Do potential employers look at whether you went to a state school or a private school? Does it sway their decision?
As a New York native, state education would be a cheaper option. However, my #1 choice school is a private school in Pennsylvania. Do employers have a preference of which of these schools they would rather have someone go to? #college #future
4 answers
Austin’s Answer
Good question Cameron. The best answer to that question is that it depends; some employers have a preference and some do not, it really depends on your field of study and the jobs that you're interested in. Many employers recruit employees from college campuses during your senior or junior year. Companies when they recruit have "target schools", schools where they go to to look for, interview, and hire new employees. If you want to work for company X but they don't come to your college to recruit as you're not at a "target school", then it will be harder for you to be hired. But it is important to note that not all companies recruit, and companies that do recruit don't all have the same "target schools".
Outside of recruitment, depending on your field of study and job interest, companies sometimes place an emphasis on name recognition. If you're school is well known and has a proven track record, then that may give you an advantage over equally qualified students coming from schools with a lower name recognition. I was in an interview once and my interviewer and I bonded over the fact that we went to the same school for undergrad; so it wasn't name recognition that helped me, it was the shared school that put me at an advantage.
Basically what I am trying to say is that it really depends on what you want to do, the companies you are interested in, the kinds of jobs you want, and who interviews you. Some more info about what you're interested in could help me refine my advice, but I hope this helps!!
Best,
Austin
Nicole’s Answer
In my experience both in getting my first job out of school and getting new jobs, employers are more interested in "what" you did and how you did it. I know of many, many excellent state schools that major employers recruit from. The area of your studies/degree and the type of jobs the employer is seeking to fill also matters.
If a candidate has a prior relationship with an employer, for instance via an internship or co-op or summer jobs (especially those where the candidate returned for a few summers), is a great way to lay foundation for making a positive impact on an employer.
I think the short answer to you question is employers look for many, many things. Some of what helps the odds is when/if the candidate has pursued a field of study that is in demand by employers. Best of luck to you on your journey!
Gloria’s Answer
There are probably less people than you think who consider where you went to school or what type of school over the fact that you have some sort of degree. That would probably be true in a field where they are some well known schools. People hiring in business roles may be influenced by Penn State or law firms might be influenced by Harvard. For most jobs, considerations of where you went to college is less important than the degree program that you studied. For example, if you want to be a teacher, an employer is probably going to look at whether you earned a degree in Education over a degree in Mathematics. And even then, a Mathematics degree might be what they prefer. I do know a screen writer who went to a specific school because she had read that school places a greater number of screen writers. And sure enough, she got a job in screen writing after she graduated. But again, that is rare. And after you start working, college becomes a secondary consideration to what experience you have.
Unless you find a field where you know a certain school is a competitive advantage, I would go with the school with the degree you want at a cost that you can best afford.
Gloria
