I Thought This Degree Was Supposed to Work For Me?

Monday, May 23, 2005
I have now been on two dates where the date told me they were kind of concerned about me when they heard I went to Princeton. Their concern? They were worried that I was going to be arrogant.

OK, look. I don't mind if you think I'm arrogant after you get to know me, I will admit that I can definitely come off that way. But how come these women have an automatic negative stereotype of Princeton men? I would have thought my degree would have worked for me, that it would signal that I'm smart, driven, etc. But so far, my dates with Non-Princeton women have resulted in my dates telling me that they were worried about me, that I would be cocky and obsessed with my job.

7 comments:

David Cho said...

Here I've been thinking that a degree from Princeton would have gotten me a woman a long time ago.

Must be that Asian mentality. Growing up, it was drilled into my head that a degree from a top school would be a total chic magnet.

Are you telling me that it has been a liability? Very hard to believe.

T said...

Yes, I'm telling you it can be a liability. I think after a person gets to know you, it probably becomes an asset. But like I said, on first impressions it can be a liability. The hard part in meeting women is always the first few minutes.

Anonymous said...

1) I don't think a degree is a chic magnet. A degree is for getting a job, not a date. Except for women who go to school to get the MRS degree ;-) kidding!!
2) If women assume you are arrogant just because you went to Princeton, tell them it just shows how ignorant people who attend lesser universities are.
30 I though your post about "degree" working for you was going to be about deoderant. Ah, the power of advertising. :-D
-John

David Cho said...

How soon is the degree thing brought up? And who usually brings it up?

T said...

My thoughts exactly Amanda. Damn Harvard and Yale kids ruining it for the rest of us! :)

Dave, I don't usually bring it up first but in the two cases I am talking about, I met the girls through the internet. In the first case it wasn't because of anything I wrote myself but just because I'm linked to a bunch of other Princeton people and it is obvious that I am a Princeton Grad.

In the other case I did come out and say it. I'm not ashamed of the fact and I don't try to hide it, why should I? For some reason it is much more arrogant to say, "I went to Princeton." Than it is to say, "I went to SDSU". Why this is the case is beyond me.

David Cho said...

Where I went to high school comes up more with people that I run into than my college affiliation. I guess people ask that wanting to know where I grew up.

It probably has to do with you being just a few years removed from college unlike washed out old farts like me.

David Cho said...

But with first generation Koreans, my college affiliation is THE VERY FIRST thing that comes up. Always. That is how they size up people.

Now I tell them that I just did a couple of semesters at JC (which is a true statement, albeit imcomplete. Did some summer sessions). Their reactions are pretty classic.