Best Alumni Networking?

College Search & Selection
41

<p>Sure... </p>

<p>the logic works, but those aren't really determinants of an alumni network. Alumni networks affect employment rates... but a high employment rate doesn't necessarily mean that the school has a strong alumni network.</p>

<p>Schools known for their alumni networks foster pride which in turn, fosters alumni networks. I'll use USC as an example as I'm qualified to expound upon it. Not only does the website for every local network (be it USC-NYC or USC Singapore) include information for upcoming networking "mixers," many include "Are you a Trojan looking for a job in New York (or any location)?" link for each club.</p>

<p>Also, the actual defined "Trojan Network" - a title often thrown about to talk about the "Trojan Family" though they're distinct things - is a special feature of the career center where I can contact alumni in the field and location I'm job searchign who've not only volunteered their contact information, but have also indicated they're willing to reach out to new grads and help them. For instance, I could search for "investment banker," in "New York City" and retrieve a list of all the ibanking Trojans who'd like to help get their fellow students' feet in the door.</p>

<p>I believe Notre Dame has a similar system as well... which is why others have mentioned its name in this thread. Something which all schools with good alumni networks have in common is pride - so it should come as no surprise when Notre Dame and USC's names are mentioned.</p>

<p><a href="http://www.vault.com/graddegree/school/school_main.jsp?program_id=3584&type=3&co_page=5&ch_id=408%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.vault.com/graddegree/school/school_main.jsp?program_id=3584&type=3&co_page=5&ch_id=408&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

42

<p>Umm UCLA grads make more in MBA but in Law it's almost equal, it is hardly a "helluva a lot more". </p>

<p>Not sure if you live in CA, but go to any affluent area in LA or OC and you'll find SC alums everywhere. Yeah it's a bit superficial to say it, but it's true and honestly I think that's the closest you'll get to finding an answer.</p>

43

<p>Ivies, top LAC's, top non-Ivies, USC, and Notre Dame</p>

44

<p>Whoa there Butterfish...</p>

<p>I was just trying to answer the question - not every thread that merely mentions a particular strength of USC (or UCLA) has to degrade into a one vs. the other argument. We already have trolls on both sides to do that for us.</p>

<p>Anyways, you can't post grad. statistics and assume the same holds true for undergrads (... and I'm being told to back things up?). Okay then, according to campusdirt.com, (<a href="http://www.campusdirt.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=RS.GradStats&schoolID=13358&guid=71e0861e-ea62-4bd3-9b13-c4390b3e5be4%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.campusdirt.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=RS.GradStats&schoolID=13358&guid=71e0861e-ea62-4bd3-9b13-c4390b3e5be4&lt;/a&gt;) (<a href="http://www.campusdirt.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=RS.GradStats&schoolID=13129&guid=71e0861e-ea62-4bd3-9b13-c4390b3e5be4%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.campusdirt.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=RS.GradStats&schoolID=13129&guid=71e0861e-ea62-4bd3-9b13-c4390b3e5be4&lt;/a&gt;)
USC grads make more upon graduation, make more currently, attain jobs related to their degree much more often, and experience a lower rate of unemplyoment than their UCLA counterparts. </p>

<p>Really, I didn't think I'd have to post school by school stats but when you challenge me to back things up for no reason (did I ever say USC had one of the best employment rates of any school? No, I said it had a rgeat alumni network) I will. And I'll continue to use the Trojan Network as an example of what an alumni network looks like; merely because I'm posting about one of USC's best qualities doesn't automatically mean I'm "motormouthing garbage." This board was intended for open, honest discussion; how's one supposed to have that when anything they say that you disagree with automatically gets responded to with that type of language?</p>

<p>And fyi, despite what I just posted to "back my statements up," I have enormous respect for UCLA. So let's not go down yet another slippery slope of "your school sucks and mine is better because xxxx," k?</p>

45

<p>I'm a big USC advocate, but butterfish's posts are almost always simply hilarious. </p>

<p>He or she is like a little UCLA lapdog. Typical, you know-- bring up one good thing aboug USC and Bruins will be all over it, trying oh-so-hard to find some way UCLA "tops" USC. </p>

<p>It's so lame, butterfish. Stop drooling like a dog over UCLA. Megastud wasn't even trying to compare USC to UCLA in the first place, he never even mentioned UCLA in his post. You're the one who felt it necessary to try to compare UCLA to USC, when it really isn't it all.</p>

46

<p>I love the Hitler reference too...</p>

47

<p>This is not meant to degrade USC but to merely show that going to a school with a great alumni network does not necessarily mean you will reap the benefits of it (themegastud posted one reason for this earlier i believe):</p>

<p><a href="http://www.dailytrojan.com/media/paper679/news/2005/04/21/Supplement/Trojan.Family.Network.fails.In.Job.Assistance-932508.shtml%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.dailytrojan.com/media/paper679/news/2005/04/21/Supplement/Trojan.Family.Network.fails.In.Job.Assistance-932508.shtml&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

48

<p>"I love the Hitler reference too..."</p>

<p>Hah. I know. Quite fitting, isn't it, on a thread about college alumni?</p>

49

<p>You're completely right kfc4u, and as I've said in another thread, too many USC students just assume someone will hook them up and don't learn basic networking skills which are completely essential.</p>

50

<p>See, PEALS, you got one Bitterfish:) You will have countless in your life after you get to LA.</p>

51

<p>believe it or not, due to its size and relative "goodness", UF has as good of networking as most schools</p>

52

<p>i suspect that there are a lot of good schools with alumni who are willing to help out the current students, and they've probably entered their info in the career center or alumni association databases, but that the student just has to take the initiative to contact them first.</p>

53

<p>ok...I'm not here to degrade your school or any body's school. and geez, they deleted my previous post.</p>

<p>and for the record... no one school is better than ...and USC have many strong points along with countless other schools. </p>

<p>but this strong alumi network bothers me because my best friend attended usc along with two others from elementry school friends... the network did not work for them. </p>

<p>1) my best friend-- graduated two years ago from Marshall was looking for work for nearly 8 months ... he was forced to work as a banker teller... hated it... quit after two months. now he just enrolled at a Cal State to take the pressure off him having to work.</p>

<p>2) friend two-- after graduation, he applied as a driver for Pizza Hut</p>

<p>3) friend three-- drop out of school after 2 years because he couldn't afford.</p>

<p>That is why I question it...I'm not saying you are wrong...and I'm not saying I'm right. i just want some concrete prove... which i'm still waiting to see.</p>

<p>of course there are success stories as well-- some graduate from usc have indeed succeed in the corporate world, and few i know are in Pharmacy school....but soi are people from other school as well. but they don't claim to have a network.</p>

<p>here is the comparison... though I mush question its' crediblity.</p>

<p><a href="http://www.studentsreview.com/CA/UCLA.html%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.studentsreview.com/CA/UCLA.html&lt;/a>
<a href="http://www.studentsreview.com/CA/USC.html%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.studentsreview.com/CA/USC.html&lt;/a>
<a href="http://www.campusdirt.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=RS.ComparisonGradStats&guid=71e0861e-ea62-4bd3-9b13-c4390b3e5be4%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.campusdirt.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=RS.ComparisonGradStats&guid=71e0861e-ea62-4bd3-9b13-c4390b3e5be4&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

54

<p>Butterfish, I don't mean to question your credibility, but I must admit I'm somewhat skeptical. Your friend, with a college degree, from a top 30 University... applied to be a driver for Pizza Hut?</p>

<p>If this is true, then logically I would have to infer that they either were a weak student, or a poor job-searcher. Neither of these may be true, and I'm not saying they are (merely inferring them), but come on... was this pizza gig in addition to mgmt consulting on weekdays? </p>

<p>And this isn't a criticism of your post, but I'm wondering how the link you posted says the avg. salary of a UCLA grad is 76k. The average starting grads for Harvard isn't near that much, and UCLA Anderson grads' salaries barely top this. Again, not a criticism of your post, but the website.</p>

<p>Lastly, I don't really feel the need to defend USC's alumni network. If you don't believe, that's fine; I'm clearly not going to change you. As someone who's had no experience with it, clearly you're not going to "believe" in it, but that doesn't mean its neither weak nor that it doesn't exist. I've never encountered the Notre Dame network first hand - but do I believe it not only exists but is pretty strong? Yes, I do. And Notre Dame is a rival. I can dismiss that for the sake of accepting reality.</p>

<p>And sure, sometimes the network doesn't work out for people. Other times it completely does; I know people here who are complete slackers and yet are interning at UBS and Deloitte & Touche downtown through the network. Why? They at least took the initiative to go out and seek it. </p>

<p>To get a perspective on the Network from someone who recruited for PricewaterhouseCoopers... <a href="http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?t=29947&page=2&highlight=norweejunwood%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?t=29947&page=2&highlight=norweejunwood&lt;/a> and read Norweejunwood's post.</p>

<p>As someone in college recruiting, I'd say he's more qualified than either of us. And like I said, I don't really feel the need to prove anything. I go to USC and will likely get a good job after graduation - and if I don't, as long as I take the initiative, I'll have the Network there for me. You go to UCLA and will likely get your own good job after graduation. Let's leave it at that and get back to discussing what the original poster was asking for.</p>

55

<p>i think what butterfish is trying to say is that alumni networks are overhyped or misrepresented. </p>

<p>..basically same thing that themegastud and i have been trying to say: just because you go to a school with a good alumni network doesn't necessarily mean you're going to benefit it. are your chances of a good job better? most likely. are your chances of a good job guaranteed? definately not. </p>

<p>it's like saying if you go to harvard, are you going to be successful in life? most likely. but are you guaranteed success in life? definately not. or that if you have a college degree, are you bound to make more money than someone with a high school degree? most likely, but again, not guaranteed.</p>

56

<p>themgastud,</p>

<p>just as you questioning the legitimacy of studentsreview.com with the starting salary of 75k ( a bit outragous). I'm also skeptical about campusdirt.com claiming that the average ucla grad start out at 21k per year. i mean come on, 21k per year. I know people who made more scrubbing toilets. </p>

<p>so we have nothing.</p>

<p>but college is a big step in any person's life. I personally do not like usc... but it is a fine school on its own right. </p>

<p>and for all you incoming Trojans... You made have pride and you may speak louder than your counterparts.... but insulting other people when they don't agree with you is no no.</p>

<p>and about the usc grad working for Pizza Hut... wrong choice of major.</p>

57

<p>butterfish, i don't know if you go to UCLA or not, but UCLA has something very similar... it's just not publicized, but it's there. career center has a list of alumni who have volunteered their contact information, and the alumni association may be able to match you up with an alumni mentor. the alumni association website also has a list of alumni chapters, with the more active ones having mixers. sounds very similar to what themegastud described about USC. seriously it's all there. but again, UCLA is a big public school where you'll have to take the initiative to find it.</p>

<p>i've personally had my own alumni mentor who has provided me with a lot of advice and even said that he'd offer me an internship at his office but advised me to aim for something closer to my intended career goals, and he provided advice on getting an internship too and now i have a paid internship at a dow jones 30 corporation. i've went through the career center website to check out the alumni who've volunteered their contact info and i've found more than 20 matches of alumni who i'd want to talk to. btw, i've just finished my freshman year. </p>

<p>yea, you never hear of UCLA having good alumni networking (possibly because USC overshadows them in the LA business scene, and possibly because it's not highly publicized), but the resource is there. but then again, going to UCLA (or any other college) doesn't necessarily follow that you'll benefit from its alumni network, or that you'll take the initiative to take advantage of it at all.</p>

58

<p>Cornell and Penn come to mind just because they are prestigious schools with a large undergraduate population. Therefore there are a lot of living alumni from these schools and the alumni networking is fantastic. I believe Cornell boasts 200,000 living alums. . . </p>

<p>All the ivies and elite LACs are good for networking too. . . .Williams comes to mind as a small school with very good networking.</p>

59

<p>kfc4u,</p>

<p>i know. every week I get an email from the career center about job openings and career fairs. Not to mention the departmental advisor setting up meeting with graduates, and asking us to go the mixers and lunches with alumni... and we have a site that directly link the students with working alumni. Talk to them directly.</p>

<p>But you know what??? it's not advertised. I know we have a great network, but you will never heard me speak of the bruin family connection.</p>

<p>and that's why I question USC's bold claim. not to be offensive in anyway. </p>

<p>I love my school...and so what if i don't have a UCLA license plate on my car or that i don't wear my Bruin sweater everyday.</p>

60

<p>So what if you don't' have a UCLA license plate on your car and that you don't wear your sweater everyday? Other Bruins do; the campus cultures in terms of alma mater pride at both campuses (though USC has a little more fervor) is pretty identical. Is it a bad thing to express pride? If you think we as a whole do so much more than UCLA, I'd suggest you take a stroll down Bruinwalk on any given school day.</p>

<p>If I were to respond to your post in your manner, I'd say "you have a great network? Where's the proof?" I'm sure you guys do - and I'm fine with that. Why do we advertise ours so much? Because it does exist, and it's great. Plus advertising it only encourages current grads to join, to take advantage of the benefits that go with the alumni card, with the class ring, with the padfolio with the USC seal. Therefore, the network grows. Those new grads who enter and network are only more contacts 10 years down the line to future grads.</p>

<p>I'm sure if UCLA promoted and fostered its own more, you'd hear and see a lot more about it. Unfortunately, that's not the case though. As you can see, there's perks to boasting about one's network... and clearly USC has good reason to boast about its own: </p>

<p>International alumni chapters
UCLA - 6 (<a href="http://www.uclalumni.net/ChaptersAndClubs/%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.uclalumni.net/ChaptersAndClubs/&lt;/a&gt;)
USC - 21 (<a href="http://www.uclalumni.net/ChaptersAndClubs/)%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.uclalumni.net/ChaptersAndClubs/)&lt;/a>. </p>

<p>Domestic alumni chapters
UCLA - 23 (<a href="http://alumni.usc.edu/clubs/international.cfm%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://alumni.usc.edu/clubs/international.cfm&lt;/a&gt;)
USC - 59 (<a href="http://alumni.usc.edu/clubs/us.cfm%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://alumni.usc.edu/clubs/us.cfm&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p>

<p>We have a saying here that goes "No matter where you go, there will always be a Trojan." Apparently, comparatively, there might not always be a Bruin. </p>

<p>Our network is simply one of our school's strengths so of course we're going to put it out there. After all, we don't go on CC and moan when UCLA students boast about their Education department or their basketball team. Facts are facts - USC has an amazing network of alums.</p>

<p>Some of us can muster the maturity to just accept the fact that a rival school may simply be better at something. For the record, I sincerely hope UCLA takes the NCAA tournament next year. Having both the NCAA football and bball championships in Los Angeles would be cool; and I think we all know that USC doesn't have a shot at the latter.</p>