I choose to go to BYU over USC out of high school. After I graduated from BYU and went off to medical school, and I can tell you had I made the decision to go to USC I would have had an easier time getting into medical school and would have gotten into a much more pretigious medical school. My class had 5 BYU grads and the decision was made after my class to no longer accept more than 1 BYU grad a year because they were not "diverse" enough.

I was also told by Dean Samuelson (Uof U school of medicine dean) personally that we do not descriminate against BYU students, we just can't accept them all we need some diversity in our school.

I based my decision to not encourage my boys to go to BYU largely on this talk by President Hinkley. He makes many good points about education. It's worth the read.

https://www.lds.org/new-era/2007/09/words-of-the-prophet-seek-learning?lang=eng

He states, "You must get all of the education that you possibly can. Life has become so complex and competitive. You cannot assume that you have entitlements due you. You will be expected to put forth great effort and to use your best talents to make your way to the most wonderful future of which you are capable. Sacrifice a car; sacrifice anything that is needed to be sacrificed to qualify yourselves to do the work of the world. That world will in large measure pay you what it thinks you are worth, and your worth will increase as you gain education and proficiency in your chosen field."

The world largely does not value a BYU degree like other degrees and will not pay a BYU grad what they should. From my experience BYU students overall perform better than any other students in the medical fields, yet many are descriminated against because of their beliefs. I heard many comments from people to this effect. Saying "BYU students always perform very well". "They're all so qualified, but we just can't take them all". You have to achieve a much higher standard to make it as a BYU grad than a Stanford, USC, or Ivy league grad. The average MCAT for accepted medical school graduates across the country was a 30 when I applied. The average MCAT for BYU students accepted into medical school is much higher than that, it was a 34 the year I was accepted. The average MCAT for BYU students rejected from medical school was a 32 the year I applied. I imagine this trend is the same across all fields in academics.

I think its worth it to sacrafice a BYU education to get further ahead financially in the world. If my child had a questionable testimony or was a troubled youth I would send them to BYU, otherwise I hope they pick the most prestigious school possible, because the world will pay them what it thinks they are worth. And its not cheap raising a big family now and it will be more costly, relatively, in the future.

Does anyone else feel the same way?