I'm amused by the posts at FSP and Dr Shellie on grad students who choose to go to more prestigious universities. They're not alone! Here's an approximate transcript of my dinner discussion with a visiting prospective grad student, whom we will call Eton, a few years ago:
Dr J: "Hi Eton, I'm Jekyll. I saw from our info sheet that you also went to my alma mater, Ivy! Welcome to our program here at Non-Ivy."
Eton: "Thanks. [some chitchat about Ivy]. So, can I ask you how you ended up choosing Non-Ivy?"
Dr J: "Well, it was really the depth and breadth of the research program. There are so many terrific researchers here in the Biology Sub-Sub-Field of my interest, and I felt confident from my interviews that there would be several people who would be good to work with...."blah blah blah, as I am a true Non-Ivy enthusiast.
Eton: "I guess what I was wondering was, how did you feel about going to a non-Ivy League school? I mean, all of my family members graduated from Ivy League schools, and if I told them that I was choosing to go to Non-Ivy instead of Harvard, they wouldn't really understand. I mean, Non-Ivy? Over Harvard?"
Dr J: [momentary pause, and regroup] "Well, for undergraduate educations it's certainly more prestigious to go to Harvard than to go here, but you have to keep in mind that graduate schools are not necessarily like that; the strength of the program can be higher at other institutions that have really focused on this biology subfield."
Eton: "I guess. Still though, I don't know if I can turn down Harvard."
At that point I sincerely hoped he would not, in fact, turn down Harvard.
The whole episode was disappointing to me because although I know that several people at my Ivy undergrad were snotty like that, I never hung out with them so I preferred to imagine they didn't exist (except for one outstandingly bad blind date frosh year, when I had to acknowledge their existence). We don't get a lot of grad applicants from my alma mater, so I was excited to meet this one. What an embarrassment he was.
Anyhow, he did indeed end up at Harvard, and I wish him well. As in, I wish that he falls in a well.
15 years ago
4 comments:
"Anyhow, he did indeed end up at Harvard, and I wish him well. As in, I wish that he falls in a well."
This made me laugh out loud sitting at my desk in lab today. :-)
Prestige of the institution does help somewhat, but you're right--strength of program and reputation of PI are much more important. But what can one say? Some people are just into brand-names.
The notion that "PhD from Ivy" has more currency than "PhD from BigShotLab" in biomedical science is hilarious. Who still labors under these delusions?
The family I guess? But who goes to grad school to impress their family?
That's just it, DM--anyone who chooses their grad school to impress their family is not likely going to become a scientist....Send the probable drop-outs to Harvard, I say!
*sigh* Why are you sending more of these people here.
There's plenty around as it is.
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