<p>Everyone wants to seem the brand name colleges for alumni connections.</p>
<p>How strong are these connections, anyway? I know if someone asked me for a special favor based solely on the fact that we went to the same elementary school, I wouldn't give them the time of day, especially if they weren't in the same class as me. Of course, I would be more than happy to help an old friend, but that would be because I know them personally.</p>
<p>What I'm wondering is, what makes HYP so appealing, especially in terms of alumni connections? Are things different in college, and people in their professional lives will help you based on the fact that you both went to the same alma mater, or is it that alumni connections occur because you made friends with them during your time at college? If it's the latter, won't you make friends no matter where you go to college?</p>
<p>Well, if you want to be a politician or a high-powered business person, than alumni connections can be relatively important. I think it is important to realize, however, that HYP alums do NOT run the whole world--state schools and plenty of other good to excellent private schools also have large and supportive alumni networks. Especially if you want to be a politician, state school could have the best connections for you--make great connections at U of State, and you will be on your way to the mayorship or state senator position you desire. </p>
<p>For less connection needy jobs, however, I don't think that alumni connections are so important. I mean, yeah, it's nice if your school has people at top firms around the country, but I think that qualified job hunters in non-business/political professions will do just fine even with a "weaker" alumni network.</p>
<p>My question is, are these alumni connections really worth the high price of tuition, the distance from home, etc? Will I really have an edge over a comparably qualified applicant for a job if I went to the same alma mater as the person who's hiring/in charge of the company?</p>
<p>^^I don't know. Probably you will have a slight edge if the hiring/manager/whatever of the company went to the same alma mater as you, but again, that would be true for ANY college. Again--HYP grads do not rule the world. Currently my father, the Princeton grad, is technically the employee (the Associate Principal beneath the Principal...not quite a straight up employee, but you know what I mean) of a U of I grad. I guess if more money/more success is all that college is worth to a person, than Princeton failed my father. </p>
<p>Basically, in my opinion, if you are really worried aoubt your job prospects, I feel pretty confident in saying that NO, a hard-working, well-educated (needn't be an Ivy or Ivy level education), driven person will face very little difference in job prospects than if they had gone to HYP etc.</p>