Expert: Todd Johnson - 11/18/2010

Question
Is going to a highly reputed college more beneficial than going to one that is not so prestigious? Will it help me secure better, higher paying jobs?
I aspire to be a journalist. After college, I want to earn an advanced degree (a doctorate, eventually!).
My problem at the moment, though, is deciding where to receive my undergraduate education. I'm thinking of studying English at Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Stanford, Columbia, UPenn, Duke, Dartmouth, or UChicago. However, I'm also looking into some other universities that offer well known programs in journalism. Which option will be the best for my future career, a top ranked school where I can study English or a not-as-renowned school where I can focus on journalism?
Thanks a lot for your time!  

Answer
Sapphire,

There is no right or wrong answer to this question. It is more a function of what you are interested in.

Forget prestige in choosing a college. It means nothing. Most of the studies that have been done show that students who attend a well known school have virtually the same job prospects and income as students who attend a less well known school. The bigger issue is the student who went to that school. If you study hard you will do well regardless of where you attend college.

There are some potential advantages of attending a strong academic college such as being surrounded by other very smart people. But, most of the colleges you list are not always that good for undergraduate majors like English. You will often be taught by teaching assistants and not professors and can have a difficult time getting to know a professor. This can also be true for journalism schools. Either way, you need to make sure that you work to get the best education possible.

To get a job as a journalist, you will probably have as much luck with an English major as you will with a journalism major. Figure out what you want from a college and then find colleges that fit your needs. If one of those colleges is well known, fine. Keep in mind that the colleges you list are all very difficult to be admitted to particularly for international students.