Colleges

[The Wizard from Milan]

Originally Posted by Mercutio

I disagree with you that it's "Better to be average in a renowned school than the best in an average school"...if your a big fish in a little pond you might get more attention from the faculty.

Well, it really depends. There are some big name firms (e.g. in consulting) for which what I say is true, but I can imagine that there are other situations in which what you say is true.

Originally Posted by Mercutio

Something else about Ivy Leagues...just because Mr. Famous teaches Course 304 doesn't mean he really really teaches it. Plenty of TA's and other folks who do the real work.

I am not trying to argue, but I want to make sure that the correct inforamtion is out there. At Yale, lectures are taught by professors, TAs teach sessions. Usually the ratio is 3.5hrs with prof. 1hrs with TA (plus office hour). Almost always (but not always) the TAs are advanced PhD students who actually know what they teach upside-down, inside-out (in the interest of full disclosure I have to say that I was a TA).
I know that languages are an exception since they are mostly taught by PhD students.

Anyway, I wrote all this just for information. I don't want to push anybody in any direction because I truly believe that the best choice is to go to a place where you really want to go.

Originally Posted by Mercutio

My dad's new advice: Don't go in debt over music. Chemical engineering? Computer science? Sure...but not music.

You dad's advice is quite smart, provided it is not taken simplistically. When going into debt you have to figure out how long it will take you to repay it, how much it will cost you in interests and what percentage of your earnings will be taken up to repay the debt-installement each month. All this is greatly influenced by how much you will be earning after you graduate. It follows that you can go more in debt if major in a subject that gives you access to more remunerative jobs

Originally Posted by HOBBIT

2. I would NOT go with The Wizard from Milan 's advice, no offense.
Go to the school that is the best fit for you. Who cares what others think?

No offence taken. And I actually agree strongly with you that Mercutio should not care what others think but do the best for himself. As a now out-gay who has been in the closet for many years, I learnt at a very high price that doing what you really want to do is the only important thing in life.
I gave the advice I gave, not because I think Mercutio should care about what people think, but because I think that people should be aware of some job market conditions when they make their choices