College Future Success

The Effect of College Choice on Future Success
Around half of students get jobs out of college (Wei). That is an frightful statistic that inclines people to conceive that attending a more competitive college is necessary to job attainment. Each American dreams of becoming a successful person, one who reaches their goals, maybe has a family, and a steady income. Some seem to regard that in order to reach that level of success they must attend an elite school, a school that is usually private, and only admits fewer than ten percent of applicants. The Ivy league receives much attention among the elite schools. “Only 0.4 percent of undergraduates attend one of the Ivy League schools... too much attention is paid to these eight institutions” (O'Shaughnessy).

However, many high schoolers feel that they have to become part of that .4 percent. High schoolers, especially at elite high schools are pressured by parents, themselves, and the other students to go to an elite school. Although many claim that attending an elite college is necessary for future success, the choice of college is not as important as the grades and development students receive while there.
Many Americans believe that to be successful they must go to elite schools. Yet many successful people do not take the same route. Critics argue, “The purpose of education is to help teenagers find themselves, and to make moral adults of them, and that Harvard and its clones fail abysmally (Pope)”, yet people are fastened to the belief that these elite colleges are where success lies. High schoolers are continually under stress of getting into elite colleges, especially in areas with good financial situations. The competition to get a spot in one of these elite schools is not only between fellow students, but also between parents that live in these towns, it is known as the “rug rat race”. As one journalist puts it “The increased scarcity of college slots appears to have heightened rivalry among parents, which takes the form of more hours spent on college preparatory activities” (Rosen). Parents are becoming intense about it which is generating more pressure for their kids to get into an elite school because they have the constant belief that their child must go to an elite school to be successful. Parents hire people to tell exactly what you need to do to get into a certain school.
Right now, however, many graduates are not succeeding upon graduation no matter where they go.

Many people look at success in terms of potential earnings, which they believe defines success. Success is actually defined as, “the accomplishment of one's goals” for some that may be wealth others it is to have a happy and healthy family or help the world in a meaningful way. Elite colleges may not even get you the money that you dreamed of, Economists Alan Krueger and Stacy Berg Dale ,"Concluded in 1999 that students accepted into elite colleges, but chose 'moderately selective' schools, were doing just as well in income roughly 20 years after graduating"(Kingkade). The school you go to will not affect your income, but it will affect your development. It can change the way you think, and give you new important skills. Many students will end up graduating without a job, in fact more than 4 out of 5 students will be without a job after graduating (Svrluga). This is a sad reality that college graduates face. Many question if going to any college is worth it at all. We live in a more competitive society where it is every man for themselves. We also wonder if attending a public or private college will change those numbers. There are of course pros and cons to each school, and what is important is your development, and that you enjoy the

school.
The reality is that public schools are a great option for many to develop skills they need to be prepared for a job and develop people. An important aspect of college is making connection, as well as your happiness during and following college. In a poll done by Pew Research center people who attend private universities have around the same satisfaction in life as those that attended public schools (Brown). Life is all about being happy, and feeling as though you are living life to the fullest. Employers don’t just look at what school you attended and say you got the job they also look at things like your grades, that mean a lot. "People bloom at various stages of life, and different individuals flourish in different climates. The hothouse of secondary school favors only some” (Bruni). Everyone is different in what they want, and need, as well as when they develop. For some people elite schools are where they thrive, for others that is not the case. Another benefit of going to a public schools is that it is cheaper, and may offer the same level of education. Private college students exceed public college students in borrowing, and the price of tuition (Brown). This fact leaves people wondering whether or not it is worth it to go to an elite college due to the possibility of a poor return on investment. Public schools may actually be just as good as private schools in the education they provide, “According to the Times Higher Education world reputation rankings, elite schools like Duke and Johns Hopkins, and many of the best schools in other nations, are neck and neck with flagship schools” (Kingkade). Many elite colleges are ranked similarly to public schools, so maybe they aren’t so elite after all. They offer around the same level of education. Public schools are a good option for many people.
Still, the myth that elite schools guarantee success persists because these schools are appealing; they offer a great education, and may get you a better job. They also offer a level of education that public schools find hard to replicate. I cannot deny that it is more difficult to get into a private school. The people that go to these schools are bright people, and people that have already succeeded. There are advantages also in that if you are at the top of these schools you are most likely bound for success as, "44.8% of billionaires, 55.9% of the most powerful women, and 85.2% of the most powerful men' attended elite schools" (Thompson). Attending these elite schools will make you successful if you put in the effort, and have the talent to do it. Students that go to elite colleges are more than twice as likely to become fortune 500 CEO’s (Thompson). The students that go to these schools have the potential to succeed. The college you go to shows how successful you are at that specific point in your life. It shows what your success can potential be, and if you are in a less prestigious school you can still become successful, but you will have to do more to get that success.
Despite providing some advantages, elite schools can have many downsides, including falling into the big fish little pond effect. This effect happens when prestigious students attend prestigious schools, and they are now a little fish in a big pond, meaning they are now not the most prestigious anymore. Making many of them the worst of the best. Malcolm Gladwell states, “The Big Pond takes really bright students and demoralizes them" (Griswold). Yes these colleges are more prestigious, and higher ranked, but for some the school makes them depressed and unsuccessful. When prestigious students go to a less prestigious schools they are a big fish in a small pond, which gives them an immense amount of confidence, and leading them on a path of success. It is not however about what school you go to as long as you learn important skills. Researches state, "Students who attended more selective colleges earned about the same as students of seemingly comparable ability who attended less selective schools” (Thompson). Studies have concluded that your success is based on your skill, and your drive. The only difference is one you have to try harder than the other.
Success after college is determined less by how prestigious the school is and more by the attitudes and behaviors students exhibit while they are there. Loren Pope says, "The purpose of education is to help teenagers find themselves, and to make moral adults of them, and that Harvard and its clones fail abysmally” (Pope). Development is arguably the single most important thing that a college does for you. Public schools give you skills that you need for life, and jobs. They help you develop these skills in a less stressed way. "Almost any youth has an array of colleges to choose from that will make a lifelong difference. And prestige has little to do with it. What counts is not the label, but the quality of the experience in developing the potential of the youth into the power of an adult” (Pope). Everyone thinks that college is just one step on the road to success, but the experience while at that college, and the skills that are learned while at college are why college is so important.
Even though many claim that attending an elite college is necessary for future success, the choice of college is not as important as the grades and development students receive while there.

There is a constant myth that going to an elite school will make you successful, and that myth should be abolished. Public schools offer great skill development at an affordable price. Private schools are ranked highly, but may not be worth the money, and the effort in the long run. Overall anyone can be successful, but for the most part they need to attend a college that will develop them, and prepare them for life with a job. The stress of college decision is especially high in the United States where people from around the school don’t have the same myth, and are less stressed about the decision. Americans should adopt this same attitude, and become a little less stressed when it comes to schools, and life in general. The important thing is that you continue to challenge yourself, and craft new important

skills.