Grad school ranked far above undergrad institution

[Guest Guest]

I'll be attending the #1 graduate school in my field this fall, although I still can't really believe that's true. I was entirely out of my element at the prospective students' weekend, however, because every other person there (prospective and current students alike) had an undergrad degree from an Ivy League school. I went to a mid-level public school that most people outside the region will never hear of. When other prospective students asked me where I did my undergrad, and I answered, they stared at me as though I had two heads. Professors at my new school kept telling me how extraordinary it was that someone as intelligent as myself would come from such a school.

The whole thing left me feeling very insecure. A part of me insists that they are wrong, that my undergrad institution is not inferior just because it is less famous. Their attitude seems a bit classist to me - they don't know my circumstances, and they don't know why I chose my undergrad institution over an Ivy League school. Still, though, I have to wonder if I will really be able to cut it when I'm in with the supposed best in my field. Am I, after all, just a big fish from a small pond, who will be eaten alive by much bigger fish when I move up? How much does undergrad institution matter? How much should it matter?

Is anyone else making this big jump with regard to rankings/prestige of school? How are you feeling about it?

[PETRAL6]

I am going from a private liberal arts school to a private prestigious research institution. I am a little intimindated because most people went to schools that have graduate programs. Most also went to schools with highly ranked grad programs in the field. However, if they chose you, there is a reason. Even if you don't see it, they did. That's all that matters. Work hard and don't let other students get you down.

[Guest Wordrapture]

You are not alone, "guest". I also went to a public undergrad institution. I was accepted into the fourth ranked program in my field and that means that I am making a jump from a public insitution to an Ivy League. It's funny that you mention your experience at the prospective students weekend, I felt the exact same way. Everyone's name tag read "Stanford", "Berkeley" etc...

BUT, although I understand the perception that these other students may indeed have "class" issues, graduate study will come down to your intellectual production and little else. If we don't have Prada shoes or ski trips to Italy so what? You probably received just as excellent an education in undergrad as they did, and I would bet that you probably worked your butt off along the way. So it seems to me you have already proven that you are just as far along and ready for graduate study as these other folks... :wink:

This is perhaps easier said than done, but I believe that it is an important thing to try and remember. The "prestige" of an institution does not always guarantee its students' success, and an undergraduate institution without a "reputation" can still foster excellent learning opportunities, have wonderful and dedicated professors, and great students. Seems to me that from here on out, it's about what YOU are capable of achieving.

Best of luck to you! But something tells me that you are going to perform beautifully... You go show them what you're made of!

[rhodochrosite]

Yes, me too - state school to top-tier private. It's a little intimidating but I think we'll be ok.

When visiting grad schools I was occasionally put on the defensive about my undergrad school. I'd scramble to explain that it's really good in my field (it is, damn it). Still, I could have gone to an Ivy less known in my field and NOT had to explain myself at this stage.

Professors at my new school kept telling me how extraordinary it was that someone as intelligent as myself would come from such a school.

I would have gotten really mad if anyone had said that to me. Just reading it pisses me off now.

[morfinx]

I think many of us are the in the situation as you. Just realize that you've already made the qualification process where else many people did not. Thus, you have already been deemed worthy by the school. Grad students are expensive for a school, so they don't just randomly pick people out of a street. You'll do fine

[Guest L again]

I have a grad degree already and I went from middle-of-nowhere public school (because I come from a low income family, so that's just where I could afford to go) to the top school in my field. Sure, I had to get used to the occasional "B" (that was new) but I was still above average and I brought a different perspective to discussions. My undergrad courses seemed to have BETTER prepared me for grad school than many of the Ivy leaguers, because there was no grade inflation at my university and we had fabulous professors who cared whether we learned something. I am sure that you will do fine and, of course, make friends with the folks who aren't obsessed with pedigree.

[Guest Guessed]

I agree with the above comments about state schools -- about no grade inflation and a process that has the ability to screw ones head more firmly on the shoulders than a luxury degree could.

When I was applying, one top professor asked me where I went to undergrad, and when I responded with UState, she got excited and told me that she went to UOtherState. Sure there are those for whom Ivy means something, but there's a bunch of us out there for whom UNowhere also says something important about perspective, personal experience, and the ability to succeed.

[duckrabbit]

I agree with the above comments about state schools -- about no grade inflation and a process that has the ability to screw ones head more firmly on the shoulders than a luxury degree could.

When I was applying, one top professor asked me where I went to undergrad, and when I responded with UState, she got excited and told me that she went to UOtherState. Sure there are those for whom Ivy means something, but there's a bunch of us out there for whom UNowhere also says something important about perspective, personal experience, and the ability to succeed.

Quite right, Guessed!

I'm in the opposite situation -- I started out at a top prep school, chose to go to a less prestigious private university (for personal and financial reasons), and am starting a grad program at a non-prestigious public school (my program's very respected, but not top-10-ish). So I've got "pedigree" issues of my own, and a different perspective on the issue.

I'd just like to say that, in my experience, posh undergrad pedigree means bupkis. Sure, it impresses people and opens doors, and is sometimes accompanied by a rigorous educational experience -- but given the prestige of the program you're entering, you'll have those advantages (and then some, because of course graduate pedigree matters much more!). More importantly, as many people have noted, you obviously got a good undergrad education and are smart and talented enough to have gotten in to your current program. Don't worry about not being able to cut it; you'll do fine. You've already passed the test of worthiness. Considering the stiff competition among applicants, I'd say you're a big fish in a big pond! :-D All you have to do now is work hard, which is apparently what you've been doing for years anyway.

And when people look at you like you've got two heads, just take it as a compliment. A meteoric rise from obscurity to Ivy says a lot more about your abilities than a pristine pedigree.

[Minnesotan]

To keep the discussion going for this year's crop of social climbers, you realize very quickly (at least, I did) that the only things that separate one student from another at grad school are:

-Ambition

-Desire

-Work ethic

-Organization

-The ability to find money from obscure sources*

* this one should be listed twice

I didn't go from obscurity to Ivy, but I did go from tiny, tiny state university in tiny, tiny city to a major research university - the largest arts school in Canada - in the impressive city of Toronto. It's quite an adjustment having 60,000 people to deal with on campus, as opposed to 5-6,000 at my undergrad u.

[nj_for_phd]

I went to a top-tier undergrad (consistently top 5 in US News colleges), and I did a research project under supervision of a grad student my junior year. He went from your-average-joe U to this place, and he was even more impressive for it. His prof (who also ran the project) told me that his recommenders said he was easily their best student in 15 years. Having said that, the grad student did admit to me that a class that we were both taking was a big time wake up call for him, and he'd never seen anything nearly as hard before. I came away very impressed with him for making it to this school and also taking on a big challenge in a classy way (I think he ultimately did very well).

[jrw72]

I really appreciate this post. I too got into the "number 1" program in my field, and I am also a graduate of large state U (and not a prestigious state U either.)

[Fiddler_Crab]

I went to a large, State U that is about as prestigious as a public university can get. That being said, I applied to grad school across the board and was accepted to three. One is Ivy league, but I am leaning towards another State university (ranked lower than my undergrad) because of the advisor I would be working with. Honestly, I have come to find that chemistry lecture is still chemistry lecture regardless of a schools ranking, and outside opportunities are available everywhere if you take them. A prestigious title isn't worth much if you haven't completed research or made connections.

[Mariner]

I got my Bachelors, and currently finishing my Ms, at a state univ. For PhD I have applied to top four schools in my field. (Haven't heard back from anyone yet). A big name can be really intimidating. In my junior year (2005), the city had shut down for a month and I had to move to a different school to stay enrolled. This temp school is among the top 10 schools, one of the biggest campus in the country with an enrollment of 55,000 students. I was pretty nervous, but very soon realized that the quality of education at my own small state school was much higher. For a junior level course, the finals had questions that were solved on the board during the lectures. To top it all, it was an open book exam :shock: . Maybe it was just this one course but generally students there gave a rats ass to education. Not that they care much at my state univ, but I thought that my school has some excellent profs. But nevertheless, once at the grad level, you can't beat a ranked school. I realized that the big names are too busy in getting credit for cutting edge research. They are too busy pushing, funding and teaching the grad students. And they sort of forget the undergrad.

Big Name = takes money from the undergrads to pay for the grad students who help with the research work. They do the bare minimum for undergrads because their focus is research. The profs are too busy in the research labs.

Small Name = don't have much of a grad student body or the money to pay for research, so they focus on undergrads. The profs have more time to teach students.

I guess people who do get their undergrad from a small state school and go on to do their grad studies at a top 10 school are the ones who are getting the best of BOTH the worlds.

Good Luck to everyone.

[fizz]

@ duckrabbit -- I'm another one going in the opposite direction. I'm finishing up my undergrad at an almost-Ivy and seriously considering going to a pretty undistinguished state school -- not even at their main campus. I applied for the sake of one particular professor, and I've just gotten such an enthusiastic response from them (including in the funding arena which is especially important after what I paid for UG) that I'm feeling inclined to overlook any kind of ranking. I like the location -- being in a big city makes me feel less like I'm delaying my life -- it's well connected as far as libraries are concerned, and if it's not a real contender on the national scale, it's a fairly big program that seems to be well funded. My area of interest is pretty obscure, so I feel like finding an advisor who's supportive is of prime importance. Plus she publishes regularly and fairly prestigiously, so it's got to be a good choice -- right?? I guess I'm counting on quality of work to outweigh the school's reputation, which might be a little pollyanna-ish of me. I hope not though.

[miketakena]

To keep the discussion going for this year's crop of social climbers, you realize very quickly (at least, I did) that the only things that separate one student from another at grad school are:

-Ambition

-Desire

-Work ethic

-Organization

-The ability to find money from obscure sources*

* this one should be listed twice

I didn't go from obscurity to Ivy, but I did go from tiny, tiny state university in tiny, tiny city to a major research university - the largest arts school in Canada - in the impressive city of Toronto. It's quite an adjustment having 60,000 people to deal with on campus, as opposed to 5-6,000 at my undergrad u.

Hi Minn, would you like to elaborate on "the only things"? Do you mean existing grad students or asipring grad students? What has the "ability to find money" gotta do with it (since grad students are usually fully funded... at least for Sci/Tech PhDs)?

[rising_star]

Hi Minn, would you like to elaborate on "the only things"? Do you mean existing grad students or asipring grad students? What has the "ability to find money" gotta do with it (since grad students are usually fully funded... at least for Sci/Tech PhDs)?

I think he might mean external funding.