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• Absolutely I graduated from a public school from collage and MBA with high honors, yet am not considered on par with ivy league grads. The funny thing is I did not go to so called more prestigous schools because I did not get in, but instead because I could not afford it. That to me is the unfair part, I am sure I would have been accepted to a less prestigous ivy: Cornell, Columbia, Brown but I dont have 50K a year for tuition.

  john douglas 05 Aug 2007

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• I find it hard to believe you would get into any Ivy League school when you can't even spell "college" correctly..

  Steve 08 Aug 2007

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• Yes I do think it affects you negatively. Right now I am applying for jobs and am finding that because I chose to go to a pretty good state school for engineering and later switched to a finance program that my school was not known for I am looked at as less than an ivy league grad. Although I have no doubt my work ethic is at the same level if not more since I financed my entire education, but for some reason that does not matter to many employers I have sought out.

  Edsall Hilty 08 Aug 2007

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• Dear John,
  
  'I graduated from a public school from collage and MBA with high honors'
  
  -C'mon dude...maybe you aren't on par because your communication skills suck. Wouldn't it be more appropriate to say 'i received both my B.A and MBA from public universities, where i graduated with high honors'
  -Collages are for 1st graders and back to school night. Colleges are institutions of higher learning
  -Sorry, but i doubt the high honors part
  
  For the record i also went to a public school after leaving a top undergrad program (too many stuffy assholes, only one chance to be 20).

  Sven 08 Aug 2007

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• I really don't agree with this article - there's just too much hype placed on ivy league graduates. There is so much opportunity out there and a very limited number of graduates from ivy league b-schools. I graduated from a virtually unknown university in a third world country (albeit with first class honours), and ended up working with a top-tier investment bank and currently as CEO US$2 bln asset mgt firm. Attitude, Aptitude, Passion..they all count..it helps to be smart too. Good luck !

  Alpha 08 Aug 2007

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• John,
  You are already showing your ignorance!
  
  Since when are schools like CORNELL, COLUMBIA and BROWN less prestigous Ivy League schools???
  Don't use money as an excuse, John..........did you ever hear of schlorships??
  Unfortunately, you are not very well informed. If you are smart enough to get into an Ivy League school, any Ivy league school, they will make sure you can pay for it through work study, grants, loans and schlorships!!!
  You are already displaying the Ivy League difference!!!
  
  Michael Riley'78
  CORNELL
  
  P.S. After service in the US Army as a Captain, I returned to school (CORNELL) and put myself through 100% on my own nickle.

  Michael Riley 08 Aug 2007

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• My second (ok, maybe third) tier collEge degree in Finance disqualified me from consideration for most jobs in my field.
  
  Despite earning licenses, a charter, and authoring publications, I do believe that my career path and compensation level have been restrained by the lack of a "name" degree.
  
  I had believed that experience and conscientiousness would overcompensate for an unimpressive degree.  I had believed that after landing my first job my ability would be evident and the degree would no longer be relevant.  I was wrong. 
  
  Even 20 years after graduation, I am asked where I went to collEge (and, I suspect, am disregarded for it).
  
  If I had the chance to do it over, I'd go to the finest college name (not necessarily program) that I could wangle myself into.  The name is really the only thing that mattered in my case.
  
  BTW: The collEge I attended was the best school that I could commute to...had to live at home to care for infirmed parent.

  Older and Wiser 09 Aug 2007

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• I’ve worked with Ivy Leaguers in the past and I have not seen a noticeable difference in their ability from that of a non-Ivy Leaguer. In particular, I have witnessed two very embarrassing situations for Ivy League MBA graduates. One did not know that selling a stock short would move the stock down because “it was borrowed”. Secondly, the other individual did not know what P/E stood for. I don’t mention these examples to belittle Ivy League graduates but to point out that there are always rotten apples in the bunch and having an Ivy League education doesn’t always transfer to being a better candidate.

  Rob 09 Aug 2007

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• I am sure Ivy league helps get in the room,  but in the end you have to stay there!  Intellingence, drive, and results matter. I myself went to poblic schools- and have a few gents from both Ivy and public universities working for me- excelling and failing at times. John - both Michael and Alpa are right on!

  Ed 09 Aug 2007

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• The current crop of "Ivy Leauge" managers are
  the largest flock of sheep this market has
  had to feast off of in years. Please keep the doors open for them beacuse any well constructed and original propietary trading method developed by a hard working and smart college drop-out can work wonders transfering the wealth from them to you.

  Art 10 Aug 2007

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