Kayla, we now have four college graduates – two more to go! I can say that the school choices affected the experiences that they were afforded and in that way, the school choice made a difference. Now, I also think that students are offered amazing experiences at many, many colleges and universities. It is all about taking advantage of the opportunities, getting to personally know professors, and participating in clubs and service groups. Four of our kids based their choice on the area of study and what they would have access to in their majors: Screen Writing (Film School) and English Lit; Nutritional Science; Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology: and Civil Engineering. Our Anthropology major choose her university based on location. She really wanted to study and live in a specific city.
Our Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology major is currently applying to medical school. They first look at grades and test scores – then they look at experience. I am not sure that the name of her undergraduate university will make a difference. It really is grades, test scores, and then experiences.
I think college is like so much else in life – you will get out of it what you put into it.