is getting a degree from a prestigious university important? Forum

(Applications Advice, Letters of Recommendation . . . )
User avatar
Patriot1208

Platinum
Posts: 7023
Joined: Tue May 18, 2010 11:28 am

Re: is getting a degree from a prestigious university important?

Post by Patriot1208 » Sun Mar 27, 2011 6:41 pm

bp shinners wrote:
tallboone wrote:
bhan87 wrote:
neonx wrote: I think this point is dead on. The type of people who gets into Ivies are, in general, already top quality material. But this doesn't mean that going to a lower-tier school disadvantages you significantly.
This seems to be right. At the top schools, there are a lot more people from prestigious schools (Ivies/equivalent, selective liberal arts colleges, top public universities) than schools nobody has ever heard of. Causation or correlation? Impossible to tell.
There was a study published a few months ago (which I can't find to link, though Ezra Klein discussed it on his blog if you feel like digging) that analyzed the careers of people who went to different universities, analyzing the value of an Ivy League education. As I recall, the conclusion was that the ability to get accepted into an Ivy League University was worth more than the education itself; if you got into Yale but went to OU, for instance, you still made as much as a Yale grad. The authors drew from this that the qualities that got you accepted into Yale were the ones that eventually led you to succeed in your career.

Not the exact same thing, but I think that it parallels this discussion enough to be relevant. I also agree that it's more the qualities inherent in people who could get into these places than the education one receives there itself that gives them a boost in law school applications.
There is also a strong correlation to mid-career earnings and the ranking of your undergrad university according to Project Star. But, you are probably right, there just aren't many kids doing that.

masterthearts

Bronze
Posts: 396
Joined: Sun Nov 08, 2009 11:04 pm

Re: is getting a degree from a prestigious university important?

Post by masterthearts » Sun Mar 27, 2011 6:43 pm

I think having my 3.9 from an Ivy League has helped me this cycle. I got into many T14-T30 schools with an lsat below the 25th percentile. Plus, major scholly money.
I think it was a high gpa from an ivy, plus some soft factors

rehtulx

New
Posts: 52
Joined: Mon Feb 07, 2011 1:57 pm

Re: is getting a degree from a prestigious university important?

Post by rehtulx » Mon Mar 28, 2011 1:41 pm

I think the advantage is increased coming from a top school (Ivy, MIT, Duke, Stanford, etc) if you come from a group that doesn't typically end up there.

In my case, I'm a veteran that went to one, but several of my military friends with similar numbers but less prestigious UG haven't had the same luck getting in that I've had.

chasgoose

Silver
Posts: 715
Joined: Fri Jan 07, 2011 10:18 pm

Re: is getting a degree from a prestigious university important?

Post by chasgoose » Mon Mar 28, 2011 1:55 pm

I do think HYP helps to some extent, at least based on this chart from Yale's Career Services office: http://ucs.yalecollege.yale.edu/sites/d ... istics.pdf

I mean just in terms of sheer numbers of students getting accepted at top schools (like 86 at CLS, 66 at Harvard, 40 at Yale, 44 at Stanford, etc.) especially given the fact that Yale is relatively small it's hard to argue that there isn't some advantage even if most of those numbers are due to the already high-achieving students that tend to go there.

User avatar
AreJay711

Gold
Posts: 3406
Joined: Tue Jul 20, 2010 8:51 pm

Re: is getting a degree from a prestigious university important?

Post by AreJay711 » Mon Mar 28, 2011 2:02 pm

chasgoose wrote:I do think HYP helps to some extent, at least based on this chart from Yale's Career Services office: http://ucs.yalecollege.yale.edu/sites/d ... istics.pdf

I mean just in terms of sheer numbers of students getting accepted at top schools (like 86 at CLS, 66 at Harvard, 40 at Yale, 44 at Stanford, etc.) especially given the fact that Yale is relatively small it's hard to argue that there isn't some advantage even if most of those numbers are due to the already high-achieving students that tend to go there.
I think you underestimate how dumb most students are at second tier state schools are.

Want to continue reading?

Register now to search topics and post comments!

Absolutely FREE!


09042014

Diamond
Posts: 18203
Joined: Wed Oct 14, 2009 10:47 pm

Re: is getting a degree from a prestigious university important?

Post by 09042014 » Mon Mar 28, 2011 2:06 pm

AreJay711 wrote:
chasgoose wrote:I do think HYP helps to some extent, at least based on this chart from Yale's Career Services office: http://ucs.yalecollege.yale.edu/sites/d ... istics.pdf

I mean just in terms of sheer numbers of students getting accepted at top schools (like 86 at CLS, 66 at Harvard, 40 at Yale, 44 at Stanford, etc.) especially given the fact that Yale is relatively small it's hard to argue that there isn't some advantage even if most of those numbers are due to the already high-achieving students that tend to go there.
I think you underestimate how dumb most students are at second tier state schools are.
If they were smart they'd have gone to the first tier state school for the same amount of money.

User avatar
AreJay711

Gold
Posts: 3406
Joined: Tue Jul 20, 2010 8:51 pm

Re: is getting a degree from a prestigious university important?

Post by AreJay711 » Mon Mar 28, 2011 2:07 pm

Desert Fox wrote:
AreJay711 wrote:
chasgoose wrote:I do think HYP helps to some extent, at least based on this chart from Yale's Career Services office: http://ucs.yalecollege.yale.edu/sites/d ... istics.pdf

I mean just in terms of sheer numbers of students getting accepted at top schools (like 86 at CLS, 66 at Harvard, 40 at Yale, 44 at Stanford, etc.) especially given the fact that Yale is relatively small it's hard to argue that there isn't some advantage even if most of those numbers are due to the already high-achieving students that tend to go there.
I think you underestimate how dumb most students are at second tier state schools are.
If they were smart they'd have gone to the first tier state school for the same amount of money.
True. I'll defend myself with the fact that it wasn't the same amount of money.

09042014

Diamond
Posts: 18203
Joined: Wed Oct 14, 2009 10:47 pm

Re: is getting a degree from a prestigious university important?

Post by 09042014 » Mon Mar 28, 2011 2:08 pm

AreJay711 wrote:
Desert Fox wrote:
AreJay711 wrote:
chasgoose wrote:I do think HYP helps to some extent, at least based on this chart from Yale's Career Services office: http://ucs.yalecollege.yale.edu/sites/d ... istics.pdf

I mean just in terms of sheer numbers of students getting accepted at top schools (like 86 at CLS, 66 at Harvard, 40 at Yale, 44 at Stanford, etc.) especially given the fact that Yale is relatively small it's hard to argue that there isn't some advantage even if most of those numbers are due to the already high-achieving students that tend to go there.
I think you underestimate how dumb most students are at second tier state schools are.
If they were smart they'd have gone to the first tier state school for the same amount of money.
True. I'll defend myself with the fact that it wasn't the same amount of money.
Low high school gpa?

PriOSky

New
Posts: 75
Joined: Sun Aug 29, 2010 9:14 pm

Re: is getting a degree from a prestigious university important?

Post by PriOSky » Mon Mar 28, 2011 9:03 pm

.
Last edited by PriOSky on Fri Sep 02, 2011 3:49 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Want to continue reading?

Register for access!

Did I mention it was FREE ?


Register now!

Resources to assist law school applicants, students & graduates.

It's still FREE!


Post Reply

Return to “Law School Admissions Forum”