Answer to "where did you go to school?"

[HKsai]

What do you say when people ask you, "where did you go to school?" (I'm talking about when you are done with both undergraduate and graduate school). Would it be different for people with master+undergraduate and people with PhD+undergraduate. What's the trend in the working world?

Similar questions would be

Are you more attach to your graduate school or your undergrad school?

Do you wear your graduate school sweatshirt more or undergrad sweatshirt more?

Edited April 26, 2014 by HKsai

[EmperorRyker]

Ugh, is this a trick question instead of the answer just being you reply with both or specify what you're referring to?

[HKsai]

Ugh, is this a trick question instead of the answer just being you reply with both or specify what you're referring to?

I honestly was just wondering. I mean do people just say I did my PhD/master at blah and undergrad at blah every single time?

[MakeYourself]

First world problems.

[HKsai]

First world problems.

Not really a problem. Just out of curiousity.

[med latte]

I answer that I did my undergrad at X and got my masters at Y. 

[rising_star]

I almost always give the school I did my PhD at. Most of the people around me have no clue where I went to undergrad (because I've never told them) and I'm quite happy to keep it that way. I don't mind mentioning the school where I did my master's and I do bring it up if it seems relevant to the convo or might be of interest to the person I'm speaking to. So, for example, I was at a conference a few weeks ago and met a ton of people who were currently enrolled (MA/PhD) in department where I did my master's so I made sure to say that I'd done my MA there when speaking with them.

[Maleficent999]

Kind of related: I've been wondering if I should remove the "school X alumni" sticker from the back of my car now that I'm starting a PhD program at a different school.

[HKsai]

I almost always give the school I did my PhD at. Most of the people around me have no clue where I went to undergrad (because I've never told them) and I'm quite happy to keep it that way. I don't mind mentioning the school where I did my master's and I do bring it up if it seems relevant to the convo or might be of interest to the person I'm speaking to. So, for example, I was at a conference a few weeks ago and met a ton of people who were currently enrolled (MA/PhD) in department where I did my master's so I made sure to say that I'd done my MA there when speaking with them.

What about for people that only have an undergraduate and master? Any opinions? What's the trend in conference and stuff?

[The Wayfarer]

I answer that I did my undergrad at X and got my masters at Y. 

 

This. But I guess I'll have to add my PhD soon...

[GreenePony]

Kind of related: I've been wondering if I should remove the "school X alumni" sticker from the back of my car now that I'm starting a PhD program at a different school.

We kept ours (DH and I went to the same undergrad), I know people who put both undergrad and grad stickers too. I consider myself an alumni of my undergrad, not of my grad school- that's just personal preference and experience with the universities. I don't fit the student body of my grad school.

[TakeruK]

What about for people that only have an undergraduate and master? Any opinions? What's the trend in conference and stuff?

 

This is me right now. I always give a long answer to this question, I say something like "I did my undergrad at UBC and then a Masters in at Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario, Canada and now I am in a PhD program at X."

 

I mention the location of Queen's U because there are a ton of schools with very similar names. Also, in the past, I learned that when I said I have a Masters, people assumed that I was in a PhD program and left early or flunked out (one person said "Oh well, sorry to hear that, not everyone needs a PhD!" and I had to awkwardly correct them). So I am hoping mentioning Canada will key them in that the Canadian system is different. I usually explain how it works and what my majors/thesis was if they seem more interested but I only offer the (long) sentence above in case they are just asking as a way to say hi and actually wanted to talk about something else!

 

In general, I identify with my undergrad school more because that's where I grew up and I identify with Vancouver, BC. Also, in undergrad, I got tons of shirts (most free) but that doesn't happen much in grad school so right now I have only 1 shirt from Queen's and 0 anything related to my current PhD school.

 

If I had a UBC alumni sticker on my car, I wouldn't remove it. I see ton of undergrad affiliation stickers all over campus (on clothes, cars, backpacks etc.)

[HKsai]

This is me right now. I always give a long answer to this question, I say something like "I did my undergrad at UBC and then a Masters in at Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario, Canada and now I am in a PhD program at X."

 

I mention the location of Queen's U because there are a ton of schools with very similar names. Also, in the past, I learned that when I said I have a Masters, people assumed that I was in a PhD program and left early or flunked out (one person said "Oh well, sorry to hear that, not everyone needs a PhD!" and I had to awkwardly correct them). So I am hoping mentioning Canada will key them in that the Canadian system is different. I usually explain how it works and what my majors/thesis was if they seem more interested but I only offer the (long) sentence above in case they are just asking as a way to say hi and actually wanted to talk about something else!

 

In general, I identify with my undergrad school more because that's where I grew up and I identify with Vancouver, BC. Also, in undergrad, I got tons of shirts (most free) but that doesn't happen much in grad school so right now I have only 1 shirt from Queen's and 0 anything related to my current PhD school.

 

If I had a UBC alumni sticker on my car, I wouldn't remove it. I see ton of undergrad affiliation stickers all over campus (on clothes, cars, backpacks etc.)

Good to know! I really wanna keep wearing my undergraduate stuff in grad school but I also don't want people to think I'm that "d-bag" who still thinks he's in undergrad.

[GreenePony]

Good to know! I really wanna keep wearing my undergraduate stuff in grad school but I also don't want people to think I'm that "d-bag" who still thinks he's in undergrad.

Plenty of people in my program wear shirts from their undergrad- lots of X University Alumn or generic X University shirts. No one comments on it. As a function of my undergrad being t-shirt happy (I made a queen size quilt from only half of DH's fraternity shirts) most of my t-shirts are undergrad themed (blood drives, club shirts, game day shirts, crush shirts, etc)

[Vene]

Even though I don't have more than a BA I actually attended 3 different colleges. College A was dual enrollment while in high school. College B was an AS. College C was the BA. I just answer it with where I completed my highest degree.

[the_sheath]

I just say where my undergrad school is. The weird question is when they ask where I'm GOING to school, then I have to answer that I already graduated. Then they ask what I do now, and I have to say "bitch work".

[CageFree]

I am very attached to my undergrad institution (a Pac-12 school) and still have the bumper sticker, even though I graduated well over a decade ago. It was my dream school in high school, I still love the campus, and I consider myself a _______. As an undergraduate, I went to football and basketball games. 

 

As a graduate student I have no idea or interest in the school's sports (it's mostly Division III), though I do wear sweatshirts with the school's name. I do not consider myself a ________. I'm here for my Ph.D., and don't participate in "student" life the way I did as an undergrad. I barely leave my department's building as it is.

Edited April 29, 2014 by CageFree

[HKsai]

I am very attached to my undergrad institution (a Pac-12 school) and still have the bumper sticker, even though I graduated well over a decade ago. It was my dream school in high school, I still love the campus, and I consider myself a _______. As an undergraduate, I went to football and basketball games. 

 

As a graduate student I have no idea or interest in the school's sports (it's mostly Division III), though I do wear sweatshirts with the school's name. I do not consider myself a ________. I'm here for my Ph.D., and don't participate in "student" life the way I did as an undergrad. I barely leave my department's building as it is.

it's so fascinating to see that a lot of people are super attached to their undergrad school! For me I feel like it will be the opposite, because my school is division 3 and where I'm going has division 1 sport teams. But as you said, I might not be as involved in sports and "undergrad" stuff compared to undergrad. I guess I will just have to wait and see

[ExponentialDecay]

1. if you are being asked by a professional in your field, answer with the school at which you did your last degree

 

2. if you are being asked by Aunt Myrtle, answer with your most prestigious school

 

3. if you are being asked with reference to an athletic contest, your first allegiance is always with your undergraduate institution (unless you used your NCAA eligibility in postgrad)

Edited April 29, 2014 by ExponentialDecay

[HKsai]

1. if you are being asked by a professional in your field, answer with the school at which you did your last degree

 

2. if you are being asked by Aunt Myrtle, answer with your most prestigious school

 

3. if you are being asked with reference to an athletic contest, your first allegiance is always with your undergraduate institution (unless you used your NCAA eligibility in postgrad)

Haha this makes a lot of sense and gave me a chuckle

[bumblyboo]

First world problems.

[gingin6789]

I just say I got my Associate's degree at X community college, my Bachelor's from Y University, and I'm going to Z University for my master's degree in the fall.

I don't have a t-shirt from my first college, I have one from my second University because one of my work colleagues got me one, and no t-shirt for my grad school!!

My thesis advisor has made me promise her a mascot plush from my grad school to add to her collection of mascot plushies though!!

[Vene]

3. if you are being asked with reference to an athletic contest, your first allegiance is always with your undergraduate institution (unless you used your NCAA eligibility in postgrad)

My alma mater has no sports programs at all.

[ExponentialDecay]

My alma mater has no sports programs at all.

 

yo bro, if the first condition is null, proceed to the second condition. or does your alma mater have no math programs either?

[juilletmercredi]

I suppose it depends on the context.  If I'm talking to academics or at a conference or professionals in the wild, I'd say Columbia (my graduate school).  If I'm talking to people and it's clear they want to know where I went to undergrad college, I'd say Spelman (my undergraduate college).  When undergrads ask me they almost always want to know where I went to undergrad, so I tell them that.

I'm definitely more attached to my undergrad college, but I wear my grad school sweatshirts more often because I have more of them. I'm planning on getting a license plate frame from my undergrad alma mater, and I don't care, lol, even though I will be working at a third university in a small town in which probably close to no one has heard of it.

 

it's so fascinating to see that a lot of people are super attached to their undergrad school! For me I feel like it will be the opposite, because my school is division 3 and where I'm going has division 1 sport teams. But as you said, I might not be as involved in sports and "undergrad" stuff compared to undergrad. I guess I will just have to wait and see

 

I don't think this will make a difference - I went to a D3 undergrad and a D1 grad school and I am not attached to my grad school, not like undergrad anyway.  (I'm starting to become more attached as I finish up, but there's nothing more that I want then to get the hell out of here.)  But yea, you won't be as socially involved in the community as you were as an undergrad, so you won't get as attached.  I'm going to a Big 10 university for my postdoc, though, and I intend to get super crazy about the sports there