<p>Yeah, so i heard that where you go to college matters, because you have to network a lot and get lots of connections wherever you are. I heard it's pointless to go to an east coast school if you're planning on working in the west, especially if it's a school that's less well known.
is this right?
before, i totally thought that college was just about the education and then getting hookups from that school and your friends, but would that only give me a job around the area or what?
how much should i worry about around where i go for college?</p>
<p>Networking is way overrated. Solid GPA+knowing how to talk = jobs.</p>
<p>I will respectfully disagree with Tyler-Durden. Networking is of utmost importance. The job force is not a meritocracy where the best performers rise to the highest positions. To succeed, talent is vital. However, a lot of talented people don't rise to the highest levels of their respective institutions. The right circumstances are important to capitalize on your talent. That is, the right internships, right projects, right resources etc. How do you know what experience/education will be held valuable in your field? Try talking to people and maintaining strong relationships. Networking isn't just about making connections with other undergrads, it is also about making connections with graduate students, teaching assistants, administrators and faculty.</p>
<p>It really depends on the school in the east which you'd be attending.</p>
<p>If you are talking about one of the Ivies, they have significant alumni networks nationwide, and they will help you out. To a lesser degree, they will help alumni of Ivies other than their own, and pool their social and networking resources together--especially in cities and countries where their population would otherwise be quite small...</p>
<p>I agree with belevitt, and would even go farther. In better times, at least, many companies will make offers to those who have done internships with them. Companies tend to set up internships with colleges in their general area (although there are of course plenty of exceptions). With 3,000+ colleges even the largest employer can't send on-campus interviewers everywhere, so they'll concentrate on colleges in their region. Unless you go to a college that is a household name as being one of the top schools, it will be easier to find a job in the region/state of the college. Note that "easier" does not mean its <em>impossible</em> to go back east and return west for a job, but it may very well involve more effort and risk.</p>
<p>I should add parenthetically that it is usually hard to explain to a HS student that something is a factor but not determining. They like to see the world in a black-and-white manner. Something is true or not. A school ranked 5th is better than one ranked 8th. And so on. What we're talking about here is a not an absolute. It tends to be easier to find a job in the region where you went to college, for a number of reasons, but that doesn't mean you can only find a job in that region.</p>
<p>O icic, thanks. I will keep that in mind.</p>