Everyone has an opinion, and here’s your chance to find out what CC members think…
How important is an elite college (say, Ivy or equivalent) undergrad degree to an individual’s career prospects?
<p>if you are not going to grad school, then it is not important, easy as that!</p>
<p>Hmmm, some might say the reverse: if your undergrad degree is your terminal degree, then the school becomes more important.</p>
<p>(Just playing devil's advocate...:))</p>
<p>sorry thats what I meant, I got fumbled in my own words. I suppose that if you went to an elite undergrad school and a Fortune 500 company was deciding between the Drexel student or the Harvard student, that is when it comes to importance.</p>
<p>For grad schools, if you went to Drexel undergrad school and got into Harvard med or any other med, that is truly an accomplisment and in med schools, where you got your degree doesnt matter much. For Law schools, only top 50 matter a quite bit more than the others.</p>
<p>Unless the Fortune 500 company was better affiliated with Drexel (e.g. cases where universities close-by get the "favorite son" nod in hiring) then that may be a different story.</p>
<p>The more I look into college the more I think the education a student might recieve at a large top 25 school, such as UPenn, is comparable to that of a decent state school. Both will have large intro classes and TAs teaching courses. Both will have professors who are either a success or a failure with their students. The main difference? The quality of the student bodies, the same student bodies that will either be great for networking one day or terrible. But, the main question is whether or not those smart IVY undergrads really need their schools resources to be successful? As I've heard so many times on CC, these students accepted at top-25 schools can be successful anywhere, with or without networking-with or without an elite degree. </p>
<p>Undoubtly, certain degrees from certain elite colleges can create opportunities that may not necessarily be there at less selective colleges. For example, an Engineer who graduated from MIT will have better job offers than an Engineer who graduated from UMass-Dartmouth. But, what about if a student earns a degree in a unpractical field, such as Philosophy or Sociology or English. These are fields, that I guess, networking will be of little help unless the student will attend grad school. In this case, it doesn't matter what college the student attended, but whether the motivation the student has to succeed. </p>
<p>I came upon this one story which I thought is an enjoyable read. While I have ready many posts about students clamoring to get accepted to Wharton or the likes, this young gentlemen was able to establish a strong network without the use of an elite degree.</p>
<p>I'd have to agree with what Roger_Dooley and Harvard2400 said up there.. If you're going to grad school, the undergrad degree isn't very important. When I was visiting colleges after decisions came in and trying to decide where to go, I went and met with a senior faculty member at each school and I heard the same thing over and over again in terms of grad school admissions: It doesn't matter which undergrad school you go to as long as you excel there and take advantage of all the opportunities you're presented with. Someone who goes to a top school like MIT, does mediocre in his classes and does absolutely nothing outside of taking classes - no clubs, no research etc - will actually be in a worse position than someone who went to a "lesser" school, did well in classes, was involved in extracurriculars and worked in a lab doing research. (Of course, each person still said their school was the best place ;) )</p>
<p>And for private_joker's article, I'm betting it'll be taken down by the mods for copyright reasons, so if the site wants you to log in, use bugmenot.com</p>
<p>Although a degree from a top school may help get you in the door, it won't keep you there. </p>
<p>It is also is considerably more important in certain fields (i.e., business) and much less important in other fields (i.e., the movie biz). A teacher at my school is a Stanford graduate (both undergrad and grad) who decided he wanted to become movie producer. He interviewed with a major motion picture company who, much to the teacher's admitted surprise, gave him a job as a lowly gopher, fetching things for the cast and crew. His first reaction was, "But...I have a degree from Stanford!" The company didn't care--they realized that the things you use in the movie business aren't anything you can learn in a classroom, but only things you can pick up through time around sets and making connections in the biz.</p>
<p>I think it also depends on what field your career is in. If you plan to enter business or a big city law firm, its nice to say you grad. from an elite school (most likely some of the people your working and HIRING you did as well). Kinda shows, by their bias viewpoint, you can handle the job they give you. But if you don't plan to enter such competitive careers like SEMI said, Film, or Education, Dentistry than is it really worth ($) and important to enter UPENN than say a state college?</p>
<p>I'll let you know next May When my D graduates from Yale.</p>
<p>Somewhat important. Your personality has to do with a lot of it.</p>
<p>My aunt received a degree from MIT and an MBA from Northwestern, but got fired from her job and ended up working in telemarketing. </p>
<p>It will help you get a job in the beginning, but then your work record gradually takes over and paves the rest of your way. </p>
<p>Of course, people will always respect you for your degree.</p>
<p>I feel that a college doesn't make the student. Getting into a prestigious university/college is an end in itself; a reward for all the years of effort up to that point in a person's life. Something he/she can be proud of years later, like a special award. In terms of later sucess in life, assuming adcoms know a good student when they see one, those admits to prestigious institutions would do well whether they went to a state school or ivy league. They are driven people and success is 99% perspiration and 1% inspiration.</p>
<p>The college you attended can, however, influence the graduate schools you can get into. All other things being equal (GMATs, LSATs, etc.) grad school admissions people certainly will favor applicants from undergraduate programs known to be rigorous and demanding. </p>
<p>For example, service academy graduates with GPAs that are relatively unprepossessing compared to their civilian counterparts are often accepted at elite graduate schools after their five years of active duty. It may be that grad school admissions people know that there is no grade inflation at the SAs (the average cume GPA for a typical West Point class is only around 2.6-2.7), or it may be some other factor, but the phenomenon is well documented.</p>
<p>in response to the idea that where you went undergrad doesn't effect grad school placement, i have to say that in my experience this has been that this is not the case. Grad schools will favor applicants from the elite schools. There is plently of data on law and med school acceptances that show this to be the case. in my own case, phd programs in biochemistry, i literally had more than one interviewer tell me that because of where i went ug, expectations were less high for my gpa and work record, ec's, etc.. because of the respect the admissions committes had for my school.</p>
<p>the lobby of the hotel school at cornell is filled with companies looking for students to recruit for jobs.</p>
<p>go across the hill to ithaca college. there isnt a single recruiter in the b-school lobby.</p>
<p>that doesnt mean you cant make something of a lower tier degree, its just that if you go to a top school its made for you</p>
<p>Not for GRAD school placement. Almost most medical schools will take the Rutgers student who graduates with a 3.9, 38 MCAT than the Cornell student-who endures a much more rigorous curriculum- with a 3.3/3.4 and 35 MCAT score anyday. I am sure that the Cornell student would have been on top of the class at Rutgers, but numbers are startng to matter a bit more. (P.S. assuming their EC's, connections, financial, ethical, backgrounds are the same). Unless you attended a sub tier 1/tier 2 university in USNEWS rankings, I think that grades have become more important than what college you went to.</p>
<p>But if you are seeking for a job right out of UGRAD, companies will be like, WOW CORNELL, IVY LEAGUE, you are in! At least, that DEFINITELY would be the original impression and tendency for companies to do.</p>
<p>But look at business and law schools. You have a MUCH better chance at top ones coming from the very top colleges. Alexandre did a post laying this out.</p>
<p>Personality and drive are greater predictors of success. Examples from the people I know best, both of whom started with nothing and were the first in their families to attend college: One was a good but not outstanding student, applied only to "status-less" Christian Brothers College in Memphis; his only e.c.'s were working at Kentucky Fried Chicken and in a canning company to pay his way. He got into the only med school he applied to, was accepted to a top residency program, and earns over $500,000 a year. The second got a perfect 1600 on his SAT, worked his way through Yale, never rose higher than middle manager at Lucent, was laid off years ago and is struggling to get by. The first example was modest and reserved, rarely had negative things to say about others and spent his spare time working. The second had an pompous attitude, complained a lot, and spent far more time in leisure pursuits. I know many others who fit the same patterns.</p>
<p><<not for="" grad="" school="" placement.="" almost="" most="" medical="" schools="" will="" take="" the="" rutgers="" student="" who="" graduates="" with="" a="" 3.9,="" 38="" mcat="" than="" cornell="" student-who="" endures="" much="" more="" rigorous="" curriculum-="" 3.3="" 3.4="" and="" 35="" score="" anyday.="">> Actually these two students are basically equal, depending on the medical school the cornell student may get a boast, as you say cornell has a more rigorous curriculum, and med school adcoms know it.</not></p>
<p>
[quote]
The more I look into college the more I think the education a student might recieve at a large top 25 school, such as UPenn, is comparable to that of a decent state school.
[/quote]
I doubt this. For one, a "decent state school" is far more likely to have large classes. For another, at top 25 schools you still get your own faculty advisor. At large publics, you're on your own -- or go talk to the stranger who's at the window when you go to the counseling office.</p>
<p>Lastly, the numbers simply aren't comparable. UPenn is a big top-25 school, but it only has about 12,000 undergrads. Many large publics have 20,000 or more. An extra 10,000 DOES matter ...</p>