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What's in a name?
The college choices came rolling along quicker than I was prepared for, and before I knew it, I was forced to make important decisions about my future. Choose an expensive school and take out massive loans? Go to an affordable school that doesn’t have as much prestige? What would each choice mean for my future?
This seemed so huge and all-encompassing of a decision that I was overwhelmed. I sent out my applications and hoped that fate would choose my road for me. When I received envelopes back from the colleges to which I had applied, I found myself in no better position than when I had started. The pressure was on as it came closer and closer to the decision-making deadline.
I had a choice between some really expensive colleges and some cheaper schools. The way my financial situation stood, I was able to pay for almost all four years at one school, two years at another and barely one year at the others. I had to weigh my options to decipher what was really important. I asked myself, why would I choose to go to an expensive school and have to take out massive loans?
According to the National Bureau of Economic Research, there aren’t that many economic advantages in attending a big-name college. In 1999, a study was done reviewing the average incomes of adults who had graduated from various colleges in 1976. Those who went to schools that required an SAT score of at least 1200 earned a salary equivalent to those who attended less-selective schools.
One AsianWeek reporter put it well: “…Contrary to popular belief, the quality of the student—rather than the school—more reliably indicates future earning success.” Although prestigious schools can more often offer things such as exposure to affluent alum and world-class faculty, a college’s prestige is often a matter of public perception. Leaving my own perceptions aside, I made a list about the pros and cons of the schools I was considering.
On one hand, I could have debt and prestige, important connections and well-known professors. With the other choice, I would have a less-prestigious name, few debts upon graduation and a degree through which I would have to create my own connections. I chose to ride the middle of the road.
I couldn’t afford the debt that would follow if I had chosen a prestigious name over everything else, and I found certain nobility in relying on myself to create my own connections. I was convinced: It didn’t matter what college name was on my diploma when I graduated. So I chose the college where I could pay for tuition without going into debt.
Don’t get me wrong; a school of your choice should have all or most of your basic criteria. It must be a place where you will be happy. The object here is to find what fits you best. But that comfortable fit, rather than a prestigious name, is most valuable. You can take four years at any school and turn them into whatever you want. If the school you’ve chosen doesn’t have the program you want, create it. Strive to learn and make the most of your time. If you don’t put anything into a school, regardless if it is a public or private, inexpensive or expensive, you won’t get anything out of it. Take whatever chances you can afford, and don’t worry about taking the road less traveled.
Chelsea Van der Gaag is a junior at Bowling Green State University in Ohio. Article provided by 
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