Top Colleges/Universities

[krtel]

Alright everyone, for me, a very big decision is coming up really soon; I have to choose which college I want to go to.

It is my goal to get into some of the top schools that offer the best law and business schools. My choice as of right now is:

a. Harvard University
b. Yale University
c. Stanford University
d. Rice University

My question is, does anyone know what it really takes to get into those colleges? I know it isn\'t just a matter of your SAT score, even though it plays a major role. (I\'ve recently dished out $800 on a Kaplan SAT course, aim is 1600)

Thanks in advance.

- Krish

[bundyburger]

Going on all my experience (from watching movies etc, [img]/ubbthreads/images/icons/smile.gif[/img] )

Harvard, Yale and Standford are pretty good choices.
Never heard of Rice.

In the movies Harvard and Yale are mentioned more often. Harvard seems to be mentioned more often, so I\'d have to recommend that. [img]/ubbthreads/images/icons/tongue.gif[/img] [img]/ubbthreads/images/icons/crazy.gif[/img] [img]/ubbthreads/images/icons/laugh.gif[/img]

[Tim]

Krish, it takes *everything*. My friend, who got a 1600 on his SAT, and three 800s on his SAT IIs, had straight As throughout high school(he\'s number three in the class), every summer since sixth grade, he\'s done 5 hours of community service per week in the summer (that\'s about 60 hours per summer), has numerous activities, and probably wrote a damn good essay (I personally did not read it) was DEFERRED from harvard until may. That means he won\'t know their decision until then. (Also, the friend\'s white, which probably played a role.)
So, the conclusion is, work your ass off, and write an extremely good essay.

Also, on another note, I thought you were a senior in high school?

[druid]

it probably has more to do with who you know more than the amount of talnet you display.

[krtel]

I am a senior, but I have to start working on a plan now. I wonder if affirmative action plays any role.

- Krish

[Sexyredhead]

A friend of a friend got into Harvard several years ago. Same as you heard above--straight A\'s, great test scores, lots of extracurricular activities throughout HS where he excelled. Also good rec letters and essay. And he was white too. Funny thing was, when comparing colleges, Harvard seemed really hard to get into, but not that much better. The reputation is what you\'re getting. Go for something that\'s going to give you the best education. Look at the courses, the professors, etc. Think about what area of law you want, if you\'re going into law. Some schools concentrate on different areas and teach different approaches than you may like.
Talk to proffessionals and see how they liked where they went. There are a lot of gem schools out there that are recognized for their excellence, but don\'t have the big name reputation.
Just something to think about.

[Whitehall]

Do you want an education or a credential? They are not the same thing. Some school coast on their ancient reputations and/or their grad schools yet do not deliver to undergraduates the wisdom that a great education can provide. If at all possible, live at the school and be part of the campus community.

A third factor is alumni networks. In some places, none of the colleges you mentioned will offer entre into the local \"inner circle.\" For example, getting a law degree from Harvard might alienate people in, say, Florida, where the same law degree from the University of Florida is gold. Go to school where you want to make your life.

Finally, a school is made in the admissions department. Your fellow students may turn out to be more important to you than the professors or the buildings. Choose a school that chooses people like you or like you aspire to be. A \"top\" school might not be the best choice for you, even if you would be admitted. The friendships made in college can last a life time.

That said, I live about 30 miles from Stanford and the climate is great. Palo Alto is a smart, clean, little town and you\'re only a few minutes from the Greatest City on Earth, San Francisco. People associated with the school seem smart and on the ball without being stuffy or stuck up.

Yale is in New Haven - I\'ve partied there and lived nearby in Mystic/New London. It\'s kinda depressing, frankly.

[Mtnjim]

For business, especially if you are interested in International Business, you might want to consider San Diego State University. Always listed as one of the top. Check Kipplenger\'s college guide (also Barrons).
Plus if you are into surfing...

[krtel]

Does a degree from a very reputable school really take precedence over other not so reputable schools? I know one thing, if I don\'t have success getting into Harvard or Stanford, University of Texas at Austin is the next best choice. That school is also very reputable and their law school is #15 in the nation. Although, it probably wouldn\'t be as prestigious as Stanford, or am I wrong?

- Krish

[**DONOTDELETE**]

If you\'re talking about law schools, yes, it\'s important what school you go to, and your grades are crucial. Get into the school with the best reputation you can.

Go to www.greedyassociates.com and ask some attorneys about this. I don\'t guarantee they can help but they might. At least I know that\'s one place where there are young attorneys gossiping about firms and the conditions and the requirements, etc.

[druid]

well krish one good thing about going to a prestigous university is the people you meet. You are gonna meet future CEO\'s, partners in firms, maybe even a future president (IMO the education is about the same -- probably better ar smaller universities VS. the ivy leagues because you actually get taught by a professor and not some graduate assiant -- what difference does it make if you read from a book at this universitry or another??). Take me for example I went to a state university which has a pretty good computer science program. I KNOW C,C++, unix, java(like the back of hand), and a couple of scripting lanuages. But I can\'t find work for the death of me. More than likely because I don\'t know that many people in the IT world.

My recommendation get into the school with the best reputation you possibly can.

[**DONOTDELETE**]

And be careful of your associations at that school. I thought it was all about the grades and worked full time and didn\'t live on campus or join anything, left school with nothing but my piece of paper. It continues to amaze me, especially in the professions, how much networking goes on. Who you know matters. Join the best fraternities you can, make the worthiest friends you\'re able, try to maintain the friendships. They will stand you in very good stead.

[druid]

pretty much what happened to me. Worked and went to school is mostly what I did.

[krtel]

Hey druid,

I know where you are coming from when you talk about the IT industry. That is currently my industry. For my first 4 years of college (undergraduate) I\'ll be taking Economics and Computer Science and then go off to graduate school for law.

At first, Computer Science was all I was going to do. I had that dream when I was 13, when the industry was booming. Now it\'s dead. I work for a major Oil company\'s IT dept. which is a global company and it saddens me when I see people of ages 35, 40, and 45 working in an IT position making mediocrity salaries of $35k-$40k per year. That isn\'t enough if you plan to have children or hell, even to be married. So, after understanding myself a bit more, I learned that I LOVE to argue and debate. I also learned that I know how to present myself very well and I have a good deal of influence on people, so I decided, a career in law is good for me. No matter the economy, there will always be a need for lawyers. Take a look at the current economy, and then look at all the corporate scandals. Perfect market for lawyers.

- Krish

[**DONOTDELETE**]

If you have a four year degree in IT, and then go to law school, you could work as a patent lawyer and make big money working shorter hours than other attorneys work for the same money.

[krtel]

Yeah, I\'m definately not making that mistake. Thats why I refuse to go to University of Houston (5 mins. from me.) because it\'s a commuter college.

- Krish

[krtel]

Thanks for all the tips and advice FTR. :-) Yeah, I figured the IT degree would be beneficial to my law career in some fashion, just not that dramatically. But wow. [img]/ubbthreads/images/icons/laugh.gif[/img] ty.

- Krish

[druid]

DON\'T DO ANYTHING TECHNICAL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!

[krtel]

Why not? Thats definately not my career path, but it can help my law career. Hell, I have to sit in undergraduate school for 4 years anyway, might as well do something I like along with pre-law. Makes sense eh? :-)

- Krish

[druid]

because there are hundreds of thousands of guys out there right now with degrees, certs, and experience and they are unemployed. And if you have been paying attention to the econmy, there was articele released lately they there has been about 140,000 jobs created for the month of janurary. 100,000 of them were retail, restutants, and bars. Not exactly middle class paying jobs.

[krtel]

Well all, looks like I\'ll be going to University of Texas at Austin (one of the top 50 schools in the nation.) because if I go to Harvard, I\'ll come out with 100k debt. I can probably get a free ride at UT. I guess thats what ya get when you come from a poor family. *sigh* Oh well.

- Krish

[Sexyredhead]

Hey,
I know some guys from UT Austin. Very nice people. Very smart. You\'ll probably end up with an education just as good or better than Harvard, and you\'ll be saving yourself some money to boot. You\'ll also have money to have a life outside of school that way. [img]/ubbthreads/images/icons/wink.gif[/img] Good luck!

[krtel]

Yeah [img]/ubbthreads/images/icons/blush.gif[/img]) Thanks for the reassuring post. I\'m not that dissapointed about not being able to afford Harvard, just that it would have been nice and something to brag about (oh well! lol) and UT Austin (IMO is still something to brag about.) is a damn good school, I personally know it. Thanks again :-)

- Krish

[Lucky]

Are you getting a late start on this plan? Do you have any idea what you want to study?

[krtel]

Yeah, it is a somewhat late semester. Instead of entering in the Fall of 2003 semester, I will be entering the Spring of 2004 semester. The main reason for this delay is because I seriously need to refine my SAT scores. I come from a not so fortunate high school (located in the ghetto.) no one has scored above 900 on it. I recently bought a $800 Kaplan SAT course, so, I should have more than enough resources now to get that 1400+ I need (and want.).

I want to get my J.D. (Law degree) but for undergraduate I have to take Economics or Government first.

- Krish

[Lucky]

Or English, lots of law schools like people that are good with the language.

One of the best things that will happen to you in college will be the contacts you make. The schools you mention will put you with the movers and shakers of the world (with the exception of Rice, but Texas is a big place itself.) It all depends on how hard you want to work, what success means to you, how tied to a geographical area you are, what can you spend to get in?

Know what I mean?

[krtel]

Yeah, I\'m definately with you. I\'m willing to work very hard, but I don\'t have an Ivy League school budget, so UT Austin is the best thing I can afford, and hell, it just happens to be one of the top 50 universities. :-)

Are you kidding me about Rice? (I\'m shocked.) Rice is a top tier school, #16 in the nation. They don\'t offer law (and they are also out of my budget, lol)

- Krish

[Tim]

Krish, it\'s also number 15 for law and 7 for computer science (as far as usnews is concerned). I\'m sure you\'ll be A-OK.

[Lucky]

I don\'t think Rice could compete with the others if you had international goals, that\'s all. Rice is a great school. If the contacts aren\'t impoprtant, go to UT, have a blast, and get a good education. That network in Texas has some real long arms.

[EXIT63]

Just what this country needs.....another lawyer.