Affordable local schools are not inferior to big name universities


Anna Nelson

College and Career coordinator Beth Arey helps Marcus Starks, junior, with post-secondary plans.

Education is more than a school’s name.
Many believe that these days, the only schools that churn out successful graduates are those with big, recognizable names. However, the recognizability of a big name school that a lot of people have heard of does not lead to immediate success.
In addition, while many believe that degrees from recognizable schools are the only path to success, many underestimate the full power that a high-GPA degree from any school carries. A high GPA from any school still reflects hard work and dedication that employers can respect.
The same principle applies with the cost of a college’s tuition. A college’s price tag does not reflect the quality of the degree, and those opting to go to an affordable, local institution are not at a disadvantage because of it.
Some argue that colleges receive prestigious reputations for a reason due to their level of rigor and professors. Sure, some colleges have better professors than others. However, college is more about what you make of it rather than factors such as prestige, which you cannot control.
Not only that, but an undergraduate degree for many is merely a launching pad into higher education, such as graduate or law school. Those institutions are the foundations upon which promising careers are built, and their admissions are not dependent on either the size, tuition, or the reputation from which prospective students have received their undergraduate degrees from. Hard work is hard work, and those in the top of their class, regardless of which school that class belongs to, will most likely be offered admission for post undergrad learning.
These days, we need to realize as a society that bigger, more famous, and all the while more expensive schools aren’t necessarily better than more affordable and local options, and those who opt for those affordable options are not inferior to those who can afford the big name schools. Students are still students regardless of where they go to school as long as they exemplify the academic skills of career worthy people.
All in all, we cannot let the name of a university define us for life. We are more than just a label to brandish around on our clothes.
So next time you consider a big-name college or university, think about whether the price tag and prestige are worth it. Chances are, it probably isn’t.