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Text Your Way to College

nytimes.com

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Re: Text Your Way to College

#61

Post by wintertree »

blooooo wrote: post #43

I'm from a family in the bottom income bracket, and I went to Stanford. It's as alien and daunting as the article makes it sound. I would never have thought to apply if it weren't for a suggestion from my aunt who married rich. My high school guidance counselor was completely unhelpful, and she actively discouraged all of my peers who I wanted to apply with me (because "Stanford wants 1s and 2s," not people ranked 5t…

I also come from a family in the low-income bracket. Despite being a top student in HS I had never heard of AP courses, SAT and I didn't know what the Ivies were outside of 'Harvard'. Unlike you I was not as fortunate, despite being gifted.

I ended up going to an 'ok' state school then couldn't attend graduate studies (despite being accepted to a top program) because I had to get an industry job to support my family. I saved up money, quit my job and now talking with a top 10 program about applying to their program. My story is still untold but I am optimistic about the future.

Re: Text Your Way to College

#62

Post by sjg007 »

blooooo wrote: post #43

I'm from a family in the bottom income bracket, and I went to Stanford. It's as alien and daunting as the article makes it sound. I would never have thought to apply if it weren't for a suggestion from my aunt who married rich. My high school guidance counselor was completely unhelpful, and she actively discouraged all of my peers who I wanted to apply with me (because "Stanford wants 1s and 2s," not people ranked 5t…

SAT tutors are huge.. wished I'd had one.

Re: Text Your Way to College

#63

Post by sjg007 »

akhilcacharya wrote: post #20

On one hand, I hear breathless reassurances from people like Frank Bruni (also at the Times) that "school doesn't matter" and "college is what you make it". At the same time, we get articles like these. Now, as someone pursuing CS at a second or maybe even third tier institution - which is it?

Well, get the best grades you can. Master algorithms and data structures. Then apply for the jobs you want. If that fails, apply and go to grad school at a top tier University. Everything else will work out. Promise.

Re: Text Your Way to College

#64

Post by [deleted] »

uiri wrote: post #60
akhilcacharya wrote: post #26

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yet none of that matters if top companies don't interview at your school for internships...which they don't for the most part.

You can apply online to top companies. You won't go nearly as far if you passively wait for opportunity to come to you.

[deleted]

Re: Text Your Way to College

#65

Post by nerfhammer »

uiri wrote: post #60
akhilcacharya wrote: post #26

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yet none of that matters if top companies don't interview at your school for internships...which they don't for the most part.

You can apply online to top companies. You won't go nearly as far if you passively wait for opportunity to come to you.

Top companies get tens of thousands of resumes from undergrads. They actively recruit mostly at only a few prestigious schools because it's an easy filter for candidates without job histories and therefore lacking strong signals. If you're not going to one of the schools they care about you need to be able to give a really good reason why you should stand out.

Re: Text Your Way to College

#66

Post by akhilcacharya »

stale2002 wrote: post #51
akhilcacharya wrote: post #26

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yet none of that matters if top companies don't interview at your school for internships...which they don't for the most part.

Top company internships certainly HELP, but you are really aren't that far behind if you don't get them. Getting a job right out of college is hard. Everyone is looking for a year of experience. But once you get that FIRST job, things are smooth sailing. I never got recruitment message in college, but after I had graduated, and was working for a year, I starting getting multiple every week. Top company jobs, are of c…

My biggest concern is salary trajectory. For instance, a converting intern at FB gets $75-125K signing over a normal new grad hire (just an example, less applicable to me specifically).

Re: Text Your Way to College

#67

Post by jupiter90000 »

remar wrote: post #58
blooooo wrote: post #43

I'm from a family in the bottom income bracket, and I went to Stanford. It's as alien and daunting as the article makes it sound. I would never have thought to apply if it weren't for a suggestion from my aunt who married rich. My high school guidance counselor was completely unhelpful, and she actively discouraged all of my peers who I wanted to apply with me (because "Stanford wants 1s and 2s," not people ranked 5t…

Question for HN: (sorry to piggy back off of this comment) I've also gone down a similar path to what OP described and I feel like I really want to help those growing up in similar environments (e.g. 1st generation college students, poor family, lack of guidance growing up, etc) but I'm not sure where to start. I live in the Seattle area and I've heard about TEALS as an initiative to mentor high school level students…

There are programs like Big Brothers / Big Sisters. I've heard good things about this type of mentoring and you could make a difference for someone from a younger age probably.

https://www.bbbsps.org

Re: Text Your Way to College

#68

Post by danielford »

blooooo wrote: post #43

I'm from a family in the bottom income bracket, and I went to Stanford. It's as alien and daunting as the article makes it sound. I would never have thought to apply if it weren't for a suggestion from my aunt who married rich. My high school guidance counselor was completely unhelpful, and she actively discouraged all of my peers who I wanted to apply with me (because "Stanford wants 1s and 2s," not people ranked 5t…

> We didn't know how to talk or study or dress or think the way our peers did. It took me years to learn.

Please tell me everything about this. I teach at a community college and my students come from the middle class, the working class, and the place I can't see.

Re: Text Your Way to College

#69

Post by stale2002 »

akhilcacharya wrote: post #66
stale2002 wrote: post #51

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Top company internships certainly HELP, but you are really aren't that far behind if you don't get them. Getting a job right out of college is hard. Everyone is looking for a year of experience. But once you get that FIRST job, things are smooth sailing. I never got recruitment message in college, but after I had graduated, and was working for a year, I starting getting multiple every week. Top company jobs, are of c…

My biggest concern is salary trajectory. For instance, a converting intern at FB gets $75-125K signing over a normal new grad hire (just an example, less applicable to me specifically).

O.o Are the numbers really that high? Boy have I been in the startup industry for way too long....
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