Prestige will not make you happier

We all want to get into a prestigious university. And if we attend one, we are very proud that we do. But does a spot at a reputable college really make us happier (hint: no, it does not)?

In America, pollster Gallup Inc. asked 29.650 college graduates of different ages a series of questions to find out what has become of them after graduation. Among others, factors such as income and ‘engagement’ in job and career were measured. They found that 39 percent of all grads say they’re ‘engaged’ in their job and 5 in 6 say they are doing great in at least one sphere of their life.

These percentages, however, did not vary on the type of college that someone went to. Former research already showed these outcomes.  More important than prestige are things like cost of attendance, great teaching and deep learning. Student dept makes it less likely that someone answers to be ’thriving’ in life. So a cheaper, less prestigious college might make you a lot happier overall.

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