gut;1622100 wrote:I read every one of your links, I'm not sure you did. The first was a study done on 1976 grads, or thereabouts, later updated to like 1993 I believe. Another compare Ivy League graduates with other well regarded state schools (read: not 3rd tier). None of those was particularly relevant to what I'm saying about going to a mediocre program TODAY.
You're also missing the point. Where you went to school matters less as your career goes on, but those first opportunities provide progressively greater opportunities. Top entry-level jobs recruit from top programs...later on where you worked becomes more important than your degree, but HA! those early career opportunities have been heavily dependent on where you went to undergrad.
3500+ schools producing TOP students AND valuable employees? LOL, you are so out of touch. Yep, they are stocking plenty of mediocre staff positions. I'll say it again, there's been an explosion of programs and degrees and candidates, the ug degree doesn't have the same intrinisic value it did 25 years ago.
What kind of idiotic advice is it to tell someone there's no risk in going to a 3rd tier school where they'll have only a fraction, if any, of the blue-chip job opportunities? Once you start swimming in the pool of mediocrity it's increasingly harder to convince employers you aren't the typical "C" player in that universe.
gut;1622103 wrote:This makes it pretty clear that you don't understand the process. Companies large and small have a targeted group of schools where they recruit almost exclusively for entry-level positions. You can still try to get your own interview, but the deck is overwhelmingly stacked against you, particularly if the company isn't local. "Non-core" means top jobs don't come there, and so you've chosen an uphill battle for yourself.
Like I said, being a big fish in a small pond no one goes to isn't the best investment in terms of time and money. You don't have to go to Harvard, but you're foolish not to go to a nationally recognized top program, although sometimes regionally known programs can be stronger than more nationally recognized ones.
And I've said it time and time again, the school doesn't really matter -- outside of the few "top" potential employees or employers. Still, going to a "core" (use your terms) school doesn't guarantee getting a great career.
"Core" schools do a good job of producing regular employees as well. All schools have their individuals they graduate (or don't graduate) that go on and do whatever they want. At my institution now, our leading grill cook is a Yale grad. Why? Because he wanted more out of his life and it was helping college students -- it was his calling and he is a wonderful person to be around. Is that a knock on Yale, not at all...he's a top employee. A player I coached has a degree (actually two) from St. Andrew's in his 4 years there...he received a job at a nationwide company because of his brother who went to one of your "non-core" schools -- which most people have never heard of. Both are genius students and workers. I know plenty of OSU grads who have worked at UPS as box stackers or Lowe's as stockboys.
There is an unemployment rate from 1990-2013 for college grads around 4.3% (recent grads) and 2.9% (all grads). That's the average, the peak was around 7% and 5% (recent and all) in 2010. Still not a large unemployment rate for those with a degree. The underemployment rate (if that can be effectively done) has remained around 33% -- college grads holding jobs that do not require a college degree. With all of this information, it pretty much goes to show that the "no jobs for grads" is really a new phenomenon. Yes, there are some that are "underemployed" but for what reason? It's not shown that it's due to major OR school of choice. With numbers as low as they are for unemployment of recent grads and all grads, it's pretty safe to say that school doesn't matter and sometimes degree doesn't matter.
Of course, it is safe to say that certain employers do recruit from certain schools -- I've never hinted or said otherwise. So, if an individual wants to work at a certain company, they could go to the school that is recruited. At the same time, going to another school and doing the necessary things, the individual can work with the same organization.
You continue to talk about "top jobs." There are only so many students/employees/employers who qualify for those...so, for those positions, workers, and hiring processes, those individuals who qualify will come through, no matter where they come from -- "core" school, "non-core" school, internationally, or wherever.
