Does School Name Really Matter for Joe Student?

[publicboolean]

School names matter!?

I need help bad. I'm stuck in the college mentality and I'm hoping someone can snap me out of it. I'm so stressed about which school i should get into that it's eating my time up studying physics. Here's my situation. I'm ready to transfer to San Francisco State University this Spring 2014. Although, I really want to put my app in at UC Berkeley or Stanford but they require all the way up to Linear Algebra to even be considered for admission. The timing of my life led me to finish everything except Linear Algebra, including all my Gen Ed at a weird time of year (70+ credits already with 3.78 gpa). That means if I want a "prestigious name" school, I need to wait until next fall, to be eligible to apply for the NEXT fall 2015!. That puts me graduating about 2017!. All because I wanted to wait for a hotshot school that may or may not even let me in.
OR...I am already accepted to SFSU and begin this spring, roll right into my upper level classes right along with my oddly timed semester of Linear Algebra and graduate sometime by the end of 2015.

My main point... Does it really matter in the real world where I get my electrical engineering degree? I already have 15 years experience as an electronics tech, and prior military with a good record and security clearances. I just want someone to tell me that it doesn't matter, and that i should quit fussing about and go to an average state school like thousands of other people do every year. But, if you are positive that the delay for a chance at UCBerkeley or Stanford is worth it, let me know with some numbers. Real world examples and stuff! (i.e. $$, girls, respect..) Thanks in advance.

Joe Student

 

[Student100]

You don't even know if you'd be . accepted at those schools, waitlisted... ect. The other UC schools may be an option too. UC san Diego has a well represented engineering department and don't require linear be done first, though it's recommended. You should apply for next fall.

 

[BOAS]

I need help bad. I'm stuck in the college mentality and I'm hoping someone can snap me out of it. I'm so stressed about which school i should get into that it's eating my time up studying physics. Here's my situation. I'm ready to transfer to San Francisco State University this Spring 2014. Although, I really want to put my app in at UC Berkeley or Stanford but they require all the way up to Linear Algebra to even be considered for admission. The timing of my life led me to finish everything except Linear Algebra, including all my Gen Ed at a weird time of year (70+ credits already with 3.78 gpa). That means if I want a "prestigious name" school, I need to wait until next fall, to be eligible to apply for the NEXT fall 2015!. That puts me graduating about 2017!. All because I wanted to wait for a hotshot school that may or may not even let me in.
OR...I am already accepted to SFSU and begin this spring, roll right into my upper level classes right along with my oddly timed semester of Linear Algebra and graduate sometime by the end of 2015.

My main point... Does it really matter in the real world where I get my electrical engineering degree? I already have 15 years experience as an electronics tech, and prior military with a good record and security clearances. I just want someone to tell me that it doesn't matter, and that i should quit fussing about and go to an average state school like thousands of other people do every year. But, if you are positive that the delay for a chance at UCBerkeley or Stanford is worth it, let me know with some numbers. Real world examples and stuff! (i.e. $$, girls, respect..) Thanks in advance.

Joe Student

It is true that a degree from UC Berkeley sounds impressive but I can guarantee you that a first class degree from San Francisco is better than a second class degree from anywhere.

 

[Vanadium 50]

San Francisco is in the United States, where there are not "first class" and "second class" degrees. That's a UK thing.

 

[BOAS]

I'm aware of where San Francisco is, my presumption being that you don't just "graduate", there's a form of grading system.

 

[Vanadium 50]

Yes, but in the US it is a continuous thing. We don't bin things into classes. In any event, that's not what you said.

 

[BOAS]

Yes, but in the US it is a continuous thing. We don't bin things into classes. In any event, that's not what you said.

I'm not sure what you mean by this.

In any case, if my post was unclear what I intended to convey was that it's all well and good getting into a prestigious university but you've also got to achieve good grades. Getting good grades is better than the name of the establishment, within reason.