Written by: Chris Nguyen | 🕓 4 minute read

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When you were in high school, have your parents ever stressed the heck out of you to get into a prestigious college like UC Berkeley, UCLA, Harvard, or Stanford? Did you ever believe that you will only be successful if you go to those big schools?  But then after graduating high school, did you end up going to your local college? 

If you answered yes to all of these questions, then I totally know how you feel.

When I was in high school, I had that goal created by my family to get into UC Berkeley or UCLA, but I ended up getting rejected to both of them anyways and went to the University of Houston. Guess I was too dumb for their admission team. Oh well… they lost a lot of potential students (us) so it’s their loss 😎. But at first, I was a little distraught by their rejection. I thought it was a huge dishonor to the family because I wasn’t able to meet my family’s quota. I believed that I wouldn’t reach my dream if I didn’t go to those schools. And worse, I thought that I wouldn’t belong at the University of Houston like I didn’t belong in my high school since my class was super clique-y. 

I had a hard time making friends in high school because seriously cliques are the worst, and we all know how high school drama can be pretty toxic 🙄. 

However, after spending my last four years at the University of Houston, I was able to reach my dream, honored my family by getting into optometry school, and most importantly, made a lot of meaningful friendships with brilliant people that will last a lifetime. 

So when I looked back five years ago, I asked myself, “Is it worth it to go to an Ivy league college or some famous brand name school?” 

Okay, I’ve got to admit that having the name really does help open doors. I would’ve loved to go to UC Berkeley for Optometry School, but I realized that family comes first, and who knows, maybe I’ll have the chance in the future. 

So let me tell ya, it DOES NOT matter where you go for undergrad!

You’re basically getting the same education anywhere you go for undergraduate school. You’ll still get that dorm life or commuting experience. You’re still meeting new people everywhere you go. There are still those crazy, hard, or easy professors at any school. Plus... You’re getting the same BS or BA degree and probably going to get a job like anyone else. So who cares?

The ONLY difference among each school is how much money they will suck out of your family’s bank account. Like if you go to Yale, you will likely pay about $57,700* for tuition and housing isn’t even included. On the other hand, if you go to some public university like UH, you will pay around $13,000 for tuition, depending on how many hours you’re taking. Seriously, colleges these days are just modern day money vampires 🙄. 

*This is taken from their website in June 2020 and does not reflect any scholarships, grants, or tuition assistance. 

If some school offers you a ton of money to come to their school, then heck ya! Accept their money and go to their school! If you’re gaining meaningful experiences and preventing yourself from getting into debt, who cares where your degree came from? 

Don’t get sucked into the brand name hype that comes from social stigma. If you REALLY love the school, vibe with the community, professors, and people, or are interested in a unique program, then sure, you do you. But don’t pick some expensive school that’s all for show to please your friends and family unless you want to be chained by debt after you graduate. 

Other than their programs, fame, and campus, try to pick a school where YOU feel like you BELONG. Ask yourself, “Will I be happy at this school?” If you’re happy about going to that school, then go there because you know you will be motivated to achieve the things you want like having a group of friends or becoming a [insert your dream career]. Remember that you can do whatever you want in life, all you need is the right fam bam around you to pick you up when you fall down and to cheer you on as you move forward. 

For me, even though it’s not some prestigious school, I was still able to make a lot of friends, find happiness, and am well on my way to reaching my dream of becoming an optometrist! 

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