Does the reputation of your college matter in getting a job?

[ISloop]

I'm currently a community college student planning to transfer into a 4 year university as a Computer Science major. Although I'm applying next year, I need to start thinking about where exactly I want to go.

I live in CA, so my primary school selections are UC's or CSU's. The cheapest option for me would be to go to a local state school, since I could save a lot of money by staying at home and only having to pay for commute. Aside from it being cost-efficient, I absolutely love the city and culture that surrounds the school's location. Going there would definitely be an interesting experience. The school is ABET accredited but not well-known for it's CS program, which is a bit concerning.

I could also choose to attend a UC, which is obviously much more prestigious all around. However it would be quite costly for me to move out and attend one.

Financial issues brushed aside, how much does it really matter which school one attends in order to get a decent job after graduating? I did a bit of research and it seems that technical knowledge is more important than the school one attended, although people who go to better schools often have an easier time getting their foot in the door. I happen to know a few people who have attended very reputable schools but seem to be struggling in finding jobs, which leads me to believe that I should go to the very best school that I can get into, to improve my chances at being hired after graduation.

I know this is a question that has been discussed quite a lot. However, I know that HN hosts many knowledgeable people in the tech industry who would be able to provide valuable insight that I wouldn't find elsewhere. I appreciate any responses, thanks.

[arebop]

Go to Berkeley.

For a "decent" job, it doesn't matter; for the best jobs (or cofounders!), it will be helpful to start off at an elite institution.

The most important qualification for getting a job at a place where you can be happy as a software engineer is the ability to quickly write short programs at the whiteboard while your interviewer looks on and takes notes. You'll be given a problem statement and expected to identify an efficient combination of basic datastructures and algorithms to reach a solution on the way to writing down the code and discussing its correctness and the merits and demerits of the choices you made. You really don't want to work at a company that thinks a formal credential is more important than actual ability.

The reputation of your school doesn't matter much outside of first-rate software companies, where it will be helpful but not necessary to have a top-5 school on your resume.

Having said that, a major benefit at a strong school is that you'll be among the people who wind up working at all the best companies. It's good to learn and work with talented/motivated/smart people, and it will be easy to choose good internships and good prospective employers because you'll know so many people with first-hand knowledge of each place.

[davidhansen]

for the best jobs (or cofounders!), it will be helpful to start off at an elite institution.

FWIW, I not only attended a state university, but I also dropped out of it, and still managed to co-found a few successful companies. I'm not sure what the parenthetical "or cofounders" is supposed to mean, since customers of most businesses don't typically ask for a CV.

[ameen]

Well, I can see where you come from. A lot of talent is outside these so-called "brand" schools. But then again, I believe it would've been a little harder for you to convince your VC's or even your co-founders to join you than it would've been had you been to a brand school.

This is all IMHO, but I think those "brand" schools help you get your foot into the door, after that its all your hardwork. Also, All the very best with your business!

[hansy]

As someone who kind of regrets going to a "brand" school, I think you are in an industry where portfolio and internships matter more so than what school you went to.

If money isn't an issue, then try and get into a "brand" school. If it is, then no worries, go where you feel comfortable. Just remember, you absolutely have to outshine everyone around you. You will be competing with candidates from brand schools who are also outshining their peers.

So, get involved with as many clubs as you can that peek your interest. But don't just passively participate in them; become a leader or an active member. Start applying to as many internships as possible as early as possible. Don't be scared if you think your skills aren't on par yet. Try, try, try, and try some more. There are a million and one opportunities out there that are right for your particular skill level.

Finally, don't invest yourself in just Computer Science. I'm sure you have interests elsewhere, so go and explore those to your heart's content. Based on my experience, employers love diversity in their candidates. Stand out, not just in your technical abilities but also in your personality.

You only live once. Do anything and everything.

I struggled with this question myself, so if you want to talk about it, shoot me an email.

[ameen]

I second arebop, unfortunately I had skipped on joining one of these top schools for my undergrad, as I was juvenile then (6 years back), and I only started regretting it as I graduated from College.

A better College should be a default choice for any forward thinking CS-interested individual, as its not just about the classes, but the fellow students at such Colleges that bring about a world of difference.

Most of these colleges have freshmen who already have landed awesome internships or have been part of past YC alum(or other incubator's). These individuals can directly impact how your future is shaped, and mostly its for the better. The intellectual quotient of these establishments is one of the major reasons they pump out the most awesome programmers.

I'm trying to land an MS at some of these universities - UC's (and other top schools). It isn't an easy journey, but it'll be damn well worth it. All the best, and never think of financials when it comes to self-improvement. I used to think these places were over-rated, and not a day has passed when I didn't regret such an erroneous judgement.

[_delirium]

Depends somewhat on where (geographically) you want to go, what kind of job you want, and what other portfolio you think you might build up. More prestigious schools do provide a bump, partly due to the actual name, and partly just due to better networking opportunities with things like recruiters showing up to their job/internship fairs. But if you get a good internship and do well in it, that's often more important than where you got your degree.

As for geography, for California specifically, some of the CSUs are actually better regarded than the UCs for some kinds of programming positions: Cal Poly in particular has a reputation for graduating strong programmers familiar with standard software engineering practices, which isn't usually the goal of more academic-CS focused UC departments, and their grads are popular with some employers (especially larger ones). Outside of California, the UC name recognition is probably a bigger factor, though.

[thejteam]

Depends on where (geographically) you want to work. If you are thinking of moving across country, a UC school would look a lot better than the local school. If you want to work locally, then the local school will be fine. It may even be more helpful as there will be a larger local alumni network to tap into. Using myself as an example, I went to a small liberal arts school practically nobody outside the mid-atlanic has heard of. Not exactly know for computer science either, in fact I think they only formed the major a about 2 or 3 years before I graduated(which was 2001!). On the other hand it is well thought of locally and I had a job offer well before I graduated. My first supervisor went this school. One of the owners of the company I currently work for went there as well.

[impendia]

I second the advice to go to Berkeley.

I am a university professor and so have hopped around from place to place (undergrad, grad, postdoc, faculty) and have seen that different universities are very different from each other.

At some places you are held to high standards. At some places you are not. Moreover, the most important thing you can do is to be around intelligent and motivated people, and the best schools offer this.

My math students at Stanford got a much better education from me than my math students where I am now. Consider what variable I have just controlled for... and you will understand why I'm suggesting you go somewhere top-notch if you can.

[c_t_montgomery]

Going to a great school (like Berkeley) will immediately help, in terms of connections and job offers. Depending on your attitude and mindset, that may be it, or it may propel you to further things in life.

If you can afford Berkeley, I'd absolutely take advantage of it.

[pneill]

Reputation doesn't matter. What matters is internships. Do those. Do those now. An internship is what will get you your first job. After that, school doesn't matter at all and everything will be about what you've shipped.