[PrinceLightfoot]

Changed my life.  Utterly.  And forever.  Every day.

It's been a 46 year decision, and counting.

+1 although only 14 years and counting.

If "the 40-year effect" is supposed to be some kind of economic benefit, then it's wildly exaggerated. Though some of my classmates have become wealthy, a lot of us have not. (I once ran into one who was giving driving exams at an MVD office.) Going to Stanford by no means guarantees any material payback, though of course it certainly doesn't hurt you in that respect.

For me, the 40-year effect was that Stanford taught me to think -- not just to collect a lot of facts, but to put them together and analyze them, to understand what they mean and what they imply. That's made me better at my job, but more importantly, made my life richer by helping me to understand the world I live in. I believe passionately in this 40-year effect and literally cannot imagine my life if I hadn't gone to Stanford.

+2, there are enough information gatherers in the world. To be able to understand information to formulate the best course of action, decision, or strategy is without a doubt something that was forged while obtaining my economics degree. Also, the countless informal discussions with so many highly intelligent people in dorm lounges and over meals influenced how I thought about a situation or problem. I am not referring to a change in opinion rather if the  conclusions presented were grounded on a solid foundation.

I had always seen the 40-year commitment as some special insider network wherein you are able to connect and make thousands more than people with similar degrees.

I have not attempted to utilize Stanford's network to advance my career (not much of a network here in Iowa and have little desire to move elsewhere at the moment), but I know for a fact that some positions I obtained were swayed by having a Stanford degree on the resume. If I decide to switch industries, I will probably contact friends from Stanford to assist me in my search, but I know that wouldn't necessarily ensure placement.

[PrinceLightfoot]

Changed my life.  Utterly.  And forever.  Every day.

It's been a 46 year decision, and counting.

+1 although only 14 years and counting.

If "the 40-year effect" is supposed to be some kind of economic benefit, then it's wildly exaggerated. Though some of my classmates have become wealthy, a lot of us have not. (I once ran into one who was giving driving exams at an MVD office.) Going to Stanford by no means guarantees any material payback, though of course it certainly doesn't hurt you in that respect.

For me, the 40-year effect was that Stanford taught me to think -- not just to collect a lot of facts, but to put them together and analyze them, to understand what they mean and what they imply. That's made me better at my job, but more importantly, made my life richer by helping me to understand the world I live in. I believe passionately in this 40-year effect and literally cannot imagine my life if I hadn't gone to Stanford.

+2, there are enough information gatherers in the world. To be able to understand information to formulate the best course of action, decision, or strategy is without a doubt something that was forged while obtaining my economics degree. Also, the countless informal discussions with so many highly intelligent people in dorm lounges and over meals influenced how I thought about a situation or problem. I am not referring to a change in opinion rather if the  conclusions presented were grounded on a solid foundation.

I had always seen the 40-year commitment as some special insider network wherein you are able to connect and make thousands more than people with similar degrees.

I have not attempted to utilize Stanford's network to advance my career (not much of a network here in Iowa and have little desire to move elsewhere at the moment), but I know for a fact that some positions I obtained were swayed by having a Stanford degree on the resume. If I decide to switch industries, I will probably contact friends from Stanford to assist me in my search, but I know that wouldn't necessarily ensure placement.