How much does a school's prestige play a part in the IT world?

Apologies if this has been debated before...I searched but didn't find too much.
Does a person's choice in a school for a technical Master's degree matter all that much? Opinions? Examples?
Is there really a huge difference overall in an MSIT from Carnegie Mellon or one from WGU?
Does a person's choice in a school for a technical Master's degree matter all that much? Opinions? Examples?
Is there really a huge difference overall in an MSIT from Carnegie Mellon or one from WGU?
Comments
Schools are tiered and that is where the apples to apples vs apples to oranges comes into play. WGU to MIT apple to oranges (same with Drexel to MIT). But say Rowan, Drexel, and Temple...apples to apples. Just need to find that healthy balance of cost vs name.
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Degree trumps no-degree.
Brick-and-mortar trumps online.
Ivy League trumps State University trumps Local CC.
In the end, it is what you know, who you know and how well you work. Getting in the door will greatly be maximized by 'who' you know and going to a larger school with a plethora of good people contents will likely land you in a better position for finding work. However, in most cities, you'll find many, many organizations who simply need bright and enthusiastic people to work for them, having the best credentials one can earn and a great personality will get you pretty far.
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"Grammar and spelling aren't everything, but this is a forum, not a chat room. You have plenty of time to spell out the word "you", and look just a little bit smarter." by Phaideaux
***I'll add you can Capitalize the word 'I' to show a little respect for yourself too.
'i' before 'e' except after 'c'.... weird?
Complication is added to my dilemma, especially when I read that people with CCNPs and CCIEs are getting paid 6 figures after 5 ~ 10 years of experience. It seems that if you have passion, knowledge, skills and a little bit of luck getting yourself in the right position, then you'll be compensated regardless of where you got your degree.
I would disagree with that statement. Good to get? Yes. Critical? Not so much. It helps to have a great degree from a great school but like everything in life, it's not a guarantee for a job or success and as you move through your career and gain experience, it matters less and less where you went to school. If you can manage the brick and mortar option or a great school, go for it. The contacts you pick up along the way will definitely help but it's not a plausible solution for some adult learners and that's alright as well. In most cases in IT, you can ultimately end up in the same place as that the guy with the degree from a great university - it just might take a bit more work or a couple more years of experience to get to that same place.
You have to decide what's best for your career. If you have the means and the finances, shoot for the stars. A lot people don't have the money, grades or ability to take off work for 4 years to go to a "great" university and they end up going the online route, community college, trade school, or another kind of school. Doesn't mean they won't be as successful as the next guy. It just means you might face different issues or prejudices but if that's the only means you have, do what you can.
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However, there are reasons more people don't go to schools like MIT and CMU even if they could afford to do so with financial aid. First, those schools are extremely selective. If you have a black mark in your academic history they won't consider you. They only consider students who had close to a 4.0 in previous academic environment(s), and even then, they have far more nearly perfect applicants than they have openings. Attending a top tier school becomes your life. Expect the work to be demanding, and school to be your first priority. If you have a family or job you'd like to keep, attending a top tier schools may not work for you.
If you have the background to get into a top tier school, and you don't have life responsibilities that stop you from going, apply and see what financial aid they can offer you. Don't be scared away by the sticker price, you'd be throwing away the opportunity of a lifetime.
Have you decided yet? Also look into NYU Poly.
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Nah, I'm debating up to this day. I still have a year or two where credits from my B.S. can be still applied to either RIT or CMU. So, I'm seeing where my current career will take me, along with my interpersonal skills (or lack of) to get me a better position. But I do not have a perfect 4.0 GPA from my B.S. so CMU is most likely out of the equation. I was hoping certifications, career history, and high GRE score will convince the admission department to cut me some slack, but from the stories I've read, I realized that it is less likely.
I have looked at NYU Poly's website for their Cybersecurity MS program, but I would not pass the computer science core cources with a B without seriously re-constructing my life lol. Especially the "Design and Analysis of Algorithms" course.
For entry level positions I usually get 300+ resumes. For these positions I screen by looking at (in order or relevance): 1) School Name - online universities, community colleges are out. I can afford to be picky based on the volume of resumes. 2) formatting - spelling, grammar, layout etc 3) experience
For mid level positions I screen by looking at 1) primarily experience, 2) Certifications, 3) School Name - same as above, 4) resume layout - same as above
For senior level positions I screen by looking at 1) almost exclusively experience, 2) Certifications, 3) resume layout, 4) School name - same as above
No it's never going to pull the same weight as an Ivy League university but at the same time it's better than not having one. If online universities didn't exist, I likely wouldn't be able to pursue any further education due to my schedule and financial commitments. In the end I would rather not work for a company that hires based on the prestige of degree but rather want a company willing to hire likeminded people who know true knowledge is what counts. As I'm starting to get into more senior positions I'm finding experience counts the most and the MBA can only help. In the end though I strive for the knowledge taught within the degree program, and regardless of what employers count it for, the added knowledge and education will help me in future jobs.
I totally appreciate the honesty.
If you dont mind me asking why are community colleges out if it is an accredited community college? Just wondering if it is due to the volume?
I have an associates from a community college because unfortunately it is what I could afford but I have learned my AAS from there has given me a better chance than no college at all but I know someone with a Bachelors or an Associates from NIU will be chosen over the top of me.
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Out of curiosity how has this worked out for you across the board? Has this method played out well for you. When we hire for technical positions we don't even look at the degree.
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Generalizing here but I have more confidence in someone who went to a private school or a university because 1) private schools & universities generally have a more rigorous curriculum than community colleges, 2) It requires more dedication to attend this type of a school, 3) the professors probably have more experience and have been thoroughly vetted.
Our company is full of nothing but A players. The most important thing any company can do is hire great people. The school is only a starting point in getting good people, and possibly null in some cases. I'm also a firm believer in hire quickly, fire quickly.
At the end of the day it's an easy way to filter people out of large pools of resumes where companies don't have the time or resources to get to know each one of them personally.
I have had no issues with job prospects.
If it is within your means to attend one of these prestigious schools I say go for it but for the average individual its just not practical. The way I see it if you have a degree its better then not having one. While it may be a factor for entry level candidates I can't say I've seen job postings specifying BS/BA from a top tier school. Also, if the company you are applying at only hires from prestigious schools you wouldn't know anyway because they did not contact you. I say just keep applying and with a good resume over time someone will bite.
I am not at all
I was also lucky that a lot of my professors at the community college taught at IIT and NIU during the day so I got the same level education but didn't get the name on my degree.