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[prof_smartypants]

I once turned down a job offer from Northwestern University because I didn't want to work at a directional.

Did I make a mistake?

I did the same at the University of North Carolina. I figured it wasn't as good as the University of Carolina.

[johnr]

I once turned down a job offer from Northwestern University because I didn't want to work at a directional.

Did I make a mistake?

Not if you're a men's basketball fan.

[mountainguy]

I don't know what you all are talking about. Clearly, the best way to choose between competing offers is to dance naked in the woods on the night of a full moon while chanting the last page of The Odyssey backwards. When you're done, deploy a spintop. When the top comes to a rest, use a compass to measure the exact direction that the long end is pointing. Whichever school is closer according to the compass is the one you should choose.

Or you could go to a library to do research about both schools. But that's just crazy talk.

[whosthere]

Looks like the most unhelpful people type the fastest.

[octoprof]

I C

No, clearly you do not see.

[yellowtractor]

Looks like the most unhelpful people type the fastest.

Yes, it's amazing, isn't it?

OP, try to lighten up, if you can.  Understand that your initial post was something akin to posting "Hi, I'm a professional birdwatcher.  Birds--they're mostly the ones with the wings, aren't they?  In the air?"  Remember--you're either a professional academic, or you're aspiring to same.

The reputation of an academic institution--at least in the known West--is a subtle and shifting thing (however much the Carnegie system attempted to classify the function of such institutions, and however much the US News & World Report has attempted to quantify and homogenize reputations in recent decades).  You find out more about it by evaluating its departments, its funding, its placement record in fields of interest, etc.

In other words, you do your homework...especially when posting in a neighborhood where thousands of participants regularly expect their students and their colleagues to do their homework.

The answer to your initial question, then, is "No."  If you have questions about specific institutions, or clusters of institutions, ask.

[southerntransplant]

I work at a school that in the not so distant past changed its name to eliminate the direction, due precisely to this perception. It was a significant part of changing the profile of the institution.

Something like that happened to one of STpouse's alma maters. Now people look at her degree like it was from a for-profit.

[whosthere]

Looks like the most unhelpful people type the fastest.

Yes, it's amazing, isn't it?

OP, try to lighten up, if you can.  Understand that your initial post was something akin to posting "Hi, I'm a professional birdwatcher.  Birds--they're mostly the ones with the wings, aren't they?  In the air?"  Remember--you're either a professional academic, or you're aspiring to same.

The reputation of an academic institution--at least in the known West--is a subtle and shifting thing (however much the Carnegie system attempted to classify the function of such institutions, and however much the US News & World Report has attempted to quantify and homogenize reputations in recent decades).  You find out more about it by evaluating its departments, its funding, its placement record in fields of interest, etc.

In other words, you do your homework...especially when posting in a neighborhood where thousands of participants regularly expect their students and their colleagues to do their homework.

The answer to your initial question, then, is "No."  If you have questions about specific institutions, or clusters of institutions, ask.

You're right, don't worry I am super light. Well, clearly I am not talking about high end schools, but about regional and unranked schools. It's difficult to get a lot of info on them. And then based on all the info I had, I was leaning directionally, but then the prof told me otherwise.

Since, I am talking of small schools, actually the differences are quite subtle when it comes to funding, enrollment, etc. and I might want to use them to go get some experience to transition to a bigger school. Given that they are so subtly different, the immediate name perception mentioned by the professor made me think.

For obvious reasons, I cannot get more specific.

[shamu]

I once turned down a job offer from Northwestern University because I didn't want to work at a directional.

Did I make a mistake?

No.

[oldfullprof]

If there's a town or county as part of the name-- no.  If the word "state" is part of the name-- no (except O___ and P___________.)  Generally, if the univeristy name ends in a vowel-- no.  (There are a couple of exceptions to this last.) 

[aandsdean]

If there's a town or county as part of the name-- no.  If the word "state" is part of the name-- no (except O___ and P___________.)  Generally, if the univeristy name ends in a vowel-- no.  (There are a couple of exceptions to this last.)  

1.  University of Richmond
Boston College
Boston University
University of Chicago
UC-Santa Cruz and a cast of dozens

2. No comment.

3. Pomona
Swarthmore
Duke
Virginia
California (several)
North Carolina
Yale
Columbia
Rice
Pennsylvania
Washington & Lee
Colgate

It's apparently a polygamous couple.

[oldfullprof]

Oh well.  I tried.

[tee_bee]

Looks like the most unhelpful people type the fastest.

I'll type slowly, then, to make this easy to understand: If you don't want to be treated like a troll, don't act like one.

For example: "I heard that all universities with directionals in their name must totally suck, so that it's a rule of thumb to avoid them, amirite?"

Some people work at these putatively sh*tty places. And yet, we aren't wallowing in professional failure or self pity. At least, not yet. Then again, it depends.

[aandsdean]

Oh well.  I tried.

Off to Northeast Southwestonville State University for remediation you go!

[oldfullprof]

It'll be good to finally leave Gumbo State.  Maybe I'll get to use something other than Texas School Board approved social studies texts.