When you see someone who attended a low-tier college working in a highly coveted position, does that

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There was a thread on here about an early Google employee who’d become an exec there. He went to Providence College in RI. People were saying that if he weren’t a white male he wouldn’t have gotten anywhere near there with that college pedigree.

So true!

Men and particularly white men are promoted/hired based on their potential (studies have been done on this). Minorities have to have been performing at levels exceeding the new position in order to even be considered. And then, on top of all that the person (usually another white male) with the relationship with people who can influence hiring is going to get the job (even with lesser qualifications).

Those in power will take a chance on a white man from a no name university. A minority or woman, not so much.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I rarely know what school my colleagues went to unless l interviewed them. I’m over 40. Over a certain age it doesn’t really come up, except for a few particularly annoying people who manage to slip it into conversation still. Thinking of a few people over 40 in particular who still talk about Stanford, Harvard, Duke and MIT - why are you talking about this still??!?

At this age your position should speak for itself.

That is my reaction to this thread--who talks about where they went to college once you are a few years out? Unless you're telling me that your team made the NCAA Tournament, I don't care where you went. At all.

This only comes up at my workplace among close colleagues as we've been chatting about our kids navigating the college application process or swapping college stories with our current college intern.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:make you think the person is extremely privileged? Especially if they’re white and/or male? I was surprised to hear that viewpoint from someone I know. I am especially IMPRESSED if I see someone who went to a low-tier college working in a really-hard-to-get job. It makes me think that person had to work especially hard to get that job. I see the college tier system as a frivolous “tax” that may have little to do with someone’s abilities.

It was easy as hell to become a c-suite jefe as a boomer with a bachelor’s from anywhere. Different landscape now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My last 3 CEOs went to crappy colleges. So what

Having worked for the government and private industry I haven't seen many people in high places from elite universities. I don't know where they all go, but they certainly aren't well-represented in the federal govt. or in many fortune 500 companies.

Lots of F500 HQs are in flyover country. Ivy grads don’t want to be in Bentonville or Milwaukee.

Ironically, I reside in Tulsa - 2 hours away. There are a number of Ivy grads, due to oil money, in town. I interviewed for a job with more than one, and honestly, they were book-smart but had zero critical thinking skills. It was their viewpoint - and theirs alone. I'd rather have an Oklahoma State graduate who has been able to think on all sides of an argument and has some decent ethics. I know plenty of students from middle of the road colleges who lead great organizations and live wealthy lives.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I assume the organization is full of people with bad judgment at running an actual company and would decline a job if I came across multiple people like that. Like attracts (and promotes) like.

What the hell?

[Anonymous]

Steve Jobs disagrees op

[Anonymous]

I do not know or care where my co-workers went to college. You sound like a snob.

[Anonymous]

If the person is intelligent and competent, I assume they are first generation college graduate.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:make you think the person is extremely privileged? Especially if they’re white and/or male? I was surprised to hear that viewpoint from someone I know. I am especially IMPRESSED if I see someone who went to a low-tier college working in a really-hard-to-get job. It makes me think that person had to work especially hard to get that job. I see the college tier system as a frivolous “tax” that may have little to do with someone’s abilities.

This would NEVER even cross my mind.

I actually think the opposite - that person was able to overcome stigma and/or didn't have the automatic "in" a high-prestige college can facilitate, and was able to overcome that barrier with talent and hard work.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My last 3 CEOs went to crappy colleges. So what

Having worked for the government and private industry I haven't seen many people in high places from elite universities. I don't know where they all go, but they certainly aren't well-represented in the federal govt. or in many fortune 500 companies.

It’s weird. I work in a pretty high profile part of government (financial regulator) and there’s lots of elite UG or law schools in leadership of these agencies. Legal divisions of agencies tend to have more elite school representation. Lots of Under Secretaries and other appointees with elite credentials.

I also know a lot of Ivy League grads that just….faded away from the work force. No clue what they are doing with their lives, but basically a lot of them got burned out by academia or corporate world or startups and just sorta disappeared. I feel like Ivy Leaguers are more likely to have 2nd careers or career pivots in their 30s and 40s. Why? Because they can rely on degree prestige to credibly enter a new industry.

But yeah, there are plenty who have sorta just disappeared, or they jump from passion to passion with no clear path to paying for daily necessities. I think so many of them have trusts or some other external help.

That is interesting.

[Anonymous]

I have never once thought about it. The head of my nonprofit said she planned to hire people from the top 10 schools. That seemed to matter to her. I laughed to myself. There’s little chance someone would go to a top 10 only to work for peanuts at this nonprofit. 😂🤣

She also insulted the rest of us who “only” went to top 50.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I assume the organization is full of people with bad judgment at running an actual company and would decline a job if I came across multiple people like that. Like attracts (and promotes) like.

I would be thankful you didn’t apply for that job, as you are a short sighted moron and I would not want to work with you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How would a privileged person end up at an embarrassing low tier school? Wouldn't they use privilege to get into a good school they weren't qualified to attend?

This.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I assume the organization is full of people with bad judgment at running an actual company and would decline a job if I came across multiple people like that. Like attracts (and promotes) like.

Like...Ellen Lord, CEO of Textron who went to Conn College?
Like...Kathy Warden, CEO of Northrop Grumman who went to JMU?
Like...Maryln Hewson, CEO of Lockheed Martin, who went to U of Alabama?


All women who have achieved things you can only dream of. You're sad.

[Anonymous]

Lol.

Guys, you need to realize that college—any college—is what you make of it, and personality trumps everything.

Dcumlandia is easily manipulated by stereotypes when it comes to rankings. Interestingly, DCUMlandia fails to realize actual rankings and outcomes from schools that have advanced over the years.

If you are mildly attractive with a good personality and work ethic, you will succeed regardless of where you went to school.

Some of the wealthiest most successful people I know started off at community college or a school Dcumlandia would label as subpar.

I’m currently top of the totem pole at my gig despite my “subpar” law school. Colleagues who went to top tier schools can’t stand it. I think kids who grow up with privileged lives are either soft or jerks. There’s rarely an in between. People who need to rely on themselves tend to have more hustle and better judgment. They wouldn’t go into debt for a top school.

I’m curious when the pendulum will swing back on college. People like Bill Maher are calling out the ridiculous price tag and lack of return.