From what I've seen,the only time what college you went to matters is if you went to an Ivy.
All of my friends went to different "levels" of colleges. Some who went to private 4-year institutions with great internships couldn't find a job for over a year while some who went to the state school got a great job right away.
My friend who went to Yale got an amazing job that none of us could ever get, and he majored in English. He's doing something in law without having gone to law school. His school choice definitely helped him get his job.
My community college was totally elitist and awesome! ;D
Santa Monica City college has the most transfers to UC schools...
Yeah, actually what community college you attend does matter if you intend to transfer to a 4 year school. Many ccs have articulation agreemts with 4 year schools, ensuring their credits transfer at a 1 to 1 basis.
I went to an elite liberal arts college in MA that had an articulation agreement with a FL cc. The 2 schools developed programs and devices to support and encourage students who wished to transfer.
DH has so many doors open to him just because of where he has degrees, even today 20 years after he graduated from undergrad.
Also his undergrad got him his first job, which got him his second, etc...
In certain fields pedigree matters and leds credibility to your candidacy.
In sales it probably doesn't matter where you went to college.
I agree that going to a good school can definitely open doors for you and you can have opportunities open up because of those connections, but don't you think at some point, say 20 years after you graduate, most companies focus more on your previous experiences (which will certainly have been dictated by which school you previously went to) and not by your degree or the school that degree was obtained at?
depends on the field.
In my field, the name of the law school is everything.
There are law firms and corporations that will toss my resume in the trash based on the school alone, no matter how big my book of business is.
Post by pantsparty on May 18, 2012 17:58:30 GMT -5
I work in sales. I don't have a degree. I've worked with people with very prestigious degrees. In sales, experience and track record are far more important.
I think for a lot of other jobs, even though experience eventually matters more, having a prestigious degree can get you that first job that will really set you up for success.
Post by cahabalily on May 18, 2012 19:58:14 GMT -5
I too would disagree re: teaching. Where I live and where I'm from, there aren't enough teaching jobs and a master's doesn't even guarantee a job, ESP if it isn't from an accredited school
My librarian friends seem to think as long as you get your MLS you're good.
Two of the friends I graduated college with went into big 4 accounting, and we weren't HBS or Wharton, but I think it's a decent school.
Dh is a computer programmer that does stuff for libraries. If you want to work for a university, the school you went to will matter. If you want to work at a county library, it doesn't matter so much.
I don't think there is ever a time when a degree from a brand-name school doesn't matter. I do think, though, that a person with a degree from a more generic-brand school doesn't matter either as long as they can portray that they are capable in other ways.
I think it always matters if you ever want to get to the top of your field. I understand that not everyone wants that though and that is completely understandable.
In this economy, I think employers are especially picky and will tap into schools they are more familiar with before others. So you don't have to come from a Top 10 school but you better come from a recognizable one in your area.