Does your school's rank really matter when applying for jobs?

[cdawson92]

I'm just wondering if anyone really knew an answer to this question. I've heard from multiple people that the grad school you go to doesn't really make a difference in your job search as an SLP, since it is such an in demand job. However, I was still curious if anyone had any first hand insights into this and whether or not its true!

[astaroth27]

I can't speak for SLP specifically but in general where you go to grad school matters quite a bit. Lower ranked schools tend to be lower ranked because they have less money. Less money correlates with poorer quality of research, publications, and less competitive PIs which makes it harder to get the resume builders which are necessary for subsequent steps in your career. Even if SLP does not require a lot of money to grease its wheels like biological sciences do; higher ranked institutions do attract higher quality faculty which means more impactful letters of recommendation. If your field is very in demand your school's rank probably doesn't matter as much but I would never say it doesn't make a difference.

[dylofish]

In Speech-Language Pathology it does not matter. The methodology for the rankings are absolutely subjective. Essentially professor's across the country rate how good they think each program is, so essentially the rankings are only opinion. In Speech all that really matters is the master's degree. There are so many jobs out there in our field I wouldn't worry at all about what school you go to. 

[Slp1268]

All schools are accredited so they all meet basic standards. However, it is important to remember that doesn't mean the quality of the education is the same, only that the program meets a certain minimum standard. That being said, will going to a lower ranked school make you less likely to get a job? Probably not.

[Crimson Wife]

Different programs have different strengths. Take a look at the research the faculty members at each of the programs are working in to see if your particular area of interest in SLP is well-represented. If my area of interest is X and schools A & B don't have any faculty doing research in that area but school C does, then the fact that school C might be lower on the USNWR ranking list is not a reason to choose A or B.

 

My target schools list would look fairly odd to anyone who wasn't familiar with my area of professional interest.

[ahirsh7]

They do matter slightly. I mean there are enough SLP jobs to go around, but the more competitive jobs are selective and will definitely consider the school you went to and higher ranked schools have more connections within the area that you can use after graduation. 

[Crimson Wife]

They do matter slightly. I mean there are enough SLP jobs to go around, but the more competitive jobs are selective and will definitely consider the school you went to and higher ranked schools have more connections within the area that you can use after graduation. 

 

Yes, but I think it matters more when comparing programs that are all strong in a particular area. So for my area of interest (auditory-verbal therapy for the deaf), if I were to get into both Vanderbilt and Akron, then Vanderbilt would definitely open up more doors after graduation. But somebody who graduated from a "name brand" school that didn't have an AVT program would probably lose out to the Akron graduate.

[ImHis]

I think it depends on the type of setting. If you're going for a school position, I don't think it matters much. However, if you want a CFY that deals with low incidence communication disorders - fluency, voice, clefts- that's probably more difficult to obtain if you hadn't had any hands on experience/contact with actual clients. My mentor who works at a large metrpolitan hospital said that his employers place a greater emphasis on where you completed your CFY when they hire.

Edited May 6, 2015 by ImHis

[hopefulslp2b]

My professor tells me ranking matters if you are trying to go for PhD but not for emoloyement

[ahirsh7]

Yes, but I think it matters more when comparing programs that are all strong in a particular area. So for my area of interest (auditory-verbal therapy for the deaf), if I were to get into both Vanderbilt and Akron, then Vanderbilt would definitely open up more doors after graduation. But somebody who graduated from a "name brand" school that didn't have an AVT program would probably lose out to the Akron graduate.

Absolutely. I don't believe rankings prevail over everything else. There are many factors. But a lot of people seem to think they mean nothing. 

[mr479]

Yes. If you don't go to a top 10 school, you'll probably be living off food stamps for the rest of your life.

Edited May 6, 2015 by bettercallsaul