Does the college I graduate from make a difference?

Question

I wanted to know if it makes a difference to employers which college I graduate from? I have attended a pretty well know college in Texas for the past few years, but I want to transfer to another college closer to home for my senior year. This college I want to transfer to is a great college, good programs, and is close to my family. But I dont necessarily think its as "recognizable" to future employers as the first college I attended was. I dont want to have less of a chance at a good job by not graduating from a more well know school. I just dont want to be making a mistake by graduating from the wrong college. Or does it even make a difference as long as I have a degree?

Any thoughts, suggestions, or advice would be greatly appreciated!!! Thanks!

Answer 1

The college you attend and from which you graduate definitely makes a difference regardless of what your major is. The more well known, the more likely potential employers are to recognize the name of the school. That simple recognition (as long as it has a good connotation to it) sometimes will give you a slight edge when employers are screening resumes. It might also give you a big edge if the education at that school is considered much better than another school.
Are you planning to stay near your home after you graduate? If you are, then it might not be as much of a big deal. People from the area will likely have heard of the college you want to transfer to. If the school you are attending now is more prestigious, however, it might be worth it to stay there.
Either way, make sure you pay attention to what is important when choosing which college you will go to. If you really do not like the college you have spent the past 3 years at then perhaps it would be better to transfer so you don't have to suffer through the final year. If the only reason is to be closer to your family, it might not be the best idea... make sure you pay attention to your education. At the same time, I completely understand the need to be close to family.
Good luck making a decision. Just look at the pros and cons of both choices and try to determine which would be better for you and your situation.

Answer 2

As others have said, it can make a subtantial difference where you got your degree, especially if the first school is very well-respected and the other is unknown. There are a number of employers these days who just will only hire from a limited number of colleges. You would be reducing your chances substantially by going to a lesser school. In addition, it doesn't make sense to transfer as a senior. If you were a sophomore, I could understand that you might be homesick or that the school wasn't working for you, but at this point, it is likely that you would have to retake a number of courses and take longer to graduate. Wait a year, and then move closer to home. It will go by more quickly than you think.

Answer 3

The most important thing is what you learn. Big names will open doors sometimes, but usually only to entry level jobs. After that, you need to make it on your own. Less well known, but good schools tend to carry a lot of weight in their local areas, but not in other parts of the country. Whether this is a mistake depends on how big a jump in reputation of places you're making, and what your ambitions are.

Answer 4

Well it's obvious that there is a difference between YALE, the UNIVERSITY OF PENNSIVANIA and Phoenix University.

Answer 5

depends I think...Medical or Law schools YES, but if its just accounting/history/ something not THAT specialized probably not...as long as its accredited then that should be fine.