There are many misconceptions students have when searching for what they feel will be a good school that will maximize their earning potential upon graduation. Many people succumb to these common myths only to be stuck with heavy financial payments and a struggle to find employment upon graduation.
The Huffington Post recently published an article outlining many of these misnomers based on multiple studies conducted across multiple platforms.
The choice of your school does not directly affect your income.
Sure getting a law degree from Harvard will set you apart from other candidates in your field, but choosing the most prestigious school does not always mean that you will automatically earn more money in the long term. The biggest asset in setting yourself up for your dream job and financial success is your ability to network. These social skills coupled with creating and taking advantage of opportunities will pay dividends much more than simply obtaining a degree, filling out hundreds of job applications, and assuming you will automatically get a position based on your credentials alone.
Additionally, employers care more about your grades and accomplishments than they do about the name of the institution you attended.
Ivy League schools are not always the best option.
While private schools like Harvard and Yale have a certain prestige, they do not outrank the number institution in the University of California – Berkeley. Still debating between private an public? Take in to account that 13 public universities rank among the top 50 in the world.
Public universities and small colleges produce Nobel Prize winners.
City University of New York, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and The University of Michigan all have produced as many nobel prize winners as Yale.
Choosing an elite school does not mean you will have an elite life.
More members of U.S. Congress have gone to Virginia, Texas, Georgia, Florida and North Carolina than Harvard with the University of Minnesota – Twin Cities having produced as many U.S. Vice Presidents as Yale.
While dishing out a life’s savings to attend these prestigious universities may seem like the best option in theory, there are numerous alternative to consider when selecting which university is the best fit on an individual basis.
Be sure to check out the full article on The Huffington Post by clicking here.
photo credit: Sri Dhanush via photopin cc
