Does College Prestige Matter for Jobs?

I’ve noticed that, among many families, there exists the assumption that top university = endless job opportunities. We see plenty of anecdotal evidence of graduates from these universities working in coveted fields, but we don’t often talk about the actual process of getting one’s first job as a college student, top university or not.

Where a top university is definitely helpful

The benefit of attending an Ivy or similar university when entering fields like management consulting, top technology companies, or specific areas of financial services is undeniable. Firms like McKinsey focus their recruiting at the best-known universities. For students at these universities, the college they attend might get them in the door, but they still need to interview well in order to land the job. This includes having strong experiences to share during the interview, and that, in turn, requires club involvement and/or past internship experiences.
 
Outside of the most selective companies, having a prestigious university on a student’s resume is certainly helpful in getting a recruiter or hiring manager’s attention, but companies still value having relevant experience. Some interview processes may include a skills-based component (such as a take-home coding assignment, or a written case study); the outcomes of these depend more on the individual than the university they attend.

So, what’s the problem with aiming high?

 There isn’t a problem, per se. Prestige is certainly helpful in many ways. At the same time, many students enter college unaware of the importance of building experience early. They realize in their 2nd and 3rd years that they need an internship, and that they lack the relevant experience to be able to land one successfully. Prestige is helpful, but it isn’t everything. 

What does “get experience” even mean for a first-year college student?

For many students, “experience” begins with academic or club activities, not internships. Let’s leave you with some concrete examples:
 

• A first-year student routinely attends her biology professor’s office hours, builds a relationship with that professor, and he eventually offers her a position in his research lab. She learns laboratory techniques that make her more competitive for a hospital research position the following year.
• Another signs up as Fundraising Chair for her frisbee team her sophomore year and raises $1,000, more than the club has ever raised in a year. Along the way, she learns to recruit volunteers to help her with tabling events, organize fundraising events, write marketing copy, and persuade others to support her ideas. She uses these experiences in an interview for a marketing role.
• Another joins an a cappella group her first year. During a meeting, the club president mentions she needs help rebuilding the website. The first-year volunteers to use her coding skills to help. This leads to a stronger portfolio, which helps her land an internship the following summer.
   
  Contrast this with a student who attends a top university but spent the first two years overwhelmed by the transition and focusing entirely on coursework. She joins a few clubs, but never takes on responsibilities that help her develop new skills. By junior year, she sees the students around her completing internships and feels behind because she does not have one herself.
   
  What’s the takeaway? Your student needs to enter college eager to explore and contribute, regardless of their major, and regardless of which school they attend. A prestigious university provides opportunities, but your student still needs to pursue those opportunities in order to receive the full benefit of their college experience.
   
  Prestige opens doors, but initiative determines whether your student walks through those doors.