People in the city and good colleges (Chicago, Lincoln: lawyers, neighborhoods)

[jman07]

I've noticed that I don't meet a lot of people in the city who went to non-elite colleges or mid major colleges like NIU Eastern Illionois, or other smaller regional colleges. They all seem to be from U of M, U of I, IU, etc. To get into U of I or U of M or IU's business school, you generally need to be in the top 10% of your highschool class! In high school, getting into a college like U of M is just rare and an amazing accomplishment, but in Chicago, it seems like they are just another college. I even know people who are getting into U of Chicago for their MBA's. Your just a big fish in a big pond. So are kids from these other colleges just not wanting to move to Chicago, or not getting recruited?

[chet everett]

Not really sure what you are asking. In my experience there are wide range of successful people in Chicago and its desirable suburbs. Many folks that have the drive and skills to succeed in the competitive industries that command the highest salaries very likely went to colleges that foster that competitiveness.

Of course folks that may have gone to less prestigious schools but perhaps worked harder to make their own luck can do every bit as well, perhaps even better given that they probably have less of a sense of entitlement / more to prove. I know more than a few people that have gone to SIU, ISU, EIU, WIU or the other second tier schools from neighboring states that are quite successful. Of course there are not a whole lot of sports bars that are going to bother trying to track down some satellite feed of a non Division 1a football game so that makes it a lot less likely to stumble into some alumni packed bar cheering for the Panthers, Salukis, Leathernecks, Redbirds etc...

The degree to which one's network of alumni connections can help to foster one's success is hard to quantify. In fields where having an inside edge is vitally important ones personality and likability are hugely important. In other areas where the technical mastery of a subject and individual achievement are more important it is fair to say that the range of less socially adept people can achieve success is wider. I suspect very few successful physicians were known for being the "social chair" of their fraternity or sorority though I suspect many top salespeople could say that they have always been good at finding ways to resonate with people...

[oakparkdude]

Chicago is a relatively expensive city with a disproportionate share of high-income/high-status jobs compared to smaller Midwest cities. It makes sense that there would be a lot more graduates from top-ranked schools here than most other cities.

As a bit of perspective, when I lived in Boston, it seemed like every other person I met was an Ivy League graduate, and pretty much every single physician at my teaching hospital had an Ivy League or equivalent background.

[marothisu]

Originally Posted by jman07

So are kids from these other colleges just not wanting to move to Chicago, or not getting recruited?

I know a lot of people from "other" colleges and such. It just depends on where you hang out in and what not. If you hang out in Lincoln Park, Old Town, Lakeview, etc then of course you aren't going to see them as much - they dilute the overall field because these areas are big 10 central.

Also someone who went to Grinnell or something probably isn't going to give a **** about rooting for their sports team here (What are they, D3?).

I think you are just paying attention to what you see. There's plenty of people in the city who went to non big 10 schools.

[jman07]

Originally Posted by marothisu

I know a lot of people from "other" colleges and such. It just depends on where you hang out in and what not. If you hang out in Lincoln Park, Old Town, Lakeview, etc then of course you aren't going to see them as much - they dilute the overall field because these areas are big 10 central.

Also someone who went to Grinnell or something probably isn't going to give a **** about rooting for their sports team here (What are they, D3?).

I think you are just paying attention to what you see. There's plenty of people in the city who went to non big 10 schools.

So what other areas besides the north side are you referring to? Thats basically where every professional with a degree lives.

[marothisu]

Originally Posted by jman07

So what other areas besides the north side are you referring to? Thats basically where every professional with a degree lives.

Every professional with a degrees lives there? I think you need to get out more if you really think that...

I even know lawyers who make around $200,000 a year who live in Avondale and CEOs of small companies who live in Logan Square. I know plenty of people all over this city with college degrees not to mention the South Side. Afterall, U of Chicago is in Hyde Park and Obama lives in Kenwood..Many people in Bucktown, Wicker Park, Ukrainian Village, etc with college degrees who are "professionals." MANY. I have coworkers who live near the United Center and Humboldt Park who went to Northwestern too. A lot from many parts of the city are "professionals."

[jman07]

Originally Posted by marothisu

Every professional with a degrees lives there? I think you need to get out more if you really think that...

I even know lawyers who make around $200,000 a year who live in Avondale and CEOs of small companies who live in Logan Square. I know plenty of people all over this city with college degrees not to mention the South Side. Afterall, U of Chicago is in Hyde Park and Obama lives in Kenwood..Many people in Bucktown, Wicker Park, Ukrainian Village, etc with college degrees who are "professionals." MANY. I have coworkers who live near the United Center and Humboldt Park who went to Northwestern too. A lot from many parts of the city are "professionals."

Buck town and wicker park at the north side. Northwester is also a really good college. You were saying that outside of the northside, a lot of people went to non-elite colleges.

[marothisu]

Originally Posted by jman07

Buck town and wicker park at the north side. Northwester is also a really good college. You were saying that outside of the northside, a lot of people went to non-elite colleges.

Since when is Bucktown and Wicker Park the north side? North side is Lincoln Park, Lakeview, North Center, etc. Not Bucktown or Wicker Park. They are Northwest Side, which is not the same as "north side."

There's plenty of people outside of that who went to good/decent schools. U of Chicago is in Hyde Park on the SOUTH side, which is ranked as one of the top 5 colleges in the entire world. You'll find people in those areas, and I know others in areas closer to Midway too on the SW side who went to good colleges.

We are talking about professionals, and again if you really think they only live on the north side, then you need to get out more. Let's also not forget that Beverly actually has a higher median income than Lincoln Park, and Mount Greenwood is almost the same.

[Ace Rothstein]

Originally Posted by jman07

So what other areas besides the north side are you referring to? Thats basically where every professional with a degree lives.

What a dumb statement. Are there some neighborhoods with higher percentages of their residents having degrees? Sure. There are people with degrees living all over the city though.

[PerseusVeil]

Where's your cutoff point for non-elite and elite school, because Chicago has many universities besides U of C and Northwestern? Or, are you implying that people who went to non-elite schools in other parts of the country simply aren't moving to Chicago, where as people who went to elite schools are?