<p>I was researching 'General Management' careers and found some interesting observations.</p>
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A four-year degree from an Ivy League institution or another reputable school can accelerate your climb.
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<p>I've come across this sentiment several times (but still find it somewhat hard to believe when people like Kevin Sharer - CEO of Amgen have even gotten their MBAs from schools like University of Pittsburg).</p>
<p>So I was just wondering, where does the "cut-off" for the reputable college exist?</p>
<p>I've noticed looking at the US News list is practically useless - but generally speaking at what point do we transcend into the domain of not-so-reputable colleges?</p>
<p>I agree with CGM, but given the context (“Ivy League institution or another reputable school…”), I’d say it means an Ivy-caliber institution. This would generally include schools like MIT, Stanford, The University of Chicago, and other top colleges that aren’t members of the Ivy League. It sounds as if this is talking about undergraduate colleges, saying that an education from a top college can make it easier to get into a business career. This is probably true since the school will have more recruiting and networking events, the career center will be well-versed in getting students into top careers, and the student won’t have to come from behind to prove his skill or education. As you’ve said, many successful businessmen and women have gotten degrees from non-flagship state schools and lesser known schools, but it’s likely easier in the beginning for students coming from top, well-known schools. </p>
<p>So, I really don’t think that “reputable” is the correct word. The context implies that they are talking about the very top schools and not just schools that are accredited or whatever else. Sometimes it can be hard to gauge the “top” schools–the ones competitive with the Ivy League. I’m not a huge ranking fan, but USNews can actually be useful for this since it does give a loose idea of rank, quality, or prestige. It shouldn’t be followed to the letter, of course, but it can be a good jumping off point. With the context in this quote, I’d say look at the top-25 schools. These institutions are all of an extremely high caliber and are largely on par with Ivy League schools. I’d say good state flagships would make this cut as well Remember that the hierarchy of schools that feed best into business careers may be different from the rankings of top schools in general; the University of Michigan, for example, would shoot to the top, while a small liberal arts college may drift back a bit.</p>
<p>The fact of the matter is that there are literally 100’s of reputable colleges in the USA. The university who has the highest number of corporate CEO’s is not HYP but good old Wisconsin. </p>
<p>The key is to make the most of your college education and perform to the best of your ability once you enter the workforce. Hey, Mike Eisner began in the Disney mail room and Mike Ovitz began his Paramont career dirviing the studio tour bus. Lee Iacocca was a Lehigh grad ane we all know about that Harvard dropout don’t we.</p>
<p>Reputable is wherever the person interviewing you for a job went to or couldn’t get into. It’s amazing how much this can differ around the country.</p>
<p>I think you were misinformed SGupta. In the U.S. it is actually the opposite of what you posted–a degree from a school that impresses people MAY (but will not always) get you an interview…once you are hired by a corporation, your personal qualities and your connections to those in power will accelerate your climb. Once you have even a couple of years of work experience your degree and to a large extent where you went to school become irrelevant–nobody cares as long as you have a degree from some school they have heard of and know to be legitimate. American companies focus first on your reputation–what do other people who are successful say about you-- and your performance (which leads to people saying good things about you) and not so much on formal credentials.</p>
<p>I would like to think what Mombot said is correct. </p>
<p>The school I got my Ph.D. is among the lowest of the lowest ranking. I had a very difficult time getting my first job. Because I don’t have any other things on my resume, therefore the school name was an important factor. </p>
<p>With an above average performance on my first good job, I have not had any problem llanding a job since. As a matter of the fact, I was laid off with only 14 months at my first job due to corp. down sizing. With three excellent recommadation letters from that job, I got into some top rated companies, including General Electric Company. Now, I have at least 11 patents granted under my name, I don’t think any one will even check if I have a Ph. D. degree or not.</p>
<p>SGupta–Collegeboard has a product to sell. Think about it. They don’t make any money if everybody is happy just going to the local community college, where you don’t even need SATs.</p>
<p>There is a huge marketing engine that plays off of people’s anxieties about economic security. Everybody is looking for that magic bullet that guarantees security but there is no such thing. The people that do well are smart, think fast, are adaptable and are connected.</p>
<p>Curious, originaloog, as to your source that “Wisconsin has highest number of CEO’s…” Its very indefiniteness would make me question the statement, and I would appreciate some attribution. Is it supposed to be Fortune 500 companies, or what? (Know that is false.) Have heard similar things about “Eagle Scouts” and “Marines,” all of which is of course wrong.</p>
<p>“For the second year in a row, the University of Wisconsin joins Harvard as the most common undergraduate university attended by S&P 500 CEOs. Prior to 2004, Harvard alone was the most common school attended.” (Page 7)</p>
<p>For some reason, Wisconsin’s stats are whited out in the table immediately following that quote. I’ve seen this factoid before (I think most recently in Money mag) but this the first thing that came up on Google.</p>
<p>“In fact, a CEO of an S&P 500 company is as likely to have an undergraduate degree from the University of Wisconsin as Harvard (15 each), according to Bloomberg Magazine.”</p>
<p>Thanks, Sheldon. I actually did just look it up for Fortune 500, where it is not the case; in fact, not one of the Fortune 50 has a Wisconsin grad at its helm. Interesting that the S & P 500 (not sure which companies fall in that) has so many Wisconsin grads, and appreciate that. Also note that three of top six schools on your list were Ivies, and one of the others was Ivy-equivalent Stanford, and that Wisconsin’s strength was in lower tier of companies…but still, great for Wisconsin. Again, not the case for Fortune 500, where nearly half of the CEO’s have undergraduate or graduate degrees from Ivies.</p>
<p>It is important to realize that the Ivys still carry weight but there other significant heavyweights out there with reputations in the same class- hence the emphasis that a public U, such as Wisconsin, can help a person meet the same goals. Remember, there is life outside the East Coast and its old schools… Look at rankings in specific business fields for the ones those in that field know and value, many of the Ivys will be there, but they may not be the best for someone’s purpose. How prestigious a school you should consider depends on your goals and abilities.</p>
<p>Realize that the quote says that an education at an Ivy can “accelerate your climb” into business. It’s not necessary, but it does ease the way in the beginning. I do think that that’s true.</p>
<p>I believe it halps at every step, and why it’s often resented. Not that a small percentage of the hundreds of thousands graduated from large state u’s do not find success, particularly in the local area where connections are good, but the mere 10,000 graduated each year from the eight Ivies finds disproportionate success up and down the business, banking, legal, academic etc. food chains across the nation. It doesn’t mean they are better, but the way out of proportion success is well routed in the type of person who gaims admission, who chooses to go, who gets a top flight education and then makes contacts in the process. </p>
<p>If parents who otherwise, even with sacrifice, could send their children where their chances of success are far greater but instead self-indulgently spend in other areas, they are not acting in their children’s best interests. </p>
<p>The Ivies and their immediate equivalents (not bogus “New” or “near” Ivies) are not right for everyone, not even everyone who can get in, but they offer something special and otherwise unavailable at a state u or a hum-drum private. Especially with terrific financial aid widely available up to 200k incomes, there is far less financial excuse not to obtain what is clearly a premier education and the opportunities that go with it.</p>
<p>Well, I still wonder just how many Ivy league graduates do well primarily because of family money and connections. In addition to this companies are still trying to meet gov’t. rules on affirmative action which will certainly include some of the URM’s graduating from top schools without family connections and wealth.</p>
<p>Interesting Mombot, but the MyRoad website has literally no mention of Ivy League/Reputable Colleges in the Finance Sector. You’d think careers like Investment Banking were ripe with listings of Ivy League Institution, but internships were the only things emphasized. No mention of reputable colleges for Management Consulting either (again the emphasis on internships)</p>
<p>I remember reading the study talking about Wisconsin graduating most CEOs (in a BusinessWeek article) but I remember it to be unadjusted to size.</p>
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<p>Theresa, there certainly are many entrepreneurs who were to StateUs but I think the quote claims that it’s easier to rise up in Management ranks with a “reputable” education.</p>
<p>Anyway going back to the original question, What are considered to be reputable colleges again? :)</p>
<p>Leaving aside whether I agree or disagree with the flat assertion that your alma mater will accelerate or decelerate your corporate climb, I would have to say that the answer to your question is “it depends.”</p>
<p>Clearly any state flagship university falls into the “reputable” category as do the top national and master’s universities as reported by USNWR. It gets fuzzier when you get to regional and liberal arts colleges–a school like Humboldt State has an excellent reputation for certain fields and is generally better known in the Pacific NW and northern CA. Even fairly obscure schools can develop a reputation for preparing graduates well for jobs in specific industries. </p>
<p>It has been covered extensively on this board in the past, but in some regions of the country a state flagship degree may open more doors than a degree from a top liberal arts school such as Amherst or Williams. In Alabama, a degree from U. of A or Auburn is reputable; in Honolulu a degree from University of Hawaii may be fine; take that same degree to Seattle where you compete with graduates of University of Washington for the same jobs and hiring managers may dismiss those schools as “party schools” on the basis of a vague sense that they have big football programs or that kids go to Hawaii to surf and hang out.</p>
<p>Anyway, it’s kind of a vague and general statement and I’m not sure it’s useful to try to analyze it, as there are so many other variables at play than just a school’s reputation.</p>
<p>This is a common student belief, but once you get into business it just doesn’t make much difference. I have no idea where my coworkers went to college. If you work in business only two things are rewarded: actual achievement in accomplishing your goals, or being exceptionally talented at kissing top management bottoms. It doesn’t hurt to be a ruthless narcissist, either.</p>