People who went to a top school - has it made a huge difference in your career?

[Flambeur]

There is a lot plenty of talk on the forums about going to a top school vs. not (law, mba and so on)

For those of you who have attended lets say a top 20 institution in your field, has it been a big part of your success or no?

 

[SField]

Originally Posted by Flambeur

There is a lot plenty of talk on the forums about going to a top school vs. not (law, mba and so on)

For those of you who have attended lets say a top 20 institution in your field, has it been a big part of your success or no?

The people I met there have been highly influential in my various careers.

 

[odoreater]

I just missed the cut - my school is ranked #27 in my field.

 

[RedLantern]

How would a person know for sure? There's nothing to compare it with.

 

[unjung]

I guess the easiest measure would be average yearly income five, ten and twenty years on, and so on. But then you need to tease the effect of the school apart from the effect of parentage and so on. There has got to be plenty of research on this out there.

 

[Connemara]

Anecdotally, the wealthiest person I've met went to a public university.

 

[cheessus]

Originally Posted by Connemara

Anecdotally, the wealthiest person I've met went to a public university.

Yeah some dude gave UVA $100 mil some years ago. Also T Boone Pickens and OSU.

As for me, we will see how it turns out.

 

[cchen]

You largely make your own success (with some degree of luck). That said, top schools open more doors and generally your peers and alumni can open more doors for you

 

[bach]

There may be a higher concentration of talented students at top schools, but the operative quality for success is talent, not the mere attending of a top school. It's a confusion between correlation and causation IMO.

 

[Johnny_5]

****. My school is ranked #25!!!! I will add nothing to this thread

 

[Bromoney]

I don't use what I learned directly, but I think it's been a huge impact on my mind in terms of expanding my mind, having a good time, etc

 

[whodini]

Originally Posted by Johnny_5

****. My school is ranked #25!!!! I will add nothing to this thread

Don't worry, you rarely do otherwise.

 

[Pundit]

I took a couple engineering degrees from a large public university where my undergraduate department had been in the top 10 nationally for decades, still is to my understanding.

I think the reputation attracts recruiting and that provides options. More than a having a head full of facts, I came out able to think and learn. In engineering this is important as the half-life of what we learn is about 8 years.

Anyone that thinks a degree from a top school is going to do more that open a door is mistaken (though this is a great benefit), performance is essential to professional success.