| Topic Name: |
University elitism? |
| Message Name: |
thanks |
| Date Posted: |
10/17/2003 |
| In Reply To: |
Let's set the record straight on this. First, no firm has a "top 10 only" rule. Most firms do limit their recruiting to "core" schools, but this is for matters of economics, not elitism. A firm is stupid if they don't review the resumes submitted online and call in well-qualified candidates. This happens more often than you think.
Second, university choice is driven by economics, not elitism. The cost of forming a recruiting team, coming to campus for the main preez, the women's preez, the black preez, the hispanic preez, the LGBT preez, the night before preez, the one-on-ones, the interview workshop, the interviews, and everything else---is extremely expensive. And add flying in VPs from Timbucktu, newspaper ads, interview rooms, etc., and recruiting becomes a very costly proposition. This means that when enough qualified candidates can be found at a half-dozen core schools, there's no need to spend another $40K at another school to get another batch of equivalent applicants. This is also why so few firms recruit at Tuck, for instance, even though Tuck is as Ivy League as George Bush.
Third, limiting "core" schools is driven by a desire to be familiar with the school. MCs can only be familiar with a few schools to the extent that they can distinguish between well-qualified candidates. A good recruiting team will figure out who the well-respected campus leaders are among the senior class, who the jerks are, and who the smart but quiet students are.
Fourth, nobody cares where you were accepted. Most resumes are hopelessly cluttered with garbage like "high school yearbook editor", so-called relevant coursework, and favorite travel destinations, all of which have no place on a resume, so don't add to the clutter. When a stack of 500 resumes hits my desk and I have a couple hours to chose a dozen or two, I want to know that you know who my firm is, what we do, and why we're different (which goes in the cover letter); that you've mastered the most difficult courses the university offers (your transcript); and that you've shown real leadership outside the classroom (your resume). BTW, the factors I outlined are why 3.4s get interviews and 3.9s get rejected. I don't care where you got fat envelopes four years ago.
Fifth, nobody cares where you were accepted because MCs recruit from the schools that the consultants attended. Don't write on your resume that you rejected my alma mater. I'm insecure and I like my school. |
| Message: |
All good points--thanks.
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