Do you have evidence that this actually works? Graduate school admissions are extremely selective at top universities (much moreso than undergraduate admissions).
My evidence is anecdotal: I have observed many grad students in Tier-I schools come from Tier-II undergrad backgrounds. A determined search could probably verify this by looking through a bunch of online grad student biographies.
I don’t think a person who is smart and disciplined enough to get into a Tier-I school, but instead goes to Tier-II school for undergrad, will suffer a big penalty in terms of acceptance chances at Tier-I grad schools. Not because the admissions people don’t take the prestige of the undergrad university into account; they surely do. But a Tier-I capable individual at a Tier-II school will receive a lot of counterbalancing benefits as a result of standing out relative to his/her peers. Such a student will probably get better grades, and receive more positive attention from professors, including letters of recommendation and summer research opportunities.
Do you have evidence that this actually works? Graduate school admissions are extremely selective at top universities (much moreso than undergraduate admissions).
My evidence is anecdotal: I have observed many grad students in Tier-I schools come from Tier-II undergrad backgrounds. A determined search could probably verify this by looking through a bunch of online grad student biographies.
I don’t think a person who is smart and disciplined enough to get into a Tier-I school, but instead goes to Tier-II school for undergrad, will suffer a big penalty in terms of acceptance chances at Tier-I grad schools. Not because the admissions people don’t take the prestige of the undergrad university into account; they surely do. But a Tier-I capable individual at a Tier-II school will receive a lot of counterbalancing benefits as a result of standing out relative to his/her peers. Such a student will probably get better grades, and receive more positive attention from professors, including letters of recommendation and summer research opportunities.
Okay, thanks!