I think one of the biggest advantages to attending a high-academic, "big-name" university,
is upon graduation, when you are seeking placement in that first job.
Access to the Alumni networks from these schools can be a big advantage in getting your career going, right off the bat.
DS is a HS senior, and has made his choice.
He applied to 7 schools: 4 of which were top-10 engineering programs, 1 a top-25, and 2 top-50.
He was wait-listed at one of the top-10 schools, and offered admissions to the top-25 and 2 top-50s.
Even though his "stats" were stellar, we all learned the lesson that a 99th-percentile score on the SAT isn't a golden ticket.
(he scored 740-720 on his Math I and Math II subject tests, and we think that not "aceing" these tests hurt him, some... for Engineering School admissions)
He will be very happy and will thrive at his selected school, but it wasn't where he thought he would land when he started this process.
If the wait-listed top-10 school offers him admission in June (longshot, I think) he will have a tough choice to make.
But getting back to the idea that "the only school that matters is the last one you attended",
another option is to transfer into one of these top programs after logging a successful year or two at a very reputable university.
That is an option he may consider, although if he bonds with his first school like I think he will, that may not even be necessary.
is upon graduation, when you are seeking placement in that first job.
Access to the Alumni networks from these schools can be a big advantage in getting your career going, right off the bat.
DS is a HS senior, and has made his choice.
He applied to 7 schools: 4 of which were top-10 engineering programs, 1 a top-25, and 2 top-50.
He was wait-listed at one of the top-10 schools, and offered admissions to the top-25 and 2 top-50s.
Even though his "stats" were stellar, we all learned the lesson that a 99th-percentile score on the SAT isn't a golden ticket.
(he scored 740-720 on his Math I and Math II subject tests, and we think that not "aceing" these tests hurt him, some... for Engineering School admissions)
He will be very happy and will thrive at his selected school, but it wasn't where he thought he would land when he started this process.
If the wait-listed top-10 school offers him admission in June (longshot, I think) he will have a tough choice to make.
But getting back to the idea that "the only school that matters is the last one you attended",
another option is to transfer into one of these top programs after logging a successful year or two at a very reputable university.
That is an option he may consider, although if he bonds with his first school like I think he will, that may not even be necessary.