Which is more important to employers?

Question

Where one does their undergraduate studying, or where one does their graduate studying? Also, does it matter much where one does their undergraduate studying in terms of getting into a better school to get their graduate studying?

Answer 1

If you have a Wharton MBA and went to a crappy undergraduate school -- no one will care about the undergraduate school. If you went to Harvard as an undergraduate and got a master's degree from University of Phoenix, people would scratch their heads -- but remember that you are a Harvard undergraduate (you would actually be better off not having your MA or MS on your resume).

Going to a good undergraduate school is a major factor in terms of getting into a good graduate school. When I was at Duke's business school, I did some analysis of where people had gone. The overwhelming majority of students in the MBA program had gone to a highly ranked undergraduate school (e.g., Ivy League, Duke, Stanford, etc), one of the better State Universities (e.g., Berkeley, Michigan, Maryland, UNC), one of the service academies, a strong regional school (e.g., Villanova, Trinity) or one of the HBCUs. There were very few students who had gone to lower ranked state schools (e.g., none from schools like Slippery Rock, UNC-WIlmington, Cal State Universities
As for employers -- many top firms recruit at the best schools -- so your chances of getting a job there improves if you are at a top school.

Answer 2

for employers, it doesn't matter where you begin as much as it is where you finish. if you do well in a crappy school that nobody heard of before, then get an MA from a really good school, then that is what will matter....the graduate degree from your good school. Your undergraduate school does matter a lot. This is important because the graduate schools you apply to will look at your transcript and see the types of classes you took. I have seen people that went to crappy undergraduate schools because they wanted to stay close to home, then they were upset when they were rejected from all their good graduate programs that they applied too. Some major problems were that they didnt take a statistics class or any foreign language classes, because they were not required, not did they take a wide range of classes in their major. It was basically all intro classes and that isn't going to prepare you for a decent graduate school. Of course you can go to a no-name graduate school too and get your master's. However, the quality of your school, the program you were in, and quality of classes you took as an undergrad do count a lot in most cases.

Answer 3

As long as you go to a reasonably decent undergratuate school, what matters to most graduate programs and employers is your individual performance. It's really that simple. Going to a "name" school counts only with a minority of employers--and you probably don't want to work for someone who is more concerned with the image and not with what you have to offer, anyway.

Going to a really good graduate program--virtually anywhere--is determined mostly by what YOU do. Graduate with a 2.5 GPA from Harvard, and even mid-range programs may not accept you. Graduate with a 3.5--and most top schools will accept you.

BTW--here's a couple of tips for long-term planning. Universities don't select grad students--the individual departments do. And the reverse is true. Most universities have some departments that are stronger than others--and that's what's crucial to the grad student, not the school's overall standing.
Also, don't settle for jsut taking classes in college. Look for opportunities to make yourself stand out. You'll find that if you get to know your professors and do well, they will help you find opportunities--internships, undergrad research positions, etc. Plus there are student chapters of professional organizations, etc. And about a thousand other options. The top jobs--and the top grad student slots--go to people who have more than just a high GPA.

Good luck! ::)

Answer 4

It's a respectable and compelling story, however a potential employer would like to see that not only you had the ability to pay your way through school but also were compelled to balance your life with the need to be connected and diverse. This is the same employer that would not hire a 4.5 GPA student that never participated social activities. All work and no play...

Answer 5

Of course some colleges and universities are regarded more highly than others.

The Ivy League, for instance, is VERY highly regarded.

But, I know people who have graduated from State schools and have done very well in employment sitautions -- and I know others who have graduated from State schools that have gone onto the Ivy League to grad school.

I would stay away from the on-line type of schools as far as their being highly regarded, unless their accreditation is the same as some of the brick-and-mortar types.

Good luck.

Answer 6

It all depends on the profession and the company doing the hiring. In some companies/careers it doesn't much matter. In others it can help quite a bit. If you're a lawyer and get a Harvard law degree-- very good thing. If you're a computer geek doing programming in any one of the fortune 500, it won't matter all that much.

Answer 7

Think beyond just the education..think about your experience in your field. Colleges are expensive but the best educator is experience. If you go to average/state colleges and get internships in your field those are the things employers look at...sure it's great if you can go to Emory and John Hopkins but not everyone wants to be in debt for the next 10-15 years. Also get experience and travel abroad if possible. Our country is becoming very diverse so if you can gain experience in another country and learn another language you would be a great asset to any company.

Answer 8

both.

If you are applying for a management position in an engineering firm, then the school where you obtained your engineering degree matters, as well as the school where you obtained your MBA matters.

If you are applying to a law firm as an associate, then where you went to law school obviously matters, but your undergraduate degree, if it enhances the application of the law, also is significant.

Answer 9

The prestige of the school is important for undergrad but the prestige of the particular program is more important when choosing grad schools.