It was my senior year of high school, and I was in the process of applying for colleges. I had only applied to two schools - Kennesaw State University and Georgia College & State University - and, often enough, when I would tell people that, a sudden look of shock would come over their face.
"But...wouldn't you want to go to college somewhere...better?"
That was a question that was thrown at me more times than I'd like to admit, and I was always tempted to respond saying something along the lines of "Actually, no I wouldn't, but thanks for your unwanted two-cents."
I was told that the schools I was considering were "OK," but if I went somewhere "better" like University of Georgia or Georgia Tech - schools that are very nice, but I had little interest in going to them - then I'd have a much easier time finding a job because employers value those students more.
These people meant well, but I couldn't help but feel a bit insulted. They were, in a way, telling me that, regardless of how well I did in college, I would never compare to my peers who attended "better" schools.
"Kennesaw students are alright but... when employers hear that UGA students are in the building, things get serious because everyone knows they're intelligent."
There's no doubt in my mind that students from schools like UGA are intelligent, but my point is that just because someone chooses to attend a less prestigious university doesn't mean they're any less bright. There are so many other factors that come into play when choosing a college than simply the level of prestige.
I applied to Kennesaw State and GCSU because of the size of the campus, the environment, and the costs - not because I wasn't smart enough to go anywhere else.
The comments from those people did worry me, though. I remember after getting accepted to Kennesaw, one of my peers from my senior class told me, "Why are you even excited? You literally just need to have a pulse to go there." Ouch.
For a while, I even began to doubt my own intelligence because of these condescending comments. It wasn't until I got to college - I eventually chose to attend Kennesaw State University - when I started to realize how wrong everyone was.
Sure, there are people who go to less prestigious schools because they can't get accepted anywhere else, but on the other hand, there are so many people who have actually turned down going to "better" schools to go to "not so prestigious" ones - it's not as unusual as you'd think. Plus, if you do some research about your professors, you'll find that, often enough, they have taught the same classes at a variety of universities - some prestigious and some not-so-much. So, in the end, there's a good chance that you're learning the same material; the only difference is the name of the institution.
Three years have passed since then, and now I'm currently a junior at Kennesaw State who has been applying for internships. As I interviewed with each employer, those condescending comments crept back into my mind. I silently worried that those people would actually be right, and despite my high GPA, extensive work experience, and in-depth involvement with extracurricular activities, the interviewer would write me off as unintelligent because of the university I attend. I honestly did not think they would take me seriously after they told me that all the other applicants were from UGA and Georgia Tech.
But this time, I was wrong.
I was selected out of all those "better" applicants for the position.
I was selected not because the employers thought my university was impressive but because they thought I was impressive.
So, if you attend a not-so-prestigious university, this is for you.
If you attend a not-so-prestigious university, never let anyone undermine your intelligence. Your opportunities are certainly not limited just because of the school you attend.
If you attend a not-so-prestigious university, never let anyone convince you that you're not good enough just because of where you chose to get your education. The fact of the matter is that you're getting an education - a liberty that not everyone in this world is privileged to.
If you attend a not-so-prestigious university, never discourage yourself. You are in control of how others perceive you and how successful you are. Prove those people wrong, and show them your true potential.
