The prevailing advice of our day regarding choosing a college is: “If you were accepted into an ivy league school, go there and don’t look back.” This advice is well meant but shouldn’t apply to high school seniors. Students should consider what college would best foster their future goals and interests instead of aiming to go to the most prestigious college that they are accepted into. Still, many people argue that a student should unconditionally go to an ivy league school in order to guarantee future success.
Perhaps Nancy Chaney’s story will provide further insight into this debate. She went to University of Pennsylvania’s prestigious Wharton school of business-the place to be to study business, even among ivy league schools. She, however, soon regretted the decision and decided to transfer to a state school, the University of Washington. She initially went to the University of Pennsylvania due to the university’s (implied but) stereotypical ivy league promises of guaranteed future success, but she discovered first-hand how much the fit of the college matters. She could not bear being there, and so she had to leave. High school seniors should take from this story that they shouldn’t immediately go to any ivy league school they’re accepted into-they have to consider where they will actually be happier.
Furthermore, the monetary gains of going to an ivy league school aren’t significant anymore, according to a study by the National Bureau of Economic Research. Led by economists Alan Krueger and Stacy Dale, the study determined that the selectivity of the university one went to was not correlated to future income once other factors, such as SAT scores and GPA, were accounted for. That means it doesn’t matter where a smart kid goes-he’ll make about the same amount of money in the future. Furthermore, one can avoid $30,000 tuition this way. Certainly, going to an ivy league school seems to offer little in the way of practical economic benefit.
My own college decision story reinforces the moral of this story, even if in an indirect way. I decided to go to the state university that would be of the lowest cost to me; I “knew” that I could be successful anywhere I went if I applied myself, so I looked to reduce the amount of loans, if any, that I would have to take. While I’m sure I would be successful at my state university, I’m almost certain it isn’t the right fit for me. As I consider it more, I would be much more at home at a liberal arts school, like Amherst College due to smaller classes sizes and greater attention to the specific needs of undergraduates. Therefore, don’t be surprised if you hear that I end up transferring next year in order to attend a college with a better fit for me.
