Is it true that you wont get a good job if you dont get into an ivy league school?

Question

Thats what some of my friends say, but I think they are wrong.

Actually, Bill Gates went to Harvard

Answer 1

The ivy league school will give you contact you wouldn't get otherwise - however, Bill Gates went to U of M, and he did pretty well for himself.....

Answer 2

that is not necessarily true although the contacts made at an ivy league will have far better benefits than those made at any other school in general. More than the school it depends on the definition of a good job. Going to Harvard will not do anything to help you get a good job in the engineering field or even to get into an engineering masters program. On the other hand graduating from Harvard business school will do wonders for getting a good job in business. It all depends on what you want to do with your life. Going to a better school does not mean you will get a better job but it does somewhat help in getting the job you want.

to add a relevant example: my dad didn't go to an Ivy by any means and is now one of the top engineers in the world in his field and has the "perfect" job

Answer 3

I think you can get a great job without the "help" of an ivy league school. If you set your mind to it, you can achieve almost anything. That does not mean it is handed to you. You have to make the effort, and the do the homework. Success is 1% inspiration 99% perspiration.

It is often argued that ivy league graduates do not have practical experience to make the right decisions. I think if you are good at what you do, a label like a degree isn't everything, some people are born with a talent, and that is nothing to sneeze at. Any employer concerned with their interests will recognize this.

Answer 4

I definatly do NOT agree. There might be some careers that might be obtained easier...(doc, lawyer...), but not a better one. What you get your degree in, and how passionate you are about the career you've chosen, is what will carry you. Not to mention how many people get promotions in companies above a college grad, just because of the experience and/or attitude the person has, and how well they do the job.
Getting into great, big name colleges is a good thing, but its only the training you get, the knowledge and education of the career path you chose, you can get a great education at all the established colleges, and sure,, attending a "big name" college looks good on a resume,.....but in the end, the bottom line is that your education along with your knowledge, and sometimes lack of.(some companies like that so they can train you their way with out what they would call "bad or wrong habits" following you) your passion and personality and enthusiasm, and even some persistance at times when its needed, is what will land you the job you deserve ...and desire.
Hope this helps, no offense but, your friends sound kind of snooty....and in my book (not that anyone asked), that is such an ugly human trait.......

Answer 5

First of all, a college degree does not guarantee a job. Second, a college education can get in the way of a good education. However, lack of a college degree can hold you back with certain, if not most, employers. What's important is not what friends, parents, teachers, others in general have to say about what college or field of endeavor you should pursue. The important thing, in my opinion, is that before pursuing a career you look inward. It is there where all the really important answers lie, and to look outside for answers only leads to problems. It's the right questions not someone else's answers we need. Begin your inward search for career direction by removing all thoughts of money, i.e., how much you will earn. One way of doing so, is to ask yourself what you would do if you had $500,000,000 tax free dollars in a bank account but still had to have a career. Next identify five times when you felt really, really good about yourself for some accomplishment, an award, helping another person, a job well done, etc. Look for the thread that connects these times, and you're probably quite close to what you have to give to the world. Find your passion, pursue it, and you'll be happy. Look to money as your sole motivator and you may find that down the road you have plenty of money but little satisfaction with life.
Wishing you the best.

Answer 6

I don't know any doctors that went to an Ivy league school. But the docs that i do know make at least 300K a year. Also i don't know any ivy league lawyers, oh yea and they all do pretty well. In fact i only know one person who went to an ivy league school and that is my boss. He hired me and i went to the Univ. of Toledo, a MAC school. Oh yea and i have a pretty good job. I also happen to know the CEO of a major company who went to Toledo as well, and so did the Secretary of the Treasury John Snow. Your friends are dumb for thinking that. It is all about real world performance. I would rather have a lawyer that is quick off his feet to think, than one who went to an Ivy league school and thinks he is better than everyone.

Oh yea and to the first response, Bill Gates was a Harvard Drop out

Answer 7

It doesnt matter what school you go to it matters how much you learn and can put into practice. Getting a good job has several different variables. Having a school on your resume like Harvard and Yale is impressive but if you go into an interveiw and act like a moron it wont matter what school you went to. To point out a fact that previous posters got part right... Bill Gates never graduated from U of M and he started his own business so basically he never had to work for anyone other than himself.

Answer 8

Hi,

Am Ivy League education is am asset however, it is not the only requirement to be successful.

More important than where a person goes to school is their attitude. Is it positve or is it negative. This is best illustrated by the junkie murder in jail story.


A man who spent his entire life as junkie, theif and murderer was sentanced to life in prison. before going to prison he fathered two sons.

A researcher interviewed both sons unbeknown to either..
The first son who did the same things as his father also ended up serving a life sentence in prison. When asked y his life turned out the way it did he replied with a father like that whatelse could i do?

The researcher then interview the second son who was a fortune 500 exeutive with a lonlely family living in a big house in the country. When asked y his life turned out the way it did he replied with a father like that whatelse could i do?

According to Norman Vincient Peal the success coach a positive attitude entails focusing on the solution not the problem, seeing the upside to all situations, see others point of view, constant and never ending improvement in all areas of life, using negativity to ur advantage and keeping the faith that all will work out the way u want.

.

Answer 9

lol

Depends on what you think is a good job. I know high school drop outs that make a million a year, and guys with Ph.Ds from Stanford that are homeless.

It all depends on what you do, what you gain your degree in, and how you use it that makes the big difference.

With a community college AS degree I know of a woman that will make eighty thousand this year. She has been going from forty to eighty over the course of the last fifteen years, her retirement is pretty good, and she has health care locked for life in five years. No ivy league degree.

Answer 10

No that is not true. You should do more research. Try to get facts, not guesses and opinions. Contact the job placement office of a few schools. Ask which companies recruit there and how many placements they made. That is very important ! In my undergrad school they had tons of companies, in grad school the job placement office was not organized, and had a very low placement rate.
That being said the better schools do get better companies to visit.
PS Grades do matter.