Does it look 'bad' to companies you apply to if you have a degree from a state college?

Question

There are some state colleges that are appealing to me, but I have a lot of relatives that are telling me that companies will not take me seriously with a degree from a state college. By state college, I mean a public college. I don't see anything wrong with them-- I mean, you still get a good education there, right?
I mean, who wouldn't want to spend about $30,000 less every year to get an equally valuable education?
So, what I'm asking is-- would a nice, professional company look down on you if you just had a degree from Southern ________ University?
Thanks, guys!

Answer 1

Most state colleges and universities are actually very good. It does however depend on which state school you go to. http://www.collegeboard.com will give you background date/statistics for any college you want to go to. Compare state schools and see which one you think looks more serious as far as admission goes and the average gpa of students and SAT scores.

Answer 2

I think that would rarely be a problem, and I wouldn't want to work for a company where that was a problem. In reality, it is likely you will receive a better education at a smaller school, where you may actually learn from a professor, and not an assisant. Also, you might even have some greater access to the Porfessor. You need the degree, and as long as you have it, few companies care about which particular college you went to, as you will find many perspective employers also went to state colleges.

Answer 3

It all depends on the University. Employers know a lot more than you think about the status of a University and how good their programs are.

For example: I live in Indiana. I went to Indiana University (a state school) and majored in Business. I had no problem finding a job and my degree is considered "desireable". Now, if I went to Ball State (another state school in Indiana) and I received a degree in Business, the same thing might not be said.

Not that Indiana is a better school than Ball State, it is just a better school to go to for Business. Now, if I wanted to major in Architecture or Dance, I would probably be better off going to Ball State.

The point is you should make the best decision based on what field you want to go into. If that school has a good program for that field, it makes no difference if it is a state school or private school, except that the state school will definitely be cheaper!

Answer 4

I am a manager that interviews candidates for professional positions.

If you can go to Harvard or Yale, then go there. Every penny you pay in tuition will be paid back to you in spades.

Other than that, most State schools are better than their private counterparts. I rarely hire folks from private schools outside of the top two, just because the individual probably made a bad decision on which school to go to.

Answer 5

I don't think so. Initially without experience it might have some impact, but after the initial experience thing is over not really. I qualified academically for some very good schools but due to money troubles at home, ended up going to a state school.

I went to Southeast Missouri State University and a good friend of mine went to Harvard - He told me one day - "Well we have something in common, we're both embarrased by the schools we went too."

Answer 6

You should research any university or college that you plan to attend. "Public" is not the death knell to getting a cool job. However, it is a reality that schools are ranked. There are good public schools and bad private schools. The University of Michigan and the University of Texas are good examples of highly ranked public schools. Do your research!

Answer 7

first off, it depends on the college. state schools are, by-and-large, excellent institutions. they look a lot better on paper than many private liberal arts colleges, especially the no-name schools. unless you're looking to work for a super-elite financing company like goldman sachs, which is notorious for only accepting ivy-league and top-tier-school candidates, a state school degree will serve you wonderfully in life.

ps there are many state schools which are more selective than some of the ivies (like uc berkeley)!

Answer 8

Thats a new one to me. The first thing they look at is to see if the college is accredited. If a company judges me on where I got my degree as opposed to the degree itself and my GPA I dont want to work for them.

Answer 9

i think of that on line Universities are questionable to many because of the fact they are, certainly, attempting to make a dollar. i latterly interviewed with an consultant at college of Phoenix, and that i enjoyed what he had to declare. sure, they are extra high priced than the brick and mortar college that i'm at the instant attending. i replace into given each little bit of suggestions up front, and alter into no longer compelled to make any judgements. could I want to have a level from a brick and mortar college? sure, i could. regrettably, there are not any night or on line instructions attainable interior my section contained in direction of the community establishments. i could desire to save 6 credit hours, a minimum of 0.5-time status for financial help. i'm on the late ranges of my Bachelors degree, and purely have bigger point center classes to take. those classes are not presented each semester, and with the aid of no potential each semester throughout evenings, weekend, or with the aid of way of on line. i think of that on line Universities serve a purpose, yet they do no longer seem to be for each man or woman and that they do value extra. you're figuring out to purchase convenience and expedience. classes are taken one by one and final 5 weeks. you would be able to wreck in between classes in case you want, and then resume with the subsequent direction. I spoke with an admissions officer at USC Columbia in SC particularly to ask approximately circulate credit from on line Universities and alter into advised that college of Phoenix is known and a few of their classes do circulate. i could recommend sorting out which classes in superb condition the bill with the admissions place of work before you're taking a variety with U of P.

Answer 10

look at it this way: if you finish last in your class from a private school vs finishing first in your class from a public school, finishing first is far much more impressive...however, if you can do well and have the money, then sure, well known schools are the way to go (ivy league, etc)...i went to a state school and have gotten jobs with no problem...my wife is an attorney, went to state school and loses job opportunities to those who went to more respected private schools...