> 1) It puts you in a network of other people who went to the institution, oftentimes people who have connections that can help you in life
The caveat is that you at some point need to build personal relationships with these folks. Success in the network might be a minor influence at baseline ("ah, from my old alma mater, sure I'll take the interview...") but those choice positions come from friends offering friends' friends jobs.
To boot, I think this can be true even in skill-driven fields -- unless you're intended to be a pure engineer, money comes from managing people & projects (i.e. the more work you can generate for other people, the more valuable you are). These positions requires far less technical chops than we'd maybe like.
The caveat is that you at some point need to build personal relationships with these folks. Success in the network might be a minor influence at baseline ("ah, from my old alma mater, sure I'll take the interview...") but those choice positions come from friends offering friends' friends jobs.
To boot, I think this can be true even in skill-driven fields -- unless you're intended to be a pure engineer, money comes from managing people & projects (i.e. the more work you can generate for other people, the more valuable you are). These positions requires far less technical chops than we'd maybe like.