Just how good is a degree from Michigan

<p>I know at least google is also very elitist when it comes to hiring</p>

<p>But at the same time, if you’re getting an elite job, you’re most likely going to be pursuing a degree past your Undergraduate work, and that’s when pedigree and networking really matters. In other words, it’s just as pragmatic to attend a “State School,” save your money, and then go to a top-tier University for your graduate work as it is to jump right into the world of elite schools.</p>

<p>Google hires a lot of undergrads.</p>

<p>Investment banks hire the majority from undergrads and the rest from top MBA.
And guess who has the easiest time getting into the top MBA programs? People from elite investment banks and strat consulting firms like MBB
Guess who typically get jobs at elite investment banks and strat consulting firms?
Ivy undergrads.
See? It’s an elitist cycle.</p>

<p>google had like 15 undergrad engineering interns this past summer. i would hardly consider that a lot, though i would definitely consider that elite. on that note, michigan was easily one of the best represented schools in that intern class.</p>

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<p>This would be incorrect.</p>

<p>bearcats, you are correct about some companies being elistist. Lucky for you, Michigan is at the top of the food chain. Michigan is almost always listed in the same group as Brown, Cornell, Dartmouth, Duke, Northwestern and Penn. It was by Lehman Brothers and it is by Goldman Sachs. It is also by BCG, McKinsey, Mercer and Oliver Wyman. Where it matters, in the highest corporate circles, Michigan is one of the top 10 universities in the nation.</p>

<p>“In other words, it’s just as pragmatic to attend a “State School,” save your money, and then go to a top-tier University for your graduate work as it is to jump right into the world of elite schools.”</p>

<p>Only true if said “State School” is of sufficient rigor to have prepared you well for an elite or rigorous grad school. Easier said than done. You’d have lost four years of mentoring, connections, and being surrounded by highly talented peers.</p>

<p>It doesn’t matter where your from, The University of Michigan is a very respectful degree. It also depends on the school your in. A degree from Ross is much more prestigious than LSA. Basically, if your in one of the professional (Engineering, public policy, business, nursing) or the honors program that degree is up there with an ivy equivalent.</p>

<p>Believe the UM degree is a very strong credential for both the Midwest and East Coast. Even my die-hard UCLA relatives would not argue w/my daughter going to UM over UCLA-that says something also. Don’t know for sure, but I suspect you stick out (in a positive way) on the West Coast when all they see are tons of UCLA, USC and Berkeley grads.</p>

<p>

Carlyle doesn’t limit its hiring to elite schools. You can check it out yourself -
[The</a> Carlyle Group : Team Members : Title](<a href=“http://www.carlyle.com/Team/Title/item8192.html]The”>http://www.carlyle.com/Team/Title/item8192.html). It’s interesting that they hire a lot of ex-CPA’s.</p>

<p>Btw, there are at least 3 Principals and 2 Directors from Michigan.</p>

<p>^
Yeah, but those people have many, many years of job experience. BC is saying that it’s easier to get these positions with less job experience by attending a more elite undergraduate institution. I mean, just read his past posts in the thread; he makes his opinion quite clear.</p>

<p>im actually pretty confident carlyle’s incoming associate class this summer has a michigan guy in it (guy’s at moelis now, an elite bank where michigan’s either #1 or #2 in recruiting priority. he had offers at tpg and caryle, dont know what he ended up taking).</p>

<p>

Apparently not at Carlyle. If you look at the list of analysts, there are not that many with undergrad degrees from elite schools.</p>

<p>Pancakes, Carlyle loves Michigan. Most extremely exclusive PE and VC firms will have Michigan on their very short list (5 or 10) of “strategic” campuses. There are currently 10 or so Michigan alums working at Carlyle. Only 6 or 7 universities have more alums placed there. 5 of them are senior, and may have acquired their experience elsewhere, but 5 of them are junior and probably joined straight out of college. </p>

<p>A friend of mine is a senior HR officer at Goldman Sachs and has run a report for me. For the last 5 years, only five universities have sent more fresh undergraduates to GS than Michigan. To nobody’s surprise, the three most represented schools were Harvard, Penn and Princeton. On average, GS has recruited 17 Michigan undergrads each year.</p>

<p>If one is interested in those sorts of jobs (Private Equity, Venture Capital, Investment Bank, Management Consulting), there are three superior options: Wharton, Harvard and Princeton. After those three, there are roughly a dozen or so excellent options, and they include Brown, Chicago, Columbia, Cornell, Dartmouth, Duke, Michigan, MIT, Northwestern, Penn, Stanford and Yale.</p>

<p>Just my two cents:</p>

<p>A degree from a school like Michigan, and going to a top 3 business school like Ross, is only useful of you do well. Competition for jobs is fierce, and you better hope that your GPA is right up there and that you have an innate ability to suck up to recruiters and network your butt off. Because, to be honest, that is exactly what’s gonna get you the interview at a top bank or consulting firm. Once you get the interview, you better know your stuff - those finance and consulting interviews are insanely hard with those technical questions as well as case studies. It might sound easy to you when I say “know your stuff”, but unless you are the type of person that always follows the markets and is up to date with a lot of what’s going on in our economy, it will be pretty evident that you are unprepared for your interview.</p>

<p>Absolutly true Mighty Nick. Exclusive firms have a GPA cutoff, generally around 3.5. Even Harvard students need to have high GPAs.</p>

<p>Hi Alexandre,</p>

<p>Thanks. I really don’t know very much about the field of business and hiring, so that is useful information.</p>

<p>Michigan is a great school in so many respects. </p>

<p>No one will make a mistake going to Michigan, and its choices and resources are vast. It is simply astounding that UM is in virtually every major graduate program in the top 10, and while undergrad is the topic here, it imprints the school in terms of excellence. What a wonderful place. (I am not an alum, but have a Shipman daughter at UM now and another at Princeton - and my own experience in education was at two top 10 schools - I have not arrived at my comments about UM lightly or without context). </p>

<p>Lerg is absolutely correct that finances matter today. Debt is a huge issue. I will say that my recent visit (business) to Rutgers was dismal in terms of atmosphere and I would not put it high on my list if I were young once more, especially after visiting Ann Arbor, one of the top college towns in the nation. But in the end, cold reality is in order, especially in this economy, unless one is lucky enough to afford out of state tuition. </p>

<p>And one more thing - choosing a school based on where investment banks allegedly hire - most of them in hock to Uncle Sam right now - is downright insane. A young man that is a friend of the family works for a tony investment bank right now - an accounting major from W & L - it is the kind of economy where solid, practical skills reign - and he was hired over many, many Ivy Leaguers, who wouldn’t know a double ledger if it hit them in the chin. be practical, be smart, and be motivated. Make the most of wherever you go, and use the resources of each place to make you better and meet long term goals and objectives.</p>