- Enjoy your posts, UcMiami. I guess we disagree on this one, but may simply have different experience. This contradicts my experience on hiring boards, or being presented with their recommendations for decision. My familiarity is limited to twelve years managing government R&D programs and eight years in industry.
-- My background may also differ from others in that the areas we hired were normally just for positions in engineering (chiefly either R&D or the production side of: chemical, electrical, mechanical, or software development), logistics, fiscal, contracts, administration, IT, QA, marketing, and entry level project management.
-- While a resume, networking, and perseverance each help get that interview, my experience is the candidate’s performance in the interview was overwhelmingly important (whether it should be or not). Throughout all the detailed discussion or advocacy, I don’t recall decision makers seriously considering where mere undergrad work was done as a difference maker between capable candidates. With some duds graduating from every school, nobody knows, or cares, if it’s because they attended merely due to parent's donations, squandered that diversity opportunity for Lower Slobbovia, or had academic potential but merely lost their way.
-- As a student, and a parent, I’m familiar with Universities pitching they “Open Doors.” Having worked eight years in business marketing, I’m very familiar with the hopeful mantra such ‘images can become reality.’ But I’m also familiar with that proving to be bunk - at least in recruiting within the organizations I have been in, and (as far as I can tell) the industry contractors and subcontractors we managed.
--While still talking merely about BA’s and BS’, I must say what impresses me as a parent (I believe Diggerfoot’s point as an experienced educator in the thread: OT: Epp! Rutgers!) is not school names/images but their potential for true faculty mentoring. I appreciate that can be very tough for a parent to assess, but fortunately, not regarding UConn WCBB. And that brings me, to my main point…
- So what edge does UConn WCBB clearly provide its student athletes - a nearly tangible asset – that may be hit or miss elsewhere? It’s a pleasure to watch (as a fan) UConn WCBB players being interviewed by the media as freshmen… and then listen to them as seniors; their dress, deportment, aplomb, and communication. By the time they leave (1) not only the extraordinary media gauntlet, but much more importantly, (2) the Chris Dailey Finishing School mentoring within the very heart of Coach Auriemma’s UConn program... I too would indeed argue UConn WBB’s program provides “…a real world difference in a job interview,” regardless of their major.