paid-college-... [3] https://www.timesunion.com/local/article/Troubled-alumni-stop-donating-12512869.php https://www.timesunion.com/local/article/Troubled-alumni-sto... Man, does this list goes on.
- audiolion 8y ago
  My brother graduated from RPI early because stuff with Shirley was so bad, she is a crazy dictator of a leader and I heard horror stories from both Professors who were under immense pressure to publish and students who were paying 65k a year for an education from professors who were under too much pressure to publish to be effective teachers.
  - hitekker 8y ago
    Exactly. My professor who taught one of my Communication courses was so underpaid that the Times Union covered her. https://www.timesunion.com/local/article/Campus-Notebook-RPI-adjunct-was-like-being-a-4905383.php https://www.timesunion.com/local/article/Campus-Notebook-RPI... RPI is a neverending horror story.
scott_s 8y ago
I'm not sure how strong a counterexample UT Austin is, since it's currently at number 10 in US News rankings [1]. Particularly when it comes to academic jobs, there's a huge disparity in where people did their PhD [2]. But I see this as more an indictment of the academic hiring process than a reflection of quality. For hiring where I am, I don't see any explicit bias against people from particular schools, but I do see a bias of where to look for potential candidates. And I have definitely sat at tables and realized I was the only person not from a top-15 CS grad program. I do agree with everything else. [1] https://www.usnews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-science-schools/computer-science-rankings https://www.usnews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-science-sch... [2] http://www.slate.com/articles/life/education/2015/02/university_hiring_if_you_didn_t_get_your_ph_d_at_an_elite_university_good.html http://www.slate.com/articles/life/education/2015/02/univers...
elcritch 8y ago
>In fact, I'm adverse to hiring or selecting students with a 4.0. This typically indicates a poor optimization heuristic (GPA over learning/challenges/interests). That’s a great way to phrase it.
- jfk13 8y ago
  s/adverse/averse/ would make it even greater.
  - elcritch 8y ago
    True, that is a bit better phrasing. I mentally inserted that interpretation when I read it. Personally I wouldn't hold it against someone if they carried a 4.0, however, I would inquire more as to whether they pursued their studies out of interest, what trade-offs they may have made, and so on as to understand their work mentality.

hitekker 8y ago

I graduated from RPI summa cum laude, with a dual major, in two honor societies, and went straight to a tech giant, working as a software engineer. So I have standing to say that RPI has been mismanaged as an institution. Besides my personal experience, RPI's political troubles are well-documented and well-known [1][2][3]. With failed leadership and failed policies, this university has come to sit below CMU which itself is just below MIT. UT Austin is a fine school from what I heard, and does not seem to have the toxicity of the RPI brand. That is, a second-rate school for second-rate students. [1]https://www.chronicle.com/article/How-One-Leader-Set-a-Toxic/240655 https://www.chronicle.com/article/How-One-Leader-Set-a-Toxic... [2]https://news.vice.com/article/americas-highest-paid-college-president-is-dragging-her-school-into-crippling-debt https://news.vice.com/article/americas-highest-paid-college-... [3] https://www.timesunion.com/local/article/Troubled-alumni-stop-donating-12512869.php https://www.timesunion.com/local/article/Troubled-alumni-sto... Man, does this list goes on.

audiolion 8y ago
My brother graduated from RPI early because stuff with Shirley was so bad, she is a crazy dictator of a leader and I heard horror stories from both Professors who were under immense pressure to publish and students who were paying 65k a year for an education from professors who were under too much pressure to publish to be effective teachers.
- hitekker 8y ago
  Exactly. My professor who taught one of my Communication courses was so underpaid that the Times Union covered her. https://www.timesunion.com/local/article/Campus-Notebook-RPI-adjunct-was-like-being-a-4905383.php https://www.timesunion.com/local/article/Campus-Notebook-RPI... RPI is a neverending horror story.

scott_s 8y ago

I'm not sure how strong a counterexample UT Austin is, since it's currently at number 10 in US News rankings [1]. Particularly when it comes to academic jobs, there's a huge disparity in where people did their PhD [2]. But I see this as more an indictment of the academic hiring process than a reflection of quality. For hiring where I am, I don't see any explicit bias against people from particular schools, but I do see a bias of where to look for potential candidates. And I have definitely sat at tables and realized I was the only person not from a top-15 CS grad program. I do agree with everything else. [1] https://www.usnews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-science-schools/computer-science-rankings https://www.usnews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-science-sch... [2] http://www.slate.com/articles/life/education/2015/02/university_hiring_if_you_didn_t_get_your_ph_d_at_an_elite_university_good.html http://www.slate.com/articles/life/education/2015/02/univers...

elcritch 8y ago

>In fact, I'm adverse to hiring or selecting students with a 4.0. This typically indicates a poor optimization heuristic (GPA over learning/challenges/interests). That’s a great way to phrase it.

jfk13 8y ago
s/adverse/averse/ would make it even greater.
- elcritch 8y ago
  True, that is a bit better phrasing. I mentally inserted that interpretation when I read it. Personally I wouldn't hold it against someone if they carried a 4.0, however, I would inquire more as to whether they pursued their studies out of interest, what trade-offs they may have made, and so on as to understand their work mentality.