Does it matter where you got your degree ?

nofire said:

Everyone here seems to either hit the nail on the head or at least close to it. It all depends on the degree desired. If you want to work for a highly competitive company as your end goal, you'll probably want the bigger name. But things like engineering/nursing/LEO/etc, you just need the piece of paper stating that you went to an accredited school.

That being said, I LOVE OU. lol. It's a great school for the degrees they offer, even if it's not Ivy league/MIT/CalTech, and the atmosphere is wonderful. Plus, it's relatively cheap compared to most big schools.

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I know what you mean, we are an OU family, my wife and I have our Masters from OU and our daughter would love to go there. She wants to run cross country and track though and OU isn't offering so we're looking at some schools where she can run. So far we've been to Oklahoma Christian, Southern Nazarene, and Northwestern OK State. We have Southwestern OK State this week, Oklahoma Baptist next week, then Rogers State the next week. It's busy but fun.
We have enjoyed all the visits and have learned a lot. They all have solid nursing programs so it'll come down to where she is most comfortable.
She'll probably go to OU for her Masters after she gets her BSN.

The most important thing today is how much Diversification you can bring to the company.

If you are a transgender person of color, who has a handicap from an injury you received in the military, you will not only get hired, you will probably be able to pick out your own office.



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For nursing......no. Not at all.

Wife's Director of HR. She would tell you its 100% dependent on who's doing the hiring.

Some people trip out about where the degree came from. Others wouldn't know a community college from a Cornell name drop. She got her BS at University of the Pacific, for her program is like top 10 private universities in the country. Using it here in San Diego on a resume, nobody knows where/what it is because if you aren't from UCSD, SDSU or USD they have no idea what exists outside a 10mi radius.

no. i make six figures in software. companies care about what you can do not what you paid for.

No go to a small school where each student is treated like they are in a one on one class. I went to a small school in San Diego, and one of the first classes I had(it had 8 students I believe), a hot blonde with soaking wet hair wet t-shirt/swimsuit underneath was about 15 minutes late to class, apologized to the prof saying she was surfing....needless to say, I enjoyed my time there!

Depends on the degree and where you want to work/what type of work you want to do. Too many variables for a 'one size fits all' answer.

I've worked in career services at a university for 17 years so this question is right up my ally. The answer, as some have already mentioned, is that "it depends." LOL With a lot of schools, you're buying into access to their alumni network. So let's say you're interested in business, selecting a school like Ross at Michigan, Fisher at Ohio State, or Harvard (if you can get in) are great choices over other schools because their names and alumni networks are a HUGE advantage.

However, since she is going into nursing, it doesn't matter where the degree comes from. Nursing programs are closely regulated and if it is an accredited school, she will have no problem finding a job. If you asked for my advice, since she is nursing I would say to go to the school that gives her the best deal on tuition and expenses. Her job prospects will be the same regardless of the school she attends and it would be great to graduate with little/no debt.

03venomdsg said:

Coming from someone in nursing if you have your bachelor's it doesn't matter where you have your degree from. All we care about is bachelor's degree and then experience after that.

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Yup...doesnt matter where the degree comes from as long as you have a clean
License

I maintain a license in NY, PA and MD...its easier to renew them and have several options than to let them lapse. I havent worked outside of PA in 5 years but im gonna keep my licenses current regardless

<----RN

My thoughts- I retired from being a LEO after 31 years about 11 years ago. During my career, I finished my bachelors & masters degrees, both from regionally accredited, private universities, both at summa cum laude status. No one ever asked me where my degrees came from, my GPA or generally even what my major was. All they cared about was my degree.

After I retired, I got into the world of academia, became a faculty professor, program advisor and eventually a program director, a position I still have at one of the most affordable state colleges in FL. I also completed my doctorate. Again, no one has ever asked me where I went, what my GPA (again, summa cum laude) was or even the topic. They only cared I had those 3 letters behind my name.

So... from my practical/personal/professional experiences, and after having one child already go thru process, and now, as the second one prepares to enter college next year, I've learned this:

1) The college university you choose MUST be regionally accredited. Do not accept anything else. I don't care what anyone tells you- regional accreditation is the key for a legitimate degree in the world of academia.

2) Where one goes to earn a degree matters little unless you're going to MIT, Stanford or the Ivy Leagues. Go where the student likes and feels comfortable and you can afford. EG: My son went to a very prestigious university (not one of the aforementioned schools) & loved it but his degree from that school meant NOTHING to anyone outside that universe. He thought it would nearly guarantee him an instant ticket to their med school- it did not.

3) Students OFTEN change their minds about schools/programs in the first year. This is NOT atypical. Some find the coursework too challenging, they get homesick, they can't handle the freedom, they discover alcohol, whatever. First year drop out rates are staggering. And home they come to attend the local community college.

4) If you can afford it, I'd almost always choose a private school every time over a public school. If you can't afford it, then go public. While there are those rare exceptions, at most public colleges/universities, you're a "#" to them- that's it. They care not one whit about your student because there are a 1000 more lined up behind them. At private schools, they generally treat you like a person & customer.

5) Colleges/universities- both public & private are floundering right now because of the covid crisis. Why would you send your child off to school only to have them either sent home to do virtual or locked in their dorm rooms doing virtual?

6) Stay in-state if/when possible UNLESS some college is offering you a free ride/scholarship. Out of state tuition rates are outrageous, even at public universities. I learned this personally w/my son's college.

7) College is filled w/distractions. My son was an avid 4 sport athlete all thru high school, a top 10 student. Went to college and he was overwhelmed w/the freedom. He wanted to be a college athlete and that disappeared before the end of the 1st semester. His grades tanked. Thankfully, he eventually pulled out of but it is a serious reality for even the most dedicated students or those on athletic scholarships. The pressure on them can be immense to do their sports, complete their studies, etc.

8) I deal w/a lot of students who have no place being in college, others that fit right in. As a local college, we deal w/local students primarily. These kids go home every day, have the stability of their family life. Many, MANY students are just too young, immature- especially this current generation- to go off on their on at 18 and just flail & fail. The local community/state colleges are a great alternative to consider for a huge number of reasons and I will advocate all day for them.

OK, off my soapbox. Good luck to you.

spectreman said:

3) Students OFTEN change their minds about schools/programs in the first year. This is NOT atypical. Some find the coursework too challenging, they get homesick, they can't handle the freedom, they discover alcohol, whatever. First year drop out rates are staggering. And home they come to attend the local community college.

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that's because most people shouldn't go to college. goes double for females that ever wanna be moms and most will.

No, college- in the academic sense- is not for everyone but it has its place.

Your local, community, state and technical colleges have a lot to offer people, like certificate programs in accounting or vocational work like electrical, plumbing, construction, a/c repair, auto repair, cyber-security.

It's true that not every kid will thrive in college. That's no reason to throw in the towel and not send them. If you can afford it all your kids should go. Even if what they take in university does not end up as their career.

No extra education or knowledge is a bad thing. Kids get life experiences, stressful and joyous when they attend college. They will meet people, both faculty and students, that are not like them in thinking, appearance and economic situation. Be exposed to new ideas and ways and discover how to think for themselves. Have a blast while they still have few responsibilities. Open their eyes to a whole world of possibilities and not just what mom and dad do. Maybe even meet their future spouse in a challenging intellectual environment instead of a bar or strip club. Who knows? They will have memories to last a lifetime.

Don't worry, they will still have the rest of their lives to spend with people who all think and do as they do. Hopefully it will just be a higher level of thinking and doing and more money to do it with.

FJohnny said:

It's true that not every kid will thrive in college. That's no reason to throw in the towel and not send them. If you can afford it all your kids should go. Even if what they take in university does not end up as their career.

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thrive? is that the stated purpose of college? thrive. like its a lifestyle as opposed to a product or service bought as an investment in a future. if your kid came to you and said "dad, give me a hundred grand and I may not thrive with it but i have the rest of my life to find other ways to make money" would you be like "kid, we gotta talk" or start signing checks?

...or worse, do you tell them to take out a loan for it and encourage them to chase that dream?

because that's what you're doing with college unless your kid is going to be in one of a few fields that require vigorous academic training (doctors, lawyers, astrophysicists, etc).

it would be insane to tell a kid to take out a loan on gobs of money solely on the promise of "you'll figure it out along the way".

...but people do that with college all the time.

Depends what you are going into. My daughter will have the choice for school vs no school. Drive and determination are more important than what school you went to.

These are all good responses. For the vast majority of degrees, it doesn't matter where you went...the school needs to be accredited. If you want to work Wall St, investment banking, then it does matter. They pick from the upper crust and Ivy schools, where connections and networking are the key. Certain schools have a huge networking infrastructure. Here in socal, USC is huge. Getting jobs in sales, marketing, etc really help then.

I work in engineering and can honestly say it doesn't matter where you got your degree from. I've had better luck with 4 year Cal State degrees compared to MIT Phds. Your work experience will define you.

Makobra said:

thrive? is that the stated purpose of college? thrive. like its a lifestyle as opposed to a product or service bought as an investment in a future. if your kid came to you and said "dad, give me a hundred grand and I may not thrive with it but i have the rest of my life to find other ways to make money" would you be like "kid, we gotta talk" or start signing checks?

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That's kind of an odd way of putting it, but if it's a serious question, I guess the answer is, "Yes, I would start signing checks." For starters, I believe I owe all my kids the same opportunity. So the best to the worst would get the same deal.

I think I said before that I believe what a kid gets out of education is not limited solely to how much more they will make over their career. There are a lot of intangibles that have value not necessarily measured in $. That said, any look at stats will show that on average a college educated person will make more than one who is not. This will not be applicable on the individual level as a person's drive and work ethic will also come into play. We have all heard of billionaires who dropped out of high school and trust fund kids who amounted to nothing despite their father's getting them into their old school by donating a library. Some of those kids even hump their brother's widow and end up with a crack pipe hanging from their slack jaws. There's no guarantees.

My three kids all got a university degree(s) which yes, I encouraged and paid for. Two are in degree related careers while the third is not. All make six figures.

All are daughters. I thought it doubly important that a daughter be independent financially and in every other way from her husband, just in case. I think most guys with daughters would agree that it's a pretty good form of insurance.

I'm not saying a degree is for everyone. Just that everyone should have the chance to succeed in the best way for them.

No offense intended, have a great day.

FJohnny said:

That's kind of an odd way of putting it, but if it's a serious question, I guess the answer is, "Yes, I would start signing checks." For starters, I believe I owe all my kids the same opportunity. So the best to the worst would get the same deal.

I think I said before that I believe what a kid gets out of education is not limited solely to how much more they will make over their career. There are a lot of intangibles that have value not necessarily measured in $. That said, any look at stats will show that on average a college educated person will make more than one who is not.

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did you know those stats really just indicate a trend of people willing to put more into something succeeding later on in life and have no real bearing on college equipping them to actually succeed in life? did you also know that the cost/benefit disparity between the value provided by college is non existent for most degrees in 2020?

you make enough money to where it isn't a big deal to finance your daughters exploring their future on your dime, that's a huge blessing which I'm sure they appreciate but your 33% of the people you put through college (at minimum) didn't need it to do what they do, right? so what if that daughter came to you and said "daddy, i would like a *insert 50 thousand dollar vehicle or whatever you paid here* and take a few years to just think about what i want to do in life.

would you honestly write that check? think about it man...

This will not be applicable on the individual level as a person's drive and work ethic will also come into play. We have all heard of billionaires who dropped out of high school and trust fund kids who amounted to nothing despite their father's getting them into their old school by donating a library. Some of those kids even hump their brother's widow and end up with a crack pipe hanging from their slack jaws. There's no guarantees.

My three kids all got a university degree(s) which yes, I encouraged and paid for. Two are in degree related careers while the third is not. All make six figures.

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since we both agree that college isn't a factor to success and that upbringing is I'm not really sure what you're arguing here. im glad you have enough to let your kids burn it and im glad a couple of them found something useful to do with the money. obviously you make good life choices and they learned to do the same since they're all making bank.

All are daughters. I thought it doubly important that a daughter be independent financially and in every other way from her husband, just in case. I think most guys with daughters would agree that it's a pretty good form of insurance.

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it does sadden me that our culture is so soaked in toxic femininity it is flooded with emasculated males causing us to fear for our daughters' futures so much so that we'd encourage them to do things against their nature in order to feel like they need a plan B.

maybe one day we won't live in a country where a man eating tiger would starve to death in north america.

p.s. i only have an associates from ITT tech and make more than double the average for that education level. college is almost always a scam these days.

#1) a BA is a BA no matter how much $$$

#2) college is a waste of time in this millennium IMO (I have a BA degree)

#3) get her started on real estate and investing =) even if in college