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You are not hanging out with the right people then. I think you will find the top students in any random state school are just as good as at an ivy league insti

You are not hanging out with the right people then. I think you will find the top students in any random state school are just as good as at an ivy league institution. Source: I've been at both.

BeetleB 6y ago
I've been at both an average school (undergrad) and a top school (grad). I somewhat agree with your parent. I don't doubt great undergrads exist in an average school, but the chances of randomly running into one are much lower. I did not run into any. I'd also disagree with the characterization of "top" students. A lot of the top students at the average school, while great at academics, were still a lot less "well rounded". They had few projects that they worked on outside of class, etc. Not that they weren't interested - just that there was not enough "critical mass" of such people for it to become natural.
- sunstone 6y ago
  Or maybe they spend their spare time working so they can afford to stay in school.
aaaxyz 6y ago
There might be some students that are just as good as the top ivy league students but in a smaller faculty (~100 students) that number is most likely closer to zero.
babesh 6y ago
There are a few top students at a random state school that are just as good. The difference is that there are just many, many more good students in an Ivy League institution. Also, the Ivy League students just have a much better education. You can tell by interviewing the bad Ivy League students and noticing that at least their thinking process is structured (try to understand problem, form hypothesis, etc...) The bad students at non Ivy League level schools have no thinking process. It's saddening. You can tell that the few top students at the random state school would be even better if they had the opportunities that the Ivy League students are provided. It's much more impressive to get to third base starting from home than getting to home starting from third base. It shows independent thought, grit, and adaptability. Those aren't that common even at the Ivy League institutions. The trait most prevalent in Ivy League interviews seems to be excellence in a circumscribed area rather than general ingenuity.

You are not hanging out with the right people then. I think you will find the top students in any random state school are just as good as at an ivy league institution. Source: I've been at both.

BeetleB 6y ago

I've been at both an average school (undergrad) and a top school (grad). I somewhat agree with your parent. I don't doubt great undergrads exist in an average school, but the chances of randomly running into one are much lower. I did not run into any. I'd also disagree with the characterization of "top" students. A lot of the top students at the average school, while great at academics, were still a lot less "well rounded". They had few projects that they worked on outside of class, etc. Not that they weren't interested - just that there was not enough "critical mass" of such people for it to become natural.

sunstone 6y ago
Or maybe they spend their spare time working so they can afford to stay in school.

aaaxyz 6y ago

There might be some students that are just as good as the top ivy league students but in a smaller faculty (~100 students) that number is most likely closer to zero.

babesh 6y ago

There are a few top students at a random state school that are just as good. The difference is that there are just many, many more good students in an Ivy League institution. Also, the Ivy League students just have a much better education. You can tell by interviewing the bad Ivy League students and noticing that at least their thinking process is structured (try to understand problem, form hypothesis, etc...) The bad students at non Ivy League level schools have no thinking process. It's saddening. You can tell that the few top students at the random state school would be even better if they had the opportunities that the Ivy League students are provided. It's much more impressive to get to third base starting from home than getting to home starting from third base. It shows independent thought, grit, and adaptability. Those aren't that common even at the Ivy League institutions. The trait most prevalent in Ivy League interviews seems to be excellence in a circumscribed area rather than general ingenuity.