<p>Does it really matter where you go to college, as long as you have a bachelor's degree in the feild of study you wish to work in?
Excluding the ivy leagues and militry academies, if you go to a state university, or a liberal arts college, or perhaps even a religious university isn't the most important thing that you get a degree? Will the college of your choice really affect your career?</p>
<p>Personaly, I am unsure about what I want to study. Although I'd enjoy an academically rigorous school, does going to a tiny university that is virtually unknown for its academics destroy your chances of getting a career?</p>
<p>Is it better to do a less-than-great job at a prestegious university, or do absolutly fantastic at a tiny, unknown school.</p>
<p>Short answer: After a job or two nobody cares about GPA or what you majored in, but they still care about where you went to school. Alumni connections cab also be a major help with your career.</p>
<p>There’s no research I’m aware of that suggests that a student with a given academic profile will perform better in life/career based on what school they select.</p>
<p>Yes it can matter where you attend college largely. At least try to attend a well respect/ recognized school. If you plan to attend graduate school, your undergraduate degree will not affect your oppurtunities after graduate school much.</p>
There are tons of examples, statistics etc… though I will try to think of one from the top of my head…
Oh right, one we may all be able to relate to. Students who attend elite high schools (such as Hotchkiss), eventhough one GPA could be 3.45 (Top 1% test score… if that matters) compared to a inner city public student with a GPA of 4.0 ( top 1% test score also), who would be surprise if both have equal favors on, or say even the student who attend the private school ( such as Hotchkiss) is highly favored more and accepted. This could likely be due to the elite high school well respect/ recognition, resources available to the student, more rigious course load, likely to be taught by some of the countries greatest teachers etc…
This happens a lot with graduate school, job offers etc… such as internships being open to certain students at certain schools, meaning certain universities are more known for preparing/ making their students more successful.</p>
<p>Certain fields like banking/consulting are tough to crack without a prestigious degree or inside connections. </p>
<p>For grad school, you’re better off getting a 4.0 at the unknown school. If you want a job right after graduation, you’re better off with a B average at Prestige University. </p>
<p>Overall, though, keep in mind that just attending a school doesn’t mean much. If somebody waltzes in to a large business and expects a top position based on having attended Harvard, without proving that they can bring anything valuable to the table, they’ll be told to go **** themselves.</p>
<p>@Coolbrezze: Or perhaps the Hotchkiss students would succeed even if they went to a public school. The same high socioeconomic and/or academic status that they enjoy would probably serve them well either way. Do they do well because they go to Hotchkiss, or because they have the wealth and education to go to Hotchkiss?</p>
<p>I’m not trying to say that all schools are equal in all circumstances. A student from Harvard probably will have more opportunities than a student from North Idaho College even if both have equal qualifications, intelligence, and wealth. However, the comparison is usually not that dramatic.</p>
<p>The goal is to find a school where you can make the most of the opportunities offered. Prestige may or may not be a necessity.</p>
<p>Your college choice probably won’t “destroy your chances of getting a career” but, if you go to a school where you aren’t being challenged or taught in a way that fits your learning style, you won’t grow very much from the college experience.</p>