<p>Are degrees from schools such as Loyola University Chicago, Seattle University, and Fordham University (not limited to Jesuit, it's just that they're not hyper-selective, not crappy, and are in cities) only good for the cities that the schools are in? I'd love to live in any of those cities, but I just want to know how degrees from schools of their caliber are seen in other cities.
And please don't say "it matters on the education that you receive and how you apply that knowledge" because I'm talking about how the degree itself is perceived by employers.</p>
<p>If you go to grad school, your grad school alma mater will be more important. If you don't, Chicago, Seattle, and New York are all huge cities with a ton of companies headquartered there. If you graduate from any of those I'm sure you could find employment and climb the corporate ladder from there.</p>
<p>Just off the top of my head (and a wee bit of Wikipedia searching :)), Chicago is home to a division of GE and Allstate; Seattle has Microsoft, Starbucks, Expedia, Amazon, and Boeing; and New York has, well, everything. </p>
<p>Companies know about the respected colleges in their area. Don't worry about it!</p>
<p>What about Marquette? Is it perceived as a good school outside of Milwaukee? Would love to go to Loyola Chicago, love Chicago, but no engineering. Want to settle in Pacific NW but no engineering at Seattle. Fordham, have lots of friends who went/are going there and love it, but also, no engineering. Talking about biomed engineering. </p>
<p>As for Jesuit schools, you can't beat the education you'll get, both of the brain and the soul.</p>
<p>Nope, I went to school in Madison and even as close to Milwaukee as that, Marquette is not impressive to employers. On the plus side, very few schools garner recruiting power and despite your objections, it really does matter what experience (not education, but internships, projects, externships etc) you have when you graduate.</p>
<p>The Jesuits have a world wide reputation for educational excellence and Fordham in particular is rather well known and respected. Even if people have not heard of the school if you tell them that it is a Jesuit college they will know it is a quality education. I disagree about Marquette. I have never lived in that area of the country but have heard of Marquette becasue they have an excellent basketball team that is often in the top 25.</p>
<p>Well I'm not really talking about how Jesuit schools are viewed, I just mentioned them because I applied to them. The question is more like: If you went to a very respectable college (by real-world standards) in a City A, would a person with an equally respectable degree from City B be able to compete with you for a job in City A</p>
<p>Yes, the respectable school will get you the interview but the rest is up to you and how well you did at the school and the interpersonal, communications, and leadership skills you can demonstrate. I have known complete losers from Ivy League schools and some of our best employees have come from lesser competitive schools. It is the total package that counts.</p>
<p>From what I've gathered from the real world as in talking to a bunch of business execs, doctors, and lawyers, the college you go to doesn't matter THAT much as we see it to be. All that matters is your work experience, whether it be an internship every summer, research if you're in the medical field, etc. Anyone care to chime on this? It's something I've gathered from common sense and seeing where many people are today from the University they came from.</p>
<p>In my experience, what college an applicant attended only comes into play when the interviewer has some personal experience (positive or negative) and asks you about your college experience (and probably only if you are just a few years out of college, unless his/her child is looking into schools.) After few years, a specific college on your resume will probably not get you in the door for an interview, if you don't have the experience the company is looking for.</p>
<p>Perhaps, right out of college, living in a larger city will help you get your first job, if you want to remain in that city. But Americans are pretty mobile these days with job transfers, two-career couples, shifts in manufacturing, etc. You ask specifically that you are concerned "how the degree itself is seen by employers." It's the degree and the fact that you earned it that will be required, not necessarily where the degree was earned. </p>
<p>Do students who graduate from Yale have a better chance at a job than someone who graduated from Podunk U? Not if the company is looking for someone with 15 years of experience and the guy from Yale is still wet behind the ears.</p>
<p>Outside of a few Ivies, most people have "heard of colleges" because ESPN, not because they are familiar with the academics and selectivity of a university.</p>
<p>Thanks for the input you guys. I guess that I'm just really paranoid that all the grads from top 25 schools will get the jobs and I wont lol. I guess that that worry is unrealistic.</p>
<p>Loyola Chicago definitely works in Chicago. Who would want to be anywhere other than Chicago, it is afterall the best city in North America ;)</p>
<p>Hard to do an apples to apples on this ... Fordham is a top 100 University and a rising star with a top ranked Law School and Graduate Business School. Not sure UofS or Loyola are ranked as high.</p>
<p>If you want to live in Seattle, it may make more sense to go to school there, the alumni network will be stronger. So called "national" universities transcend geography and have solid alumni programs across the country.</p>
<p>This may only make a difference on your first job or two, after that you will be judged on your accomplishments, not your college selection. But I can't tell you how important those first couple jobs are in terms of lifetime earnings!</p>
<p>Employers in Chicago are familiar with Marquette. Fordham is quite well known nationally. Seattle University, less so.</p>
<p>Agree with Hanna on Marquette--it does pretty well in Chicago. Not so sure about Fordham nationally outside of maybe Law and Business. SU is pretty much Seattle/Portland where it has a decent rep, but Seattle/Portland ain't chopped liver as places to live and work. I thought SU had some engineering--there is an engineering building.</p>
<p>After your first job, your job performance matters much more than the name of the school you went to. If you're worried, get your first job in the city where your school is well recognized and respected. If you then choose to move to another location, your work history will be the biggest factor to potential future employers. This method also allows you to remain in your college town where you will inevitably have friends who are still in school.</p>
<p>Thanks for Seattle link. Will check it out. Our guidance counselor had just visited there when son had an interview, and he like it, although he said the Pacific Northwest may be too liberal for a Southern conservative. There were peace signs in the student union. Egads!</p>
<p>In New Orleans, where you went to High School opens doors for you. When people ask, What school did you go to, they're asking High School, not college. And a Jesuit High School diploma is very impressive.</p>
<p>But interesting how your college can give you a link to a potential employer.</p>
<p>Although I had a couple of jobs as a teacher and lab technician in another department, I got a job at Tulane in genetics because I was told I had an impressive CV. What clinched it for me was my degree from University of Miami. My boss was Cuban, was very familiar with Miami, and knew the university's reputation for science education. So even though one interviewer saw me as a person with not much experience at three different jobs, my college education gained me the job.</p>
<p>Can anyone comment on how Villanova is perceived outside of Philadelphia/Pennsylvania?</p>
<p>Back in Washington DC I knew some kids who were planning on applying there. I haven't heard anyone mention it in Oregon though.</p>