Have you seen this thought-provoking article in The Atlantic?
In it, writer Gillian B. White unpacks a recent study by researchers at Brigham Young University and San Diego State University and examines how much going to an elite college or university really matters. Her conclusion? Future earnings tend to align more with your choice of major and less with your choice of school.
"...for certain majors, going to a top-tier institution is invaluable. But for many career paths, it just doesn’t matter where a person got his or her education...for most people just graduating from a college is what matters most."
-Gillian B. White
Going to college is part of the American Dream. But this study reminds us that it's not where you go to college—it's what you do with the opportunities presented.
This study is groundbreaking because it begins to open the door for the "other" colleges that have been waiting in the wings. These colleges offer a tremendous education, but they sometimes play second fiddle to the Ivy League and other elite institutions in the eyes of prospective applicants.
BONUS: Does going to the right high school really matter?
With more students applying to more colleges each year, the small cohort of Ivy League and elite institutions will become harder and harder to get into. This will provide the "other" colleges with more applicants who are stronger and more committed to a four-year education than ever before.
Watch out, the underdog institutions may finally have their chance to compete on the national stage. And, because of their larger alumni groups and bigger ambition to prove their worth, the students that graduate from these institutions will begin to set the tone for our society.
