Friend went to Harvard. Now works at a call center.

Colleges and Universities A-Z Harvard University
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<p>I have a friend who went to Harvard and currently works at the call center of a financial company. He answers phones and deals with customers all day long. Apparently he doesn't earn a lot of money. I think he said between 40 and 50. That's actually not bad for most people, but when you consider the name of the school he graduated from four years ago, you'd expect he'd be earning much more money.</p>

<p>Obviously I know that Harvard has a ridiculously high concentration of geniuses, but are cases like my friend's not unheard of?</p>

2

<p>If you’re talking 40-50k I’m pretty sure that’s right around the median starting income for Harvard grads. It’s obviously not unheard of.</p>

3

<p>He graduated four years ago.</p>

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<p>In case you haven’t noticed, a lot of people’s careers have been sidetracked in the last 18 months, especially people in their mid-20s. I’m sure there are plenty of 2009 Harvard graduates who don’t have jobs at all.</p>

<p>Harvard isn’t a guarantee of anything, except maybe that you are “smart”. But being smart isn’t a guarantee of anything, either, once you get past the standardized test stage of your life.</p>

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<p>At least he is working and we are not supporting him.</p>

6

<p>I know of someone who went to Harvard and now waits tables.</p>

7

<p>You must be kidding.</p>

8

<p>Nope. But he still makes good money, though. He is the head waiter at a high end restaurant. Majored in political science.</p>

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<p>Harvard doesn’t offer a political science major, or rather, concentration. However, that’s not to discount the possibility of the scenario. I can think of plenty of my friends who are not aiming for high paying occupations upon graduation, and there are plenty whose aim will never be to make six figures.</p>

10

<p>How much is “good money”?</p>

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<p>Harvard isn’t a guarantee of anything</p>

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<p>A lot of people don’t go to Harvard to become rich. An outstanding education has other rewards too.</p>

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<p>[The</a> Harvard Crimson :: News :: Surveying the Class](<a href=“http://www.thecrimson.com/article.aspx?ref=528363]The”>http://www.thecrimson.com/article.aspx?ref=528363)</p>

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<p>Like $70,000 to $80,000, for size?</p>

15

<p>It’s not about what school you go to, it’s about what you make of it. :wink: </p>

<p>Still, I find this disheartening news.</p>

16

<p>Einstein was a patent clerk. Man, what a loser.</p>

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<p>Yeah, and what body of work have you accomplished to call him a loser. So many advances in tech have been founded on his discoveries. I sincerely hope that was a joke.</p>

18

<p>I think White_Rabbit was making a joke.</p>

<p>Harvard gives you a name but you still need to work hard and find your direction. I knew plenty of people who were a little aimless after college, they ended up finding their way.</p>

19

<p>It was clearly a joke to all of these people who are talking about how disheartened they are to find out that people from Harvard sometimes work “menial jobs.”</p>

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<p>@huinsider. Isn’t Government and Political Science essentially the same thing?</p>