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Penn State Tops Recruiter Rankings

Andy Nguyen

Andy Nguyen

Joined
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State universities have become the favorite of companies recruiting new hires because their big student populations and focus on teaching practical skills gives the companies more bang for their recruiting buck.

Under pressure to cut costs and streamline their hiring efforts, recruiting managers find it's more efficient to focus on fewer large schools and forge deeper relationships with them, according to a Wall Street Journal survey of top corporate recruiters whose companies last year hired 43,000 new graduates. Big state schools Pennsylvania State University, Texas A&M University and University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign were the top three picks among recruiters surveyed.

Recruiters say graduates of top public universities are often among the most prepared and well-rounded academically, and companies have found they fit well into their corporate cultures and over time have the best track record in their firms.

Recruiters Pick State Schools, Pass on Ivies - WSJ.com
 
I remember my friend used to read this book about college admissions at Ivy Leagues. He kept on saying how the admissions committees did NOT want "bright well rounded kids" and even gave them an acronym (BWRKs - I never said it was an elegant acronym). Instead they preferred brilliant students with a specialized interest they were passionate about.

From the article, this seems to be the exact opposite of what recruiters are looking for...
 
Nice article - great to get more perspective on how the American college system is organised. Totally affirms that proximity pays a key role in employment opportunities. Also, a very informative comment on the study by the Harvard spokesman :D

A Harvard spokesman said, "Harvard College graduates consistently experience success in the job market and in their chosen fields."
 
While the article is not directly related to MFE programs by most part, it's always educational to have a broad picture.
I believe the world is so interconnected today that if you have a keen eye, you can dig out nuggets of information from everything you read.
And being a spokesperson probably requires very thick skin, a straight face, twisted tounge and lot of imagination.
 
Proximity is going to be a big issue for the simple fact that it takes quite a lot of $$ to fly candidates cross-country for interviews.
 
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