Graduates of "regular" universities aren't less happy or engaged ...

[Haiku]

Those who go to less expensive, "Podunk U" are just as happy and engaged in their careers as those who went to mega-bucks prestigious schools.

 

Somehow, I always knew this to be true.

[Gil]

I didn't read the article but that is such a common sense conclusion I'm having a hard time imagining why it is 'news'.

The majority of the world does not attend/receive first rate anything, and yet many people manage to avoid misery, despair and depression.

 

ETA: Now that I've read the article, I'm a little disappointed in and embarrassed for NPR. That seems like one of the lame articles I'd expect to find on "Yahoo! News" not on NPR. Oh well.

[creekland]

I've yet to read the article as well (will soon), but IME at our local public high school and thousands of students over the years is that kids are happiest and do the best when they end up with a good fit for them.  That "good fit" is not always the highest academically by other standards or the most costly, etc.  Actually, kids with mega debt seldom remain happy with their choice.  One should also beware that high academic achievers often don't like low tier schools though.  (This does NOT mean they have to go expensive private - many state schools and good merit schools are quite worthy.)

[creekland]

Just finished the article... pretty light with lots of gaps.  One big thing:

 

 

 

 "If you can go to Podunk U debt free vs. Harvard for $100,000, go to Podunk. And concentrate on what you do when you get there."

 

There are MANY options between Harvard and Podunk U, esp if the student can get IN to Harvard.  I would NOT be telling that student to go to Podunk U.  I'd be telling them about schools with great merit aid like U Alabama.

[FaithManor]

Agree with Creekland, light on facts, and SKL is also correct that this is not really news. What was NPR thinking?

 

Cracks me up - Podunk or Harvard as if nothing in between exists. Someone should inform the author of the article that there are 4400+ four year colleges/universities and community colleges in the United States. It represents a lot of diversity and generally, "something for everyone" at least in terms of those that are ready for college and WANT to go.

 

The author writes as if this is some sort of profound, recent discovery. Staggers the imagination how much "unhappiness" there must have been all of these years with the millions of students that didn't apply to Harvard, Yale, Princeton, and Stanford! :lol:

 

Does anyone else here get rather appalled at what passes for "news" these days? :huh:

[Joyofsixreboot]

Since I and DH were the first and still only college grads in our families I guess I've never thought less of state schools. Every redneck,hillbilly,white trash fiber of my being still kind of thinks anything private is "snooty".

[Susan in TN]

Just finished the article... pretty light with lots of gaps. One big thing:

 

 

There are MANY options between Harvard and Podunk U, esp if the student can get IN to Harvard. I would NOT be telling that student to go to Podunk U. I'd be telling them about schools with great merit aid like U Alabama.

It's quite possible that the interviewee considers UA and other state universities and schools that are not 1st or 2nd tier ARE the Podunk U's - regardless of the merit aid.

 

I'm honestly not all that surprised by the NPR interview. Sometimes they have very compelling interviews and sometimes, not so much.

 

I suspect that this is the time of year that parents all over the country want some reassurance that their high school graduate is going to be just fine even though they weren't accepted into MIT and/or they couldn't afford to send their child to Vanderbilt.

[FaithManor]

Since I and DJ were the first and still only college grads in our families I guess I've never thought less of state schools. Every redneck,hillbilly,white trash fiber of my being still kind of thinks anything private is "snooty".

 

That's how people are "out here" about it. If we had the most amazing corporation in the world in this part of Michigan, I can guarantee you that an Ivy league education would be a "ding" on the resume! :lol:  :lol: :lol:  

 

Of course, possibly this has something to do with football or basketball. This is, after all, the home of the Wolverines and the Spartans, and I'm pretty certain that this state took some extreme, dare I say almost perverse, pride in beating Stanford in the Rose Bowl. Thus, the priorities of my local culture.

[Arcadia]

I read the same article on Wall Street Journal this morning on the car ride to library.  The WSJ one has the infographic and shows that science graduates are more likely to be employed and less likely to be engaged. I believe this part quoted below does play a part.

 

"Another, less interesting possibility" is that people engaged at work who said they were emotionally supported in college are simply upbeat to begin with, and that rosy outlook colors their memories."

[creekland]

It's quite possible that the interviewee considers UA and other state universities and schools that are not 1st or 2nd tier ARE the Podunk U's - regardless of the merit aid.

 

For some this is true, but that's when you point out the multiple differences between #75 and #3942 on the lists... (rough guesses at ranking numbers) and how the Top 200 of 4000 colleges is still the top 5%. ;)

[KungFuPanda]

I'm getting tired of everyone dissing Podunk U. Go Mighty River Rats!!!!! Whoooooo Hoooo!

 

P.U. 4 Life!

[creekland]

I'm getting tired of everyone dissing Podunk U. Go Mighty River Rats!!!!! Whoooooo Hoooo!

 

P.U. 4 Life!

 

I might agree with you pending the definition of Podunk U.  Since I see the value of many colleges, they don't fit under that name.  To me, Podunk U is a really low level, sometimes for-profit, school that, while maybe inexpensive, doesn't provide much in aid, so students going there end up with debt and a degree that many employers see as worthless.

 

It's difficult for me to NOT diss those schools as I tend to feel/hope they do go out of business.

 

However, if Podunk U is defined as anything not in the Top 10/20/50/100/1000 (or whatever), then I fully agree with you.  If employers respect the degree and hire students with it, then the school could have decent value for a student (pending other details of fit).  I see students going to and succeeding from many different schools.

 

[Haiku]

I've never even bothered to look and see how my university is ranked. It's a state school (first in our state) and, imo, is just fine. I got my degree, worked in my major for a few years, worked outside my major for a few years, and then got a kid and started staying home.

 

I'm glad I'm not still paying off a prestigious education while I stay home with my kids.

[KrissiK]

I think it depends on what y want to do. Dh got an engineering degree from the local university with a good engineering department. He's happy with his job, one of his classmates is working for JPL, several others have high paying jobs with large corporations as well. I agree that with some professions a degree from a prestigious university matters, but for most of us, it's not really worth it.

[Momof3littles]

Dh succeeded by going to a small public university, not really anywhere close to a heavy hitter in his field.  But, he took on additional research as an undergrad, he built up great relationships with his professors, he was at the top of his class, and most importantly, he networked.  He had a professor married to someone in a large, excellent local employer, and that's how he got his first job.  She asked for his resume and passed his resume onto her husband, and that got his foot in the door.  He later went onto a more prestigious university (a public ivy) for his doctoral degree.

 

We always say no matter what college our kids attend, we will strongly encourage them to get involved with their professional organization, intern, volunteer for student/faculty research projects, network, etc.  Most of DH's career has revolved around his professional connections, as I'm sure is true for many folks.  His network from his first job out of undergrad helped him to eventually get into graduate school once he decided to go back.  That network connected him to a particular advisor in graduate school.  His non math GRE scores weren't phenomenal, but no one cared because he had a powerful network of people writing him graduate school references. He did some contract work in graduate school that resulted in a referral and recommendation to a job for another company, which was his first job out of graduate school. His current position allows for a lot of networking, which is priceless.

 

I do think it sometimes matters.  DH didn't want to go into academia, but his undergrad pedigree would have been a ding if he had attempted to become a professor at a top PhD granting institution.  But otherwise, he's had no issue building a career off of his start at a small public undergrad that isn't particularly prestigious.   He also had no issues getting offers for highly coveted post doc positions.  He declined and took a job in industry out of school, but the offers were there.

 

He's been asked about his undergrad background on interviews, and he has always pointed out that it gave him an opportunity to get a lot of individual attention from his professors there. 

 

No matter where our kids go, I will encourage them strongly to network, go above and beyond with student research, and to get involved with the relevant professional organizations, etc. in their field.

 

 

[mommymilkies]

Honestly, I have never seen it matter one way or another which college you go to.  Dh is a college professor and went to a state university (not even one of the biggest-probably what they consider a Podunk U) and he's never had it been an issue when applying for or being offered jobs.  I think people care way too much about the name of the school they go to.  But that's just IMHO and I'm not a big city dweller.  IDK if that makes a difference in some areas like LA.  Dh's best friend has a degree from the same college as him and has been actively recruited for a number of positions in NY, New Orleans, Santa Barbara, and Phoenix, so I think college names are overrated.  Except maybe the for profit schools that seem to be a rip off.  But that's a different conversation.