6 ms·

Sure everyone is going to pick Harvard over Davidson but would you pick Cornell over Georgia Tech?

by zz865 5y ago

aynyc 5y ago
Dang, you did Cornell dirty! I think if you are good enough to get into Cornell, you are good enough to get in Georgia Tech. The rest is cost. If you are an out-of-stater, they probably end up costing about the same. My understanding is Cornell gives out a lot of financial aids.
- zz865 5y ago
  Lol not really, I'd still choose it. The problem is I'm just another immigrant and I dont understand the fascination with rankings here, esp when I'm surrounded by tiger parents who work their kids every day to get them into Harvard. Maybe its worth it? Its difficult to tell.
  - lotsofpulp 5y ago
    Whether or not it is worth it depends on your priorities. Based on the pedigree of many of the leading political figures and business leaders, it does seem to have a measurable impact to have passed through the leading institutions. Who you know is of course more important than what you know. But depending high high you are aiming, it may or may not be worth the tradeoffs for you.
  - spoonjim 5y ago
    Honestly the majority of it is Harvard selecting who they know will be rich, famous, or both. I know a girl who got into Harvard but her parents couldn't afford to send her (this was before they ramped up their financial aid), she went to state school instead, won a Marshall Scholarship, and was a tenured professor at Harvard by her early 30s.
- throwaway2331 5y ago
  Hell, for the longest time I didn't even think Cornell was a real Ivy. It always ranked up (down ;) there with Dartmouth. Then one level above you have Brown and Columbia. Then above them you have Harvard and Yale. And right at the top sits dear old Princeton. And somewhere off the side in the bushes you have UPenn, which today I learned is an Ivy.
alistairSH 5y ago
That would largely depend on expected outcome. Do I want to be a Supreme Court Justice? Ivy League all the way. Do I want to be a software developer? Coin flip. Do I want to be a professional engineer (with a PE)? I go they give me the most financial assistance, as graduate school is likely to be more important and I need money for that too. Do I have no idea? I go where I had the most enjoyable* campus tour/prospetive weekend. * And that varies by student - party vs courses vs whatever else.
- zz865 5y ago
  Yeah and dont underestimate party schools. Some of my happiest friends have a big network of good friends they met while having a good time in college.

Sure everyone is going to pick Harvard over Davidson but would you pick Cornell over Georgia Tech?

by zz865 5y ago

Sure everyone is going to pick Harvard over Davidson but would you pick Cornell over Georgia Tech?

Dang, you did Cornell dirty! I think if you are good enough to get into Cornell, you are good enough to get in Georgia Tech. The rest is cost. If you are an out-of-stater, they probably end up costing about the same. My understanding is Cornell gives out a lot of financial aids.

zz865 5y ago
Lol not really, I'd still choose it. The problem is I'm just another immigrant and I dont understand the fascination with rankings here, esp when I'm surrounded by tiger parents who work their kids every day to get them into Harvard. Maybe its worth it? Its difficult to tell.
- lotsofpulp 5y ago
  Whether or not it is worth it depends on your priorities. Based on the pedigree of many of the leading political figures and business leaders, it does seem to have a measurable impact to have passed through the leading institutions. Who you know is of course more important than what you know. But depending high high you are aiming, it may or may not be worth the tradeoffs for you.
- spoonjim 5y ago
  Honestly the majority of it is Harvard selecting who they know will be rich, famous, or both. I know a girl who got into Harvard but her parents couldn't afford to send her (this was before they ramped up their financial aid), she went to state school instead, won a Marshall Scholarship, and was a tenured professor at Harvard by her early 30s.
throwaway2331 5y ago
Hell, for the longest time I didn't even think Cornell was a real Ivy. It always ranked up (down ;) there with Dartmouth. Then one level above you have Brown and Columbia. Then above them you have Harvard and Yale. And right at the top sits dear old Princeton. And somewhere off the side in the bushes you have UPenn, which today I learned is an Ivy.

alistairSH 5y ago

That would largely depend on expected outcome. Do I want to be a Supreme Court Justice? Ivy League all the way. Do I want to be a software developer? Coin flip. Do I want to be a professional engineer (with a PE)? I go they give me the most financial assistance, as graduate school is likely to be more important and I need money for that too. Do I have no idea? I go where I had the most enjoyable* campus tour/prospetive weekend. * And that varies by student - party vs courses vs whatever else.

zz865 5y ago
Yeah and dont underestimate party schools. Some of my happiest friends have a big network of good friends they met while having a good time in college.