Originally Posted By numberguy12⏩
In terms of just the academics, the prestige is a bit overrated imo. You are learning much of the same material whether you are taking Calc 1 at Harvard, or some typical state or private school, as they say "Calc is Calc". The one thing that is different is the tests could be more difficult at Harvard. But it's still mostly the same material being learned. On the other parts about career prospects, good learning environment surrounded by people who actually are good students, I agree.
Granted prestige doesn't necessarily mean excelling in the factors I mentioned, but technically learning the same material is besides the point nowadays. A private low-barrier college could very well have the exact same material covered as an Ivy League school; after all it's exceedingly easy to copy syllabuses and issue the same textbooks/online labs nowadays. A highly motivated, disciplined and intelligent student with no tie downs could do well in just about any learning setting but the problem is that this archetype describe maybe 3-5% of the overall undergraduate student population. For the rest, just the peer and network factors alone make a huge ass difference in allowing them to succeed despite mediocrity, low motivation and/or extracurricular challenges. Once you land your first "real" job out of school your alma mater doesn't matter anywhere as much, but it's a hurdle that a ****ton of people only clear years later and that's where all the reputation, the networks, the motivated peers, the co-op and work-study experiences all give you the edge most fresh grads don't have.
Go Canucks Go!



Mais notre monde érodé restera le même
Et demain toi et moi serons partis