Does it matter where you went to college?

[W_HAMILTON]

I'm in my late-20's, and finally going back to college to finish my degree.

I plan to attend a local university (Coastal Carolina University near MB, SC). I've never had that high of an opinion of the place, but it's really the only option for me, since I can't just up and leave and attend a better college somewhere else.

When I checked tuition, I was ASTOUNDED at how much it had risen since I graduated high school 10 years ago. I will most likely have to take out college loans, probably around ~20k to finish my education. This leads me to my next problem...

...I'm worried now that I will get my degree, end up 20k+ in debt, and still not be able to get better jobs, because people won't value my degree since it's not from a great college like Duke or somewhere.

I plan to major in accounting, and their business school is accredited by AACSB. But I'm just worried that the degree almost won't be worth anything, since it's coming from a smaller, lesser-known school.

Can you all help me out? What are your opinions?

[Rabrrrrrr]

1. Depends on what you want to do and where you want to do it and at what level.

In some ways, no, it doesn't matter where you to go college, as long as it's an accredited one - the level of education isn't ipso facto better at Harvard than it is at the college you are looking at. Much of your education depends on what you put in it, of course, and for the most part, the classes and the textbooks used are going to be the same wherever you go.

The fancier colleges can be helpful because of the people you meet there (the network you build there, and become part of simply as an alumnus), and the better the college the better the companies that will come there looking for employees, and so forth.

So, if you're looking to get into the executive level accounting department of a fortune 500 company, then you are likely going to need to go to a more famous college.

But, if you are looking to be a starting-level or mid-level accountant at a regular sort of normal company in the area that you are already live in, you're fine to go to the local college - the businesses in the area will know the college, and that will give you a god foot in the door.

[W_HAMILTON]

5. Yeah, I don't think I have HUGE dreams

Right now, I'd just be happy to make a decent living for myself, somewhere in the $40-$60k range. I realized when I was younger that I wasn't quite cut out for the "big city" life, so now I'm back where I grew up. But I'm just worried that I will invest all this time and money into a degree that won't really help me much, if it's coming from a smaller school. Plus, seeing as how the prices even at the local college has SKYROCKETED over the past few years, I'm almost wondering if I wouldn't be better served to go into more debt, but go to University of South Carolina or somewhere like that (some place in state that I respect, and I think most other people do as well).

[SoxFan]

2. Don't drink the elitist kool aid

Plenty of people do just fine by less "prestigious" colleges and universities. heck, our soon to be vice president proudly wears his University of Delaware cap on the stump, so you have absolutely nothing to be ashamed of.

FWIW, I received my undergrad degree from the University of New Orleans. UNO is proud of the fact that its graduates consistently outperform Tulane on the CPA exam.

[gmoney]

3. A big state school can work just from name recognition

I graduated from Ohio State, and while it was a total waste of time, nobody ever sniffed at my degree.

[av8rdave]

4. Where you go to college can matter in some cases. However

I think what/how you do at college will have a much greater impact than where you go.

[jobycom]

6. Yes, but it's not the only factor in your career.

A degree from Harvard looks better on a resume than a degree from June's Accounting and Pet Grooming School. I've worked with resumes before, and there's no question that the better the school's name recognition, the more you will get taken seriously, get callbacks, etc. The right school also opens doors, through connections made at school, and through connections with alumni after school. And depending on the degree and the school, some schools are just better than others. A top law school draws better professors and a higher caliber of student than a lower school, so that you get a better professor, and you don't get held back by a class full of C students who set the pace for the course. I've taken courses at small junior colleges, mid-level universities, and top universities, and there is no question that the classes are faster-paced at the better schools.

So in those ways, it matters.

On the other hand, any college only gets you so far. You still have to perform and learn on the job. After five years, your interviews will focus more on what you know than on what school you went to. If you go to a top accounting school, you'll get a better job (usually) out of college, so you might have a better resume after five years, but it does start to even out, based on your production on the job.

So certainly, an accounting degree from a smaller school is better than no accounting degree. An accounting degree from a top school is better than a degree from a less reputable school. A good school will get you more and better job offers. But once you start working, your success is up to you.

And sometimes, a smaller school opens doors. When looking at resumes, now and then I would run across someone whose resume showed that they had worked and attended school full time, and gotten a degree with a high GPA. That impressed me more than a top school degree. That's a person who understands hard work, commitment, and has drive. They got moved to the top of the pile for me (we aren't talking Fortune 500, btw, this was a small retail chain).

Anyway, point is, go to the best school you can get into and afford. And then make the most of it, no matter the school. The secret is to do, not think about doing.

[KamaAina]

7. Yale '85 here -- presently making nearly 40,000 American dollars a year

whether I need it or not.

So I guess that means the answer to your original question is No. :eyes:

[TZ]

13. Wow, I guess that proves the point.

I went to U of Maryland as you remember and umm I make more than that...:o

[KamaAina]

14. Any solutions to my chronic underemployment crisis are welcome

though I can't imagine what else might be out there in the ruined Bush/McCain economy. :eyes:

There is also one complicating factor:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=387&topic_id=2&mesg_id=2

Due to this, this little thing known as "the interview process" becomes an insuperable obstacle similar to Gee Dubya Bush** getting an algebra question on "Are You Smarter Than A Fifth Grader?"

[W_HAMILTON]

19. Dang.

So you think you might have an autism disorder? That's interesting, since I have a lot of anxiety and other issues, and recently was seeing a psychologist, and she thought I might have Asperger's syndrome. I did a lot of reading about the subject, and don't think I do, but I can see why she would bring that up. Are they positive you have autism? I guess my situation "mimics" Asperger's, so I can see how it would make it tough on your career. Have they suggested anything to do?

[KamaAina]

20. Well, Leo Kanner himself pronounced the diagnosis upon me

at the tender age of 4. (He's the clinician who first documented the condition.) While at Johns Hopkins, he was working under contract to my special-needs preschool outisde Baltimore.

Surprise! I am far from the only "Aspie" in these parts; there are enough of us, along with parents and the like, to constitute a DU Group.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topics&forum=387

[W_HAMILTON]

26. Have they not been able to do anything to help you?

I admit, I still don't understand quite a bit about autism, but when my psychologist first brought it up, I asked her if there was anything that could be done to "improve" my situation, and she said, yes, there were many people with Asperger's out there that were able to overcome it enough to the point they were able to live the lives they wanted. Have they not been able to do anything to help your situation? My psychologist mentioned to me that many people with Asperger's are very brilliant, but end up in jobs below their ability because of the restrictions with their syndrome. That worried me, because I thought there was no way out of it (assuming I was autistic, as she first thought), but she then said that people can learn to cope and deal with social situations to the point where they can function pretty well in everyday life, and accomplish what they want to.

[Pacifist Patriot]

39. It depends.

My direct employer couldn't care less that my undergraduate degree is from a prestigious school and my graduate degree (the one that matters) is on the dodgy side of town. The professional organization in my district takes a much different view of things and will not admit me because I did not come out of grad school $90,000 in debt like the rest of them.

So essentially I have the employment I want but a fair bit of disrespect from some of my colleagues and peers. Good thing I think they're all pretty much a bunch of elitist nutters.

[XemaSab]

8. I think it should be fine

Accounting is so in demand that I'd be surprised if you couldn't get a job after graduation no matter where you went. If you're planning on staying in the Myrtle Beach area I'd guess that the people who will be hiring you are familiar with the school and may have even gone there themselves. Also, it might work in your favor to be "homegrown." Look at it this way: if I was doing the hiring for a business in my area, and a degree from Harvard landed on my desk, I'd wonder what they were doing applying for a job HERE.

If you were planning on a Master's in Asian art history, I'd suggest going to a bigger school, but it's not like what they're going to teach about accounting at this smaller school is going to be, like, WRONG.

Do they have grants or scholarships available? I understand about not wanting to graduate under a mountain of debt, but if you're going to get a much better job it might still get you ahead of where you were.

Finally, I love the MB area! I spend a summer there working a few years back, and I still keep my Horry County library card. We were out at the confluence of the Little and Great Pee Dee Rivers... When I went to Florida last year, I was hoping it would look like that but it didn't. I'd really like to get back there sometime. Friendly people, beautiful countryside. And yeah, everyone looked at me funny when I said I was from California. :D

[W_HAMILTON]

16. Hah, good point.

Good point about the Harvard issue, but you gotta admit, most people would call the guy in for an interview to see what the heck was going on with him :p

I think that it basically the way I will "play it." I was actually pretty successful back in HS, got pretty good SAT scores, and was accepted everywhere I applied. I was going to go to school up in Chicago, and ended up attending orientation and everything, but I just got cold feet, I guess. I had never really been away from home, and that was just too much, all at once. I just am too attached to this area, not because I am in love with it, but it's because it's where my family is, it's where I'm comfortable with, and it's really all I've known. I'm guessing if I use that "angle" it will help me with local employers, but I just was a little nervous that I would put all this hard work and effort (and MONEY) into a degree that might not prove useful anywhere.

Thanks for your viewpoint!

[philosophie_en_rose]

9. It depends.

Your degree will always be worth something and I think it's easier to stand out at a smaller school. You'll also have the chance to develop more personal relationships with professors and a regional school might have alumni more willing to help you make connections.


$20,000 is not much student loan debt. It costs $100,000+ to go to law school and you'll probably end up making the same in the long run.

[W_HAMILTON]

18. I guess so.

It's not a lot compared to many people, but it would be a lot if it turns out the degree I get is "useless." That's why I got worried. I don't know that many people in the USA look at University of South Carolina favorably, but it is viewed pretty well around my area, and the tuition there is only slightly more than it is at Coastal. It's insane!

That's why I was asking though, because if I am going to rack up debt, I'd rather rack up even more debt for a degree from a well-respected college around here than rack up lesser debt, but in turn get a degree from a college that is only so-so, and will end up hurting me in the long run if it prevents me from getting jobs because it wasn't a "good enough" school.

[philosophie_en_rose]

28. If you want to stay in your area, a local school is just as good.

You'll be able to spend your time making local contacts and externing at places near you. Your best bet might be to apply to the more famous schools and use your local college as a backup. However, keep in mind that people with Ivy League educations aren't necessarily given a free ride to the corner office.

[Eurobabe]

10. Go to a community college for 2 years

then transfer into a state school. Don't get caught up in the debt thing. It's heinous to pay off student loans, actually I start to think they are the next biggest scam since credit card debt. :mad:

[Iggo]

11. I went to Devry...so, No. (n/t)

[mainegreen]

12. More important is did you intern with a company while at school, and what did you do there.

Internships in you field of study equals you already have job experience equals win!

Job experience is the single most important factor in getting a job. Or at least its right up there. Certainly above what college you went to.

[Orrex]

15. It does when it's time for the reunion

You can't graduate from FSU and show up for the 10-year at Rutgers.

Well, you can, but they'll give you a big hassle about it.

[Midlodemocrat]

17. No. Not in the least.

The fact that you HAVE a degree is what matters, not where it's from. I've met some incredibly stupid people from some of the best universities in the country as well as vice versa.

[aikoaiko]

21. Unless your desire is PricewaterhouseCoopers or something like that

I wouldn't worry about the value added by the brand of your instituion.

Yes, its true that there is some good ol boy stuff that happens at elite universities and the respective fraternities, but for the average accountant good grades, good test scores, and the CPA credential can provide an awesome career.

20k os ok for an accoutning degreem but look for schlarships as a returning older student.

[lizerdbits]

22. Not sure of the size of that school

but at a smaller school you may wind up better off with smaller classes and more attention. I went to VA Tech and some of my intro classes were a hundred or more people (O chem, general bio, sociology). My upper level microbiology classes were much smaller, so in the end it might not matter as much. :shrug:

I work in the microbiology field and we were recently going over resumes and doing interviews. Personally I don't give a rats ass where someone went to school, I want to see if they'll fit in with us. But we're hiring people with BS/BA and probably an entry level position. Other fields may be different.

[The Inquisitive]

23. depends on your ambitions

If you want to climb to the top the bottom of the latter generally begins at a top college.

[elshiva]

24. Do it. Your life will be better for it no matter if you get a

job directly from it or not. Actually, an accounting degree is worth something nowadays no matter where it's from.

[leftyclimber]

25. Do you lovelovelove accounting?

I ask this because my dad does. We were poorer then shit for most of my growing up, and he only had one good year financially, when I was about 30 (he was in his late 20s/early 30s when he took the CPA exam). But he is happy being an accountant. He loves it.

If you can work for someone else (avoiding business loans, unlike my dad) you can put that money into your student loans. You still may be skint, depending on where you find a job.

There is always demand for accountants. But don't do it unless you love it, because the money is not guaranteed. Ultimately, the uni won't matter once you've passed the CPA exam, unless you're serious about going into Big Business Accounting.

[W_HAMILTON]

27. Well, sorta.

I never thought much about accounting, but happened to take ACC 101 (for whatever reason) and actually kinda liked it, and it came easy to me. I am taking ACC 102 and having some issues, but I think it's more due to the course layout (it's an online course). It has me thinking, "man, what if I'm not able to cut it in accounting?" since I don't really have any other backup. I took the beginning accounting courses, liked them, did some research and found out it's a pretty good field with decent pay, and an accounting degree can prove useful in a variety of different jobs.

And, yes, I definitely plan to work for someone. I wish I were more independent (or maybe not, given the situation you mentioned!), but I'm just not the type to start my own business or work for myself; I most likely will look for a job with an established company.

[leftyclimber]

29. Passing the CPA exam is the big deal, then.

And if you like it, it shouldn't be a problem. As long as you aren't wanting to work for Arthur Andersen (excuse me, Accenture, or whatever they're calling themselves now) or the like, then doing accounting as a gig may serve you well.

As someone mentioned upthread, consider doing your general university requirements at community college and transferring the credits. It will be much cheaper.

My dad has a double Bachelor's in Political Science and Economics. He had enough accounting classes that he could get through to the CPA exam, and that ended up being a matter of studying really, really hard.

If you take 102, decide that you're really into the accounting thing, and that you will be (a) happy being accountant and (b) paying what student loans you have, you can do fine being a comptroller for a company or doing something else in accounting. There is a lot of variation in the field, from tax to business valuation to estates to stuff I don't get because I'm a social scientist. :evilgrin:

But if you really enjoy it, you should be able to get your money's worth. Just make sure you like doing it. There's no point in getting a job you don't like because of a potential paycheck. Even if the paycheck ends up being big, it won't suffice if you're not happy doing it.

[Bossy Monkey]

30. Can you swing Francis Marion? It's actually a little cheaper

Not to be cynical, but it sounds a little more prestigious if you want to move anywhere away from the Grand Strand. (And it's also accredited by the AACSB.) To answer your question, though, good grades are probably more important than what school you attend. And the observation by somebody above about internships is probably a good one. Maybe you should talk to the accounting departments at both CCU and FMU about availability of internships and what kind of companies are offering them.

[smoochpooch]

31. Go the Community College route for 2 yrs, as was recommended by a poster above.

Most likely, you can do 2 years at CC for $4,000-$5,000. Hopefully, you won't need to take out any loans for that amount but even if you do, it will be a much smaller amount than a University. Another benefit is that you may do better in your classes in CC. Many CCs have an extensive selection of evening classes so you can keep your job in the day and go to school at night.

After 2 years, you can transfer to a 4 yr University to get your bachelor's degree. That is the school that will appear on your resume, it will say "BA-University of __".

But there are other considerations. If you are going to a Harvard/Yale/Stanford type school, then I would skip the CC because it's probably worth the price to go there all 4 yrs, plus I doubt they accept too many transfers. Also, I truly believe that you have to live on campus to have the real college experience, but since you are in your late-twenties it doesn't really apply to you anymore because you've already had those "first time away from home" experiences.

The best thing would be to ask around and find out the school's placement rate. A school can be unknown nationally, yet have good placement regionally and it sounds like that's what is important to you. And as others have mentioned, the best thing to do is to truly dedicate yourself to your studies: go to class, do the reading. Good grades truly are the best weapon for someone in your position. I think at your age, you won't fall victim to partying like many people do and you understand that you're paying for classes, so you might as well show up and try hard.

Here's my story: went to college for 5 yrs straight out of high school, partied too much, and left with only 60 credits and a 2.0. 4 years later, I took 12 credits (all A's) at a local CC while I worked full time during the day, which got my cumulative GPA high enough for me to transfer to the local state school. There, I dropped down to part-time work (took out some loans) so I could concentrate on my classes. Before long, I finished up the classes necessary for me to complete my bachelor's degree. After graduation, I was accepted into a state law school which is respected in the state, if not nationwide. It's not glamorous, but it's good enough for me. Probably not the best route for everyone, but it's my .02. Good luck!

[struggle4progress]

32. I think the general rule is: any place solid is OK for undergrad, but if

you're going to grad school, try to go to a really good grad school

Whether the general rule really applies, depends somewhat one what you want to do

[Lucian]

33. It really doesn't matter where you go.

A degree is a degree, IMO. Only a few pompous assholes will rub it in that they went to an Ivy League school. I think it's a waste of money to go to a school like Yale. And speaking of Yale, obviously they'll let anyone pass (look at GWB).

[lukasahero]

34. Not in my experience

I'm working side-by-side with grads from MIT and Oberlin while I went to a state school. I like to tease them when they bring up their 'superior' education that, after all is said and done, we're doing the same job. :)

More seriously, a "big name" school may get you initial opportunities with bigger companies but it's how you do the work that will ultimately define your career.

A way to boost your career without the big ticket school is professional affiliations and certifications. And if you pursue the affiliations while in school, you'll be showing prospective employers you are serious about your career.

Good luck! :hi:

[Tikki]

35. No, but driving to BEAUTIFUL Santa Barbara every day for.....

three years didn't hurt the motivation and pleasure I got from going to the University there. :)

Tikki

[NewWaveChick1981]

36. To a certain degree, yes.

You should definitely make sure the school is accredited. If you have a bachelor's degree, it generally doesn't matter where it is from as long as you have it. Certain majors, though, may only be taught at specific schools, so it depends on your major and what you wish to do with it.

I've worked in higher ed for 23+ years and have had extensive discussions with faculty and many upper-level administrators, and they tend to agree with the statements above. :)

[Orangepeel]

37. An accounting degree from an AACSB school will give you good prospects

You will have a hard time becoming the CEO of a business, unless you start it. But you will be able to make a very nice living.

Ask about their CPA pass rates and job placement. They are both likely to be fine.

[tigereye]

38. I think only if you went to Harvard or Yale... or maybe some of the other ivies

I think what really matters is how hard you work and what you learn.