
intheleast
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They can't LEGALLY discriminate based on the university you attended. But who knows how they actually make their hiring decisions? Employers always turn you down with a general statement that can't get them in any legal hot water such as "We have decided to go with a more qualified candidate at this time."
They ask where you attended so that they can contact the university and confirm that you actually did graduate from there with the degree that you profess to have earned. You'd be surprised how many people lie on their resumes about an education that they never achieved and eventually get caught and fired.
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JayJay
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Not legally they can not. But if its only your personal opinon that they are you will need more proof than that to do something about it.
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Another Way to See it
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Where would they check the qualifications of your degree
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Tanya T
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No employer should discriminate against anyone depending on what uni they went to, but unfortunately it does happen.
However, in some professions, e.g. doctors and lawyers, people with a degree from higher status unis, like Oxford and Cambridge, are more favoured than those with degrees from other unis.
But don't lie about where you got your degree from - you will probably need to use uni as a reference for your job, and so when your employer finds out you lied about where you studied, it could go badly for you. Just be honest about it, and show your employer that its the person that matters, not the uni they went to.
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hazel414
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They shouldn't but they will. Its just the way of the world unfortunately, some universities are more prestigious than others and being accepted there and/or getting a high class degree from them is attractive to employees. So many people go to uni these days that employees look at all sorts of little things to pick between candidates and the uni you went to could be one of them.
I wouldn't recommend lying about where you went though, they may want to see you degree transcript and then you'll be in trouble!
Remember though the uni you went to isn't everything, if you impress them and are the right person for the job that should be the most important thing!
Good luck!
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ANDY F
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I think you might find that some employers will still use what used to be called the Old Boy Network when considering applications, ie did you go to Eton/Harrow and did you go up to an Oxford/Cambridge college.
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heatherlynn822
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There is a difference between discriminating & having a persoanl bias. Sure, an employer is more likely to favor someone who went to their own alma mater. As to whether or not you could ever prove that as "discrimination".... Good Luck. Peopl who do that usually keep another reason in their back as to why they didn't hire someone.
As for lying about where you went to school or what degree you REALLY obtained.... DON'T do it! You'll be found out FOR SURE (many jobs ask for transcripts or a copy of your degree / certification these days) and made to look like a major a$$!
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Larr M
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It matters.
A degree from BFE school isn't as important as a degree from Wake Forest.
Why?
Because the difficulty factor is exponentially equal to the quality of the university education you receive.
I know the dumbest least educated people from local bs colleges or universities...but take those same degrees and stack them up next to a tough super hard university where you must really be smart to succeed and earn a degree and it's like comparing going to the movies with making a movie....
I am glad decisions are based on facts--and it is not discrimination--to not choose a candidate for a job if they attended a lame asss school.
get over it...or go to a good school.
ps. Lying on an application is grounds for suit and immediate dismissal--but hey--obama lies-so why not you.
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Domino
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yes they can thats wwhy so many people suck up to there bosses tell them they like things they like biut truth is they don't...
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muffinisis
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which government,
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certaxrugby
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ABSOLUTELY right that employers use the university you went to as an indication of whether you are suitable for a job or not. Different universities have different strengths and weaknesses - and different departments within different universities have different strengths and weaknesses. So for a particular profession you might find that one department in a particular university is highly rated, and other departments within the same university are not so highly rated.
A first from one university is not, and never has been, the same as a first from somewhere else - and nor should it be. A degree is not a guarantee into a job. It is an indicator to a prospective employer about your skills, aspirations, strengths and weaknesses, and your particular level and content of education.
Different jobs will require different matches of skills and therefore degrees from different places. It is not therefore that one is intrinsically 'better' than another - it is just that they are providing different things for different people and different audiences. It is therefore absolutely right that an employer takes account of where you got your degree in determining whether you are the right fit for the role for which they are considering you as compared to the other candidates.
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Steph
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They can and i entirely agree with them.
Yes you got a first, but the quality of your exterior knowledge, and the manor in which you have been taught is as important as what you came out with.
You cannot possibly claim that weather someone has attended Cambridge or Reading, they are equal if they come out with the same qualification?
And no you cannot lie, as if you are asked for a reference or the employer does a check (only really happens in the City), you will be found out and have wasted your and their time.
The reason why the University is important is because different Universities have different specialisations, and therefore there will be a set of Universities more favored by that employer for that role, for example for a job in Finance, an employer will be looking for someone who attended LSE, Warrick, Exeter or Bristol etc.
Employers are allowed to discriminate against universities, against achievements and against anything you put on your job application which may lead them to question your ability over someone else's.
I know the world is coming to the point where less and less is being discriminated against as well as the creation of positive discrimination, and in may places employers are no longer allowed to conduct interviews, but at the moment, it is judged fair to chose a university graduate over another on the grounds of university attended.
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Michelle W
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Its easy to get around with employers...but if it is a hot high paying job, then they want the best qualified people for their company. I f someone went to Yale or Harvard and had better qualifications than you, then chances are they will be picked...
this technically is not discrimination....because of what i just explained...
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WENDEL HOMES
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do you think that employers can discriminate against the university you went to,?
Try this.
Do you believe that employers ought to discriminate against the university you might have attended?
Answer.
Absolutely!
And why not? if you have earned a good badge, why not try and flaunt it with pride no matter what university you attended, but eeh! he has the choice not you, he is the user here.
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Nick P
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I believe that employers can ask pretty much what they like regarding your education. Universities differ in the way they teach and the syllabus. In addition many employers like to employ people who went to the same university particularly if they were at the top few (Cambridge, Oxford, Durham etc.).
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Gizmo
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Of course they can pick who is more qualified based on where your degree came from. If you have two candidates for a position and one got a degree in business from Harvard, which has a prestigious business school and one got a degree in business from a school like slippery rock that basically anyone can get into and slide through, the candidate from Harvard is more qualified for the job, as their degree was harder to get and their education was likely more comprehensive. How does that not make sense? It's not discrimination, it's choosing the best option. that said, having a degree from Harvard could hinder you because your starting pay requirement would be higher.
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kapn
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A non accredited university like on line are worthless.......if you spent 20K and 3 years of your life getting a degree form a out house like one of these you wasted your money. I always check an applicants degree source......I could get stuck with someone who got their degree from their neighbors basement.........
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Mob_boss
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wrong, the university has a great deal involved, if you wanted a technical job they wouldnt pick flordia state univeristy if someone from georgia tech was appling to the same job, also mit would be picked before ga tech, it does matter which university and does have to be stated, you could have jail time for miss leading info on your resume if the job wanted to push it, because it all falls back on federal taxes.
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Judy
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That isn't discriminatin, and of course they can. They can set whatever qualifications they want to for the people they hire, as long as it's not on the basis of something legally discriminatory, like race, gender or age over 40 for example. And you should have checked the school's reputation before you spent that $20K and 3 years.
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DUDE
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Well if you went to a community college and your applying for a Vice Presidency of a major corporation then yes. But if your just applying for a job at a convenience store then u should be fine.
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declain
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Legally, they can ask where you went to school, what the degree was, and the GPA. They can also call and verify this information. If you lie, it gives them the right to not hire you.
Whether they can discriminate solely on that... Not really, but unless they tell you outright that's the case, you'll have a hard time ever proving school caused it.
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Daniel Owen
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It does matter what university you went to. Some are better than others. It's not discrimination because where you studied is relevant to assessing your qualifications.
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a gentleman and a scholar
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they do discriminate...certain schools get a resume a second look while the rest get tossed aside...its a harsh truth
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murphw123
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Depending on the field of study, some colleges have better reputations and are said to have better programs. This is just a fact. Yes, if you are applying for a job...the degree should be what matters. If you are comparing a person with no work experience with another with no work experience for employment and basing everything solely on degrees then it could happen. I don't know that it is discrimination. Lying is never an option.
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dr.dopex420
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Of course they can, an employer can discriminate against anything... even your eye color.
I don't think its something to worry about, its unlikely you won't get a job because you went to UCLA and not Notre dame
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Steve D
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Many universities are not accredited by an accrediting agency, which means there is no ensured quality level over the courses provided for your degree. Many employers, therefore, will not accept degrees from these universities.
If you want to lie and the employer finds out, they have every right to fire you (check the employment application which usually says that failure to answer truthfully can result in termination for cause).
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BobApril
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Yes, they can. "University attended" is not a protected class, like race, religion, gender, etc.
As an extreme example, a prospective employee who went to Harvard is more likely to be hired than one who went to Ivy Tech. Such discrimination is not only legal, it might be justified.
Meanwhile, if you lie about your schooling, and they check, then you'll be considered a liar - and probably not get the job.
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Dagger_SA
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Universities DO matter, and there is nothing illegal about that kind of discrimination.
Lie about it? They can and do check, you know. Personally, I discriminate against liars, so if I hired you and found out you lied about what school you went to, I'd fire your butt and make sure you never got a job in this town again.
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Tony
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They can judge you based on where you got your degree. It's no secret that some universities are harder to get into and offer more challenging curriculum. There is no law that says they can't use this as criteria for determining your fitness for employment.
Now an intelligent employer would realize that what school a person went to isn't nearly as important as their ability to use the knowledge they gained. Application of skills is far more important that book smarts or big name credentials on a piece of paper. However not all employers have that vision.
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The Yeti
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The reason potential employers ask where you went to school is that some schools are better than others.
Not giving you a job because you went to an inferior school is not discrimination, it is just picking the best qualified applicant.
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ohmygodimatomato
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I kind of agree with you on that one - at the end of the day a 1st is a 1st. But, unfortunately, there's so much snobbery and pretension surrounding what university you went to people over look the important bit.
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