Ivy League & Similar Too Difficult?

[studious]

My wife has been encouraged by her graduate advisor to apply to several top-tier schools, including Columbia and Duke for her doctorate. She's working on her Master's at the moment, and has graduated at the top of her class in high school, and for both of her undergraduate degrees with honors.

 

In the past, she has attended public universities, very highly ranked ones, but still well beneath the league of where her advisors are guiding her. She's worried slightly about admission, but more so about the workload. Though my wife is a world-class student, she is not a genius. I mean that in the literal sense, not derogatorily. Her resume is stellar, regional tennis & swim champion, community services, lead singer in campus productions, and a near-4.0 GPA. The thing is she kills herself to accomplish all of that—during her busier seasons she’s left with maybe an hour or two of free time. Her fear is she won't be able to measure up if she's among peers with similar work ethics, and the added ability of a much greater natural intellect.

 

Anyone with experience in this area?

[ak48]

she'll be fine. from my undergrad experiences, 20-30% make you wonder how they got accepted, 60% are "smart because they're motivated", and about 10% blow you away.

[tarrman]

I agree with ak48. There are geniuses all over the country at both well-known and unknown universities, but they comprise such a small percentage.

 

It's also a little naive to think that Ivy Leagues (and similar universities) are substantially more difficult than other universities, as this is not at all true. I've actually heard stories about Ivy Leagues having major issues with grade inflation.

At my undergrad institution (a state school), I've noticed so many of the other students struggle and can barely handle the workload simply because they weren't properly trained in high school. As long as her training in her Masters and undergrad programs wasn't a complete joke, she won't even notice a difference from what she's been doing. But she shouldn't be comparing herself to other students. There will always be someone out there who is smarter than you, and this can be said about anyone.

 

[nesw4314]

I currently attend an Ivy League school for my research-based Master's degree (headed to Berkeley in the Fall for my PhD) and I agree with the others, Ivy League schools aren't any more difficult than other universities (I attended a popular public university for undergrad). The intellect and drive of students that attend this institution are varied immensely. Many students are here as transfers, which tend to be made up in large part of students that weren't good enough to get in straight out of high school. Many are here because they and their parents know the right people and have the right kind of money. And some are here by merit. 

 

From the graduate student point of view no school should be too difficult for you as you presumably should be prepared to undertake the most advanced study in your chosen field of interest without possessing fear. Your interest for this specialized field of study should outweigh any potential fear you would have. When I first began graduate school I was nervous, not at the fact that I would be attending an Ivy League school, which doesn't mean anything at the graduate level, but because I had never experienced graduate school before, simply. 

 

P.S. - I am currently TA'ing a course and a student took failed to turn in a midterm exam -- take-home style (yes, these exist even at Ivy League Schools). In fact, the instructors were okay with her handing in the exam to me as far out as two weeks beyond the deadline. Her excuse was that she's "been very busy and stressed and just haven't had time to do it." I would have gotten an F on this midterm at my "lower-level" public university if I had tried something like this, no questions asked. My point is that Ivy League schools aren't all that more difficult, if at all; they are simply difficult to gain admission to.

Edited April 18, 2013 by nesw4314

[sacklunch]

she'll be fine. from my undergrad experiences, 20-30% make you wonder how they got accepted, 60% are "smart because they're motivated", and about 10% blow you away.

 

This. I'm at Duke now, for what it's worth, and you would be surprised how many people came from smaller, unknown schools. There are, of course, plenty of 'those guys' who went to Harvard for undergrad. But honestly I would say most of it is just being motivated. 

[studious]

Thanks guys and gals. I'm happy to hear that from people who have actually attended these institutions. I've never even taken a class at any college like that! I was accepted to Columbia, Yale, Vandy, and NYU for my undergrad, but was offered a boatload of money by a top-tier public school, so that's where I wound up. I couldn't be happier either, because that's where I met my wife

 

It is funny though, we both planned on attending NYU, but then decided against it at the last minute. So if things had gone a little differently, we could have met there instead. In my case, Columbia & Yale offered me a pittance, less than tuition, and Vanderbilt offered me litterally $0. NYU offered me tuition, probably because I would have been a legacy--that's my family's alma mater for undergrad, master's, and doctorate. I just couldn't go through with living like a relative pauper for four years in Manhattan though, when I could live really nicely at a public university also in the top 50.

 

jdmhotness, I did notice that about Duke! I have to say I was surprised by that! The majority of Duke grad students are coming from public undergrads. I was expecting half would be Tulane, Emory, Vandy, and Rice; the other half would be a mix of other top-tier universities, and the odd public institution. Even though it's smack in the middle of the doctoral programs my wife is considering, ranking-wise that is, she thinks she will probably wind up there, even if she gets offers from them all.

 

Slightly off topic, how do you like living in the Raleigh Triangle area? Any recommendations on neighborhoods? I've heard good things about Cary, NC, mostly because I'm a New Yorker, and it sounds like that's where most of us wind up. The Hillsborough Historic neighborhood sounds really interesting too...

[sacklunch]

Thanks guys and gals. I'm happy to hear that from people who have actually attended these institutions. I've never even taken a class at any college like that! I was accepted to Columbia, Yale, Vandy, and NYU for my undergrad, but was offered a boatload of money by a top-tier public school, so that's where I wound up. I couldn't be happier either, because that's where I met my wife

 

It is funny though, we both planned on attending NYU, but then decided against it at the last minute. So if things had gone a little differently, we could have met there instead. In my case, Columbia & Yale offered me a pittance, less than tuition, and Vanderbilt offered me litterally $0. NYU offered me tuition, probably because I would have been a legacy--that's my family's alma mater for undergrad, master's, and doctorate. I just couldn't go through with living like a relative pauper for four years in Manhattan though, when I could live really nicely at a public university also in the top 50.

 

jdmhotness, I did notice that about Duke! I have to say I was surprised by that! The majority of Duke grad students are coming from public undergrads. I was expecting half would be Tulane, Emory, Vandy, and Rice; the other half would be a mix of other top-tier universities, and the odd public institution. Even though it's smack in the middle of the doctoral programs my wife is considering, ranking-wise that is, she thinks she will probably wind up there, even if she gets offers from them all.

 

Slightly off topic, how do you like living in the Raleigh Triangle area? Any recommendations on neighborhoods? I've heard good things about Cary, NC, mostly because I'm a New Yorker, and it sounds like that's where most of us wind up. The Hillsborough Historic neighborhood sounds really interesting too...

 

It's kind of hit or miss. Some of the students are from top private (top 10), some are from top public (berkeley, ect), and then maybe 1/3 are from those smaller LAC. Though it seems like most of those last folks have one, two, some three masters degrees (many of those are from top schools). Who knows, it's all about fit as anyone will tell you. So if it's a great fit then apply; if not, you are wasting your time (even if you went to a T10 school).

 

Durham is alright I guess. It's fairly 'hip', as is the entire Triangle, which is a bit maddening at times (cupcake shops, people who just love to talk about their new baking habits, all that jazz). But other than that the area is pretty nice and way cheaper than most other places. And the weather is pretty nice, too.