When I was in high school one of my more cynical friends told me that a college's name secures your first job, but not much else.
However, I matriculated believing that a an Ivy League diploma would guarantee me a prosperous, high profile and meaningful career for the rest of my life. After all, every literate person knows that Dartmouth is one of the finest learning institutions in the country, right?
A number of recent experiences have shaken my original optimism. During the past summer I worked at a dessert and coffee shop which brought me into contact with a random assortment of people. I got to know a lot of the regular customers and workers, and of course, they all asked me where I go to school.
I usually encountered two reactions from strangers when I told them I went to Dartmouth. Everyone that knew the College's reputation commended me, even though they barely knew me.
This type of reaction is one of the perks of being a Dartmouth student. People instantly assume that you are an intelligent and well rounded person, even if they just met you.
Occasionally, such reactions seemed a bit excessive, however. For instance, late in the summer the store manager hired a new worker, who had just started her junior year of high school. My manager introduced me in her usual manner as "Tyler who goes to Dart-mowth University." The new worker slowly backed away, her eyes widened, her jaw dropped, and she nervously whispered, "You go to Dartmouth? Are ... are you smart?"
How am I supposed to reply to this question? I could sound like an elitist Ivy League stereotype and crow, "Why yes, of course I am. Shall I translate Swahili or explain political economics?" Or, I could just drool and grunt "huh?" which would blow some kind of fuse in my ego. So instead, I mumbled something like, "I guess some people think I am and some don't."
To my dismay, however, there are also people who have never heard of Dartmouth. This fact is especially true in my home state of Kentucky. Most Kentuckians believe that if a college doesn't play the University of Kentucky in basketball, than it probably does not exist.
Many people just blurted, "Wer-in-tha-hail's Dart-mowth?" However, I have also been asked if Dartmouth is everything ranging from a two year community college, a technical school in Indiana, to an auto-diesel repair school. Those are not the kind of questions someone whose family is paying $20,000 on an education wants to hear.
Looking back, I must agree with my cynical friend. Although many of us would like to believe that every literate person recognizes Dartmouth as one of the premier colleges in the country, it is just not the case. While many will be quite impressed by the fact that we attend this fine institution, just as many will not care.
Although a Dartmouth education will definitely help in some circumstances, there will also be occasions when it offers nothing but personal memories and a lot of knowledge. Who knows, maybe I can land a job at a diesel repair shop.
