<p>Here at ND, we don't really have an alumni network so much as the "Notre Dame Family." Alumni are fiercely loyal, and I hear all the time how useful the network is. I have experienced this firsthand, to a degree. When I went on a tour of Florida with our orchestra, ND alums housed and fed us every night. They enjoy remaining connected to the University in any way possible. They told us each night how much the Family has helped them out throughout their lives. I really can't imagine a stronger network.</p>
<p>Im still a freshman, but i have doubt doubt it will. The aggie network is often accused of being a cult.</p>
<p>Senior year of Colgate, one of my three job offers was directly the result of an alumnus. I had contacted the person via the alumni database, he helped me bypass the first round of interviews to enter directly into the series of final round interviews and got an offer two days later. I've always felt bad that ultimately I chose one of the other offers. A friend of mine at Colgate had a similar experience, except that it occured a few years out of school.</p>
<p>Holy Cross has a great alumni network. They have one of the top alumni giving rates and people love the school. Almost everyone I know goes there, has a relative there, or is a legacy of HC, but hey, its Connecticut.</p>
<p>Nightingale- if you are smart, together, motivated and have the academic credentials for the Ivies, top LACS, other top 25 schools, but decide on a decent public, rest assured that you have a bright future, with or without the prestige degree and the associated alumni network. This is 2007 - the economy has become global!!! </p>
<p>I've worked in the Finance/Accounting/IT field for twenty years and my U of Chicago BA and U of Maryland MBA may have opened some doors, signaled my potential value, but I've worked with talented people from all sorts of educational backgrounds and have seen them succeed. In my career, I've worked at 3 top multinational corporations, two of them Fortune 100 companies based in the US, and one listed in the first section of the Nikkei based in Japan. The only "elite" alumni network that seemed to have traction was at the Japanese company. In my opinion, it was to the detriment of it's corporate culture.</p>
<p>The two US corporations I have experience with (I still work at one) are a technology titan and a sports apparel/footwear icon. "HYP" are relatively unimportant, "S" may be valued, but, by golly, the companies seem to have lots of Sun Devils, Aggies and Ducks running things. Maybe things are different back on the east coast in the investment community. I know it's been said before but it's really not where you got your degree, but what you know and how you make your <em>own</em> connections, networks, etc. that really matter.</p>
<p>BTW, CC isn't the best place to get objective advice about your question anyway. Ivies, top LACs, other top 25, etc. will be defended to the bitter end! Just read it for amusement.</p>
<p>I have to say that my UVA connections since graduating 10 years ago have been exceptionally helpful not only professionally but also socially and extra-curricularly. My first position straight out of college came about because a UVA alumna requested that I join her team after I completed the analyst training period. It was cool having a fellow Hoo as your first boss. </p>
<p>Since I'm a member of my alumni clubhouse in NY, I've been able to stay at very exclusive clubs worldwide when I travel for both work and pleasure. Also, I've met a number of UVA "celebs" from TV personalities like Tina Fey, Katie Couric, Ben McKenzie, and The Today Show's new addition - Tiki Barber of the NY Giants; to captains of industry like Peter Quick (former president of the American Stock Exchange), NYC real estate titan David Walentas, Gene Lockhart (former CEO of Mastercard) and his old college roommate Tim Koogle (former CEO of Yahoo); as well as media giants like Richard Lowry (Editor-In-Chief of The National Review) and Robert Wright (CEO of NBC).</p>
<p>Plus, while UVA is often stereotyped as a conservative school, it's interesting to note that there is an influential gay UVA mafia here in NY that has a lot of connections in various social circles and industries. For example, the managing director of one of the elite investment firms is a Hoo. In addition, the highest ranking gay man in the Clinton White House was a Double Hoo - Sean Maloney, and Sean was just appointed the 1st Deputy to the Governor by Gov. Spitzer.</p>
<p>My whole family has benefited from the Cornell connections that both my husband and I have. My husband got his current job through a Cornell connection. And one of our kids got an excellent summer internship through the Cornell alumni grapevine.</p>
<p>The thing with Cornell is that it's the largest school in the Ivy League and therefore has the largest alumni network by definition. We are everywhere, especially in the major cities of the East.</p>
<p>I've been extremely impressed by the UVA alumni in my travels. Being at those evening programs before the prospective students arrive is telling...those of you trying to gauge the network at a variety of schools might consider going a little early to those programs to see their informal interaction.</p>
<p>
[QUOTE]
So how bad would not having a network be for students graduating from a brand new school such as Olin Engineering?
[/QUOTE]
Olin was bringing corporate and academic leaders on campus from day one, so there were a lot of employers eagerly waiting for graduation day.</p>
<p>The first class had some of the most amazing plans! A good number went on the grad school (business, med school, engineering), some went into the corporate world, and a few are working for the</a> start up that two of them helped start in their sophomore year. Two students (both were student workers in the Office of Admission!) have been doing research, on unrelated projects, on Antarctica. What are the chances of that?</p>
<p>Those kids are doing just fine!</p>
<p>I have two excellent degrees, with two very nice diplomas on my wall.</p>
<p>Neither has been an iota useful for getting me anything, anywhere, in terms of connections.</p>
<p>From reading the posts above, I'd say there are two kinds of "alumni network" - one's personal network of friends from dorms, frats, sororities, classes, clubs, etc. (plus THEIR contacts), and the broader network of alumni you aren't personally acquainted with but who might give you a break.</p>
<p>As with most things in life, the benefits from either of these networks depend completely on what you put into it. If you made a lot of close friends in college, have actively stayed in touch with them, attend get-togethers frequently, etc., you'll have a good personal network. The other necessary piece is actively working the network when you are searching for a job, business clients, etc. In general, networking is the most effective way to search for a job, whether it's via industry contacts, friends, etc. Neverheless, a lot of people don't do much networking of any kind, and just rely on resumes.</p>
<p>Working the broader network of alums you don't know is a different approach. While sending in a resume and hoping a fellow alum flags it may work, I'm sure a better approach would be to do some "cold networking", i.e., identify a fellow alum in the firm and contact him/her to ask for advice.</p>
<p>I've never benefitted from an alum connection, either in getting a job or landing business deals. But, I haven't worked either personal college contacts or a broader alum list as I describe above, so I wouldn't really have expected much.</p>
<p>Geography can play a big role, too. If you are in an area with a concentration of alums, your networking potential is much higher.</p>
<p>Vyse: I have a friend who's an Aggie, US Army Col. (ret). "Cult" describes the Aggie alumni as a group fairly well.</p>
<p>The thing to remember is that just graduating from a certain school doesn't guarentee a graduate these benefits. </p>
<p>To make the most out of the connections offered by a school, a student should become an active participant in the networking process. Get out there and work, join the clubs, participate in discussion groups, and attend social functions (ie., the boring kind that requires making small talk with old geisers) to meet the people that can help you in the future. Networking skills should never be underestimated - they are what make the world go round...</p>
<p>I agree with Roger Dooley in that what you get from your alumni network definitely depends on how deeply you dip into it. I think it's really important no matter what school you attend to engage and network with your fellow alums. In general, your fellow graduates will be very helpful and accessible. If your school doesn't have a strong network in your area, I suggest you create it. </p>
<p>Believe me, your fellow alums will save your ass. </p>
<p>I do a lot of fundraising/events planning on the side for charities and UVA here in NY. For one event, I needed a liquor sponsor, and I totally called a vodka company out of the blue founded by a UVA alum. Though she lives in California and still has never met me, she donated boxes of vodka. Another alumna runs a popular restaurant here in the City, and she donated food. Another alumnus owns Bowlmor and a slew of other bowling alley companies nationwide, and we've been able to host events there and the huge bar/club above it.</p>
<p>Plus, your fellow alumni can help off-set the cost of your events via donations. The big name alums can host your events and draw attendees. </p>
<p>So, the moral of the story is when you give to your alumni network, it will give back to you.</p>
<p>well i go to unlv *university of nevada las vegas and it's such a commuter but if u graduate from my school and try to get alumni connection forget it the alumni connection sucks besides they'll just think u're a stalker :( but ahh hell i make my own connections!!</p>
<p>I'm back in grad school now, but my experiences mirror those of mini.</p>
<p>My former employers had not heard of Williams. However, in two instances, I was hired over HYP grads despite having attended a "no name" school. Williams did equip me with the skills to land those great gigs.</p>
<p>School name recognition is a tad (majorly?) overemphasized on this board.</p>
<p>I wouldn't call Williams a "no name school". I mean it is a Baby Ivy. I concede once you leave the genuine Ivies there is a drop off, but I would not think it so great. As far as working the Alumni network, sure... But let's face it, working the network of Notre Dame, Holy Cross or Lafayette is certainly going to garner you more then working the network of my State U which has 20,000 students, an 81% acceptance rate, and a reputation as party central. In short, no grad of most (not all) large State U's looks upon the student body as a centralised group of overachievers worthy of bragging about, never mind staking thier reputation on where a recommendation is concerned. Perhaps selectivity equals elitism, elitism camaraderie, and camaraderie a willingness to help. But it starts with selectivity. I should note that honors programs, even within large State U's, are the exceptions, as they now routinely steal would be Ivy applicants.</p>
<p>Even big state schools can have beneficial alumni connections. I'd say that's particularly true for those with big-time sports programs and die-hard fans. Think SEC schools, for example. I've been in plenty of managerial offices where the decor is all college - pennants, stadium pictures, footballs, etc. These offices look like a cross between a sports bar and a fan shop. That manager is definitely going to look more favorably on a fellow alum when reviewing resumes. This is particularly true if you are a bit farther away from the college. Finding a fellow UT alum in Knoxville is no big deal - in Chicago or Seattle, though, it might mean a lot more.</p>
<p>As far as personal networks go, elite schools are likely to be somewhat more productive, mostly due to the higher density of really talented people. I.e., assuming your college friends are mostly random from dorm assignments, clubs, classes, etc., a random sample of 20 Harvard grads will probably be in more influential positions than 20 Alabama grads. This isn't because Harvard made their 20 more successful; rather, due to that school's extremely selective admissions the density of individuals likely to advance rapidly in their career is higher.</p>
<p>Mikey, I agree that name recognition is overrated. The focus of the thread, though, is on alumni networks - if the hiring manager had been a Yale grad, would you have beat out a well-qualified Yale applicant? Some schools have a reputation for alums sticking together. I've never been a big believer in that - after your first job, I think post-college accomplishments are the big factor - but there are some interesting comments here from members who DO attribute some of their career success to help from fellow alums.</p>
<p>I know that in the College of Engineering Career Center, it was not uncommon for recruiting interviewers to be OSU alums.</p>
<p>As for me, my department faculty were all I needed to succeed in my grad school application at Cornell. And yes, Cornell was the only university I applied to. At the time it seemed the only sensible thing to do.</p>
<p>I got my first job in a somewhat esoteric field, directly via my Cornell professor's contacts. Due to where I have lived (all over US, and now in small town) I have never found the alumni thing to be of direct benefit beyond that. </p>
<p>My MBA from Wharton has opened lots of doors - when people find out I am a Wharton grad, they think more highly of me than they did before - it's a funny thing. Again, it is the reputation of the program, more than direct contact with other alums....</p>
<p>Where I went does seem to influence to many people, and was important in starting out. Personally, for me, in the 80s (before extensive student "packaging") the benefits really were the peers, programs, and professors at the schools.</p>
<p>"focus of the thread, though, is on alumni networks - if the hiring manager had been a Yale grad, would you have beat out a well-qualified Yale applicant?"</p>
<p>Which is why, where I live, you'd do much, much better as a graduate of Washington State or Brigham Young than from Yale. As for Williams, well everyone around here DOES wear Purple "W"s. ;)</p>