Last week's NY Times Sunday Magazine featured several articles on college.
The two parts that caught my eye were:
Don’t Worry, Be Students
By JACQUES STEINBERG
and the results of
The first presents the results of surveys of graduates from "three institutions generally regarded as among the finest and most selective in the nation: Penn, an Ivy League university in Philadelphia; Reed College, a small liberal arts school in Portland, Ore.; and the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, a state university." less than 10 years after graduation.
The general consensus is that college is a time for learning and fun but not to take things too seriously, particularly the college choice. Many of the respondents claimed that school reputation influenced their decision to attend but looking back, they don't think on the rep very much at all.
In my Septh 24th entry, I gave similar commentary on college choice not mattering. I still stand by this in terms of projected success. However, several things unique to BU have come to my attention. Number one is simply the "marine semester" of which I am a part. The course budget for BI463 is 5k. In December, another course involves a four week trip to Belize. I ask myself if the high price tag of BU is worth these opportunities. Albany certainly offered the chance of research and study abroad with extra fees attached. BU seems to charge much larger price to walk through the door but makes exceptional opportunities much easier to access. With that in mind, my answer remains unchanged. If a student feels qualified and independent, he or she can go anywhere. But if a student either sees something specific in a pricey school other than the name, or wants more immediately visible opportunity perhaps the choice matters. The bottom line is, students of all levels should strive to enjoy their experiences.
I won't say much on the college essays now except that all entries are available for reading not just the winner. I encourage you to search for your school, maybe you will find that an acquaintance submitted one.
and the results of
The College Essay Contest.
The first presents the results of surveys of graduates from "three institutions generally regarded as among the finest and most selective in the nation: Penn, an Ivy League university in Philadelphia; Reed College, a small liberal arts school in Portland, Ore.; and the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, a state university." less than 10 years after graduation.
The general consensus is that college is a time for learning and fun but not to take things too seriously, particularly the college choice. Many of the respondents claimed that school reputation influenced their decision to attend but looking back, they don't think on the rep very much at all.
In my Septh 24th entry, I gave similar commentary on college choice not mattering. I still stand by this in terms of projected success. However, several things unique to BU have come to my attention. Number one is simply the "marine semester" of which I am a part. The course budget for BI463 is 5k. In December, another course involves a four week trip to Belize. I ask myself if the high price tag of BU is worth these opportunities. Albany certainly offered the chance of research and study abroad with extra fees attached. BU seems to charge much larger price to walk through the door but makes exceptional opportunities much easier to access. With that in mind, my answer remains unchanged. If a student feels qualified and independent, he or she can go anywhere. But if a student either sees something specific in a pricey school other than the name, or wants more immediately visible opportunity perhaps the choice matters. The bottom line is, students of all levels should strive to enjoy their experiences.
I won't say much on the college essays now except that all entries are available for reading not just the winner. I encourage you to search for your school, maybe you will find that an acquaintance submitted one.
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