Ask Cathy
Ivy League College for Daughter?

Dear Shelly,

If your daughter is gifted enough to be able to attend such a prestigious college, I believe that you should do all in your power to open that door for her, including assisting her with scholarship applications and student loans.

I am a firm believer that the most enduring item that we can purchase for our children is their education, and we should buy the very best quality that we can afford for them.

I would like very much to tell you that the college your daughter attends does not matter, or that it will not add significant value to her job application. I have witnessed, however, employers that will not interview candidates who do not graduate from certain prestigious colleges.

Likewise, I have seen amazing doors open for those graduates with a college pedigree like an Ivy League school. There are also amazing summer jobs and internships available for these students which other college attendees can not touch.

Sadly, it really, really does matter where she attends school and your daughter should reach as high as she is able to into the college rankings.

Whilst I am not saying that I agree with the exclusivity of the hiring practices exercised by employers, it is a fact of life and we should prepare our children the very best way we can to compete on today's playing field.

Go well.