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• It's not fair, but it's true - an Ivy League degree certainly helps.  I am not inordinately gifted in finance and banking.  However, I have always found that my Ivy League MBA opens doors - even if only for an interview.  This has, in my opinion unfairly, ensured that I have stayed employed during the downturn while people more talented than me have unfortunately stayed jobless.  My sincere advice to anyone contemplating college/b-school is to try and get into the most prestigious university possible.  Experience has taught me it really helps.  (PS  For all the technical grammarians amongst you, apologies in advance for my spelling/syntax errors!)

  VPSlacker 11 Nov 2009

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• Here is a site for those professionals affected by this crisis to brainstorm and explore their career options at this crucial time.  Post your thoughts at :
  
  www.xwallstreeters.com

  James 28 Sep 2008

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• The funny thing in this thread is that people are trying to analyze the grammar of somebody or how someone perceives a certain school. I've graduated with three degrees one in Math, one in Philosophy and one in Financial Economics and the only thing I could find is daytrading which I'm starting to get better at it. In the mean time I'm taking some classes financing them myself on risk management at a prestigious school in NYC. In every exam, in every paper I have done significantly better than people in my class which deal with let's say CDS, swaps and other instruments every day. Most of them Ivy's etc, yet we do have a 3 trillion dollar hole in the credit market. The funny thing is that you can be even a genius at a good state school or not-ivy school and someone with history major @ Brown will get a trading job at a prestigious hedge fund trading millions, or someone with a Yale degree in Literature will become chief of operations somewhere.
  America is trying to sell a product in the world that no one is buying anymore. Just because one has an MBA from Wharton doesn't mean that one knows what the economy is, and from what I've seen they don't.

  CASTOROPOLLUX 23 Jul 2008

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• Regarding the above comment (from PrivateCitizen): We at eFC tend to implicitly emphaize (perhaps overemphasize) the investment banking career track in much of what we publish here. That's probably why this item assumes an edge for "Ivy League," as distinct from a candidate's quality of intelligence or even quality of education (in the sense you referred to -  meaning the school with the strongest program in a particular subject). I've seen numerous indications that, for investment banking, or most any bulge-bracket internship or analyst or associate program, Ivy League (or at least, whatever clique of 3 or 4 institutions that particular bulge bracket recruits from) confers a huge advantage.  On the other hand, when you mention NYU-Courant, you are bringing up a somewhat different career track, the "quant" role. In that instance, you are right. When an opening requires hard-core quant skills, headhunters tell me that employers most often focus on the quality of a candidate's intellect and education, rather than the nameplate of their university.

  Jon Jacobs 11 Feb 2008

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• Any reason the school has to be an Ivy league institution for employers to take notice?  What about top-notch programs from non-ivy such as NYU-Courant?  Maybe we need to drop the pretentious "Ivy League" description and focus on the best schools whatever their category, especially when ivys don't necessarily offer the best degree option for the job.  Any firm whose reps speak with phrases such as 'ivy league this, and 'ivy league that', I wouldn't want to join.

  PrivateCitizen 10 Feb 2008

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• I was a student at Duke in the 90's. I currently work with graduates from, Yale, Brown , Notre Dame and Florida. Except for our schools I don't think our manager or our clients would tell you one of us is so much more exceptional or qualified than the others.
  
  Your ability and work ethic mean more than what  school name is printed on the diploma. I must add the best thing about prestigious schools may just be the connections. There are a hell of a lot of alumni from these schools that can help open doors.

  Erik Cassels 11 Jan 2008

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• How many IVY LEAGUE trust funds worked a summer job or any job at all to pay their OWN tuition? Probably very few!

  Not a trust fund 14 Dec 2007

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• I don't know. I've always been able to convince people I was smart just by talking to them and if that doesn't work I move on. I figure an ivy league degree would help but also going to parties and just knowing stuff helps too. It depends on what you know and how well you explain it. My theory is that ivy league degrees speed up the process, and that is important but matters more for people who are marginal then anything else. There are completely free ways to prove yourself which most people don't take advantage of. I guess it depends on what you are willing to do and how much risk adverse you are, but I am more into math and economics, then finance.

  Erica 19 Nov 2007

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• John,
  how are Cornell, Columbia and Brown less prestigious?
  These schools are not easy to get into.
  How do you know if you would have been accepted if you never even applied in the first place?

  Qed 11 Oct 2007

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• Absolutely.  I do not have an IVY LEAGUE degree however my entrepreneurial accomplishments have awarded me very well.  At this time, I am looking for a position with a larger institution and/or fund.  I am running into the fact that the employers are looking for those pedigrees.  However, there are those who can recognize talent.  The difficulty is finding the opportunity to sell your skill set.
  If I only did my homework!!!

  Brendan P. Byrne 20 Sep 2007

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