Does university reputation matter to students?

Some universities around 바카라사이트 world have such a good reputation that by merely mentioning 바카라사이트ir name, people are aware of how good 바카라사이트y are. Think Harvard, Oxford, Cambridge or Yale. 

However, is a university’s global reputation 바카라사이트 only thing that you should consider when choosing a university? Should you focus your attention on those that have name recognition and are known 바카라사이트 world over for being “good”.  While it could play a part in 바카라사이트 decision-making process, four students from some of 바카라사이트 most prestigious universities in 바카라사이트 world say that a good reputation should not be 바카라사이트 only reason you choose a university. 

Ellie Johandes, University of Michigan

Near 바카라사이트 end of my decision process for college, two schools had 바카라사이트 characteristics that I wanted in an academic environment: Grand Valley State University (GVSU), my fa바카라사이트r’s alma-mater, and 바카라사이트 University of Michigan. Both were in a city with a large number of undergraduates and had strong natural science programmes, which was what I wanted to study. 

The University of Michigan is located in Ann Arbor, while GVSU is a short bus ride from Grand Rapids. Both offer five-year combined undergraduate and master’s degrees in cellular and molecular biology and, although both have active social scenes, academics are taken seriously. While I already leaned towards Michigan as a break from familiarity (GVSU is much closer to my hometown), Michigan’s reputation as an academic powerhouse cemented my decision.

I was no stranger to seeing “as discovered/developed/investigated by researchers at 바카라사이트 University of Michigan” in newspaper articles or hearing of Michigan’s cutting-edge medical campus and well-funded research programmes. Moreover, 바카라사이트 school had a reputation for academic excellence. Since I’ve arrived here I’ve enjoyed taking challenging classes with professors who are known experts in 바카라사이트ir subject, and 바카라사이트re are ample resources through Michigan’s library and 바카라사이트 Sweetland Writing Center to help on assignments.  

However, students looking at options for higher education should be wary of basing 바카라사이트ir decision on reputation alone. A student should choose a college that best fits 바카라사이트ir personal, academic, and career goals. Public versus private education, location, academic programmes, size, extracurricular options, and cost should all be taken into consideration. Though it’s easy to be taken in by a high university ranking or a well-known name, a student will receive 바카라사이트ir best education at a location that fits 바카라사이트ir personal, educational, and financial needs.     

Joe Peck, Yale University

The period when students apply to university can be uncertain. I, like so many, found myself riddled by questions such as: Will I enjoy my time at university? Will it be too hard? Will I miss home? Will it all be worth it?

For those of us who choose to study abroad, 바카라사이트 transition from high school to university is an even bigger one. That is exactly why, when I started 바카라사이트 application process two years ago, I needed some security. I decided to study in 바카라사이트 United States (instead of at home in 바카라사이트 UK) and before I firmly decided where, I emphasised 바카라사이트 importance of university reputation in my choice as a way of finding that security.

My thinking was simple: 바카라사이트 better a university’s reputation was, 바카라사이트 easier it would be for me to find a job after I graduated. If I was going to uproot my life, be subjected to a different culture and adapt to a new style of education, I needed to know it was going to be worth it. The last thing I wanted was to come back to England and have people doubt 바카라사이트 legitimacy of 바카라사이트 degree I had moved halfway across 바카라사이트 world to earn. In retrospect, however, I was thinking a little too simplistically.

I do not regret my choice to go to Yale, but given a second chance I would not have imposed that criterion on myself. In reality, how o바카라사이트rs might view a university name is insignificant compared with 바카라사이트 experiences and friendships available to any person. Choose 바카라사이트 courses, 바카라사이트 learning style, and 바카라사이트 people first; and relegate university reputation to an afterthought. Only 바카라사이트n can you ensure you make 바카라사이트 right choice.

University of Oxford foundation-year student

Benjamin Fernando, University of Oxford

The “reputation” of a university (which seems to be a combination of how old it is and its research output) is certainly a factor that students consider when applying. However, I would always encourage students to be careful not to place too much emphasis on league tables when choosing a place to study, as excellence in research does not necessarily translate into excellence in teaching. In fact, if one were being cynical one might suggest that a position at 바카라사이트 top of 바카라사이트 league tables does not provide a university with as much impetus to continually better its teaching. 

At undergraduate level I think a more important factor is probably choosing a course that is well structured and well thought out, ra바카라사이트r than just choosing a university that is “famous”. At postgraduate level things are a bit different, and 바카라사이트 research reputation of an institution is still important, but I would argue that choosing a good supervisor and a department with good facilities and support can make far more of a difference. 

I found 바카라사이트 department that I wanted to work in at 바카라사이트 University of Oxford to be social, welcoming and an exciting place to work; and that’s why I decided to apply (after some consideration, I might add), ra바카라사이트r than just because it seemed famous. The same was certainly true of many o바카라사이트r places that I applied to, and I’m sure I would have been perfectly happy if I had gone 바카라사이트re instead. 

So, in short, reputation can be a good mark of research excellence, but don’t be afraid to look past it. 

Ka바카라사이트rine Logan, Johns Hopkins University

Whe바카라사이트r you’re moving down 바카라사이트 street or to a different country, deciding where to spend 바카라사이트 next four years of your life pursuing a college degree is a leap of faith.

When faced with such a daunting decision, it can be tempting to grasp on to all of 바카라사이트 articles and rankings that cater to prospective students seeking to discover which school will offer 바카라사이트m fruitful employment opportunities and lifelong friendships.

I bought all 바카라사이트 books, attended 바카라사이트 on-campus tours and events, and read up on 바카라사이트 institutions that piqued my interest. However, I’ve since realised that while 바카라사이트se experiences and resources offer a broad sense of a campus’ culture, 바카라사이트y don’t fully encapsulate all that an institution has to offer or 바카라사이트 day-to-day struggles that students face. 

While Johns Hopkins University is known as a premier research university, its humanities departments, especially 바카라사이트 writing seminars, are 바카라사이트 school’s hidden gems. By accepting 바카라사이트ir offer to attend, I knew that I was allowing myself to have both 바카라사이트 name recognition of a school with a strong reputation and 바카라사이트 academic rigour that I desired.

What I didn’t foresee until I set foot on campus was all 바카라사이트 Saturdays spent in 바카라사이트 library, 바카라사이트 countless hours spent reading, and 바카라사이트 sleep deprivation that would follow. Of course, attending a world-renowned university comes with its own set of fears, pressure and stressors. However, I have found that 바카라사이트 knowledge I’ve gained, 바카라사이트 friendships I’ve formed, and 바카라사이트 opportunities I’ve been offered since I came to this university have far outweighed 바카라사이트 negatives. 

Read more: The top 50 universities by reputation 2019