Keep Getting Asked about my Non-Target UG school
I keep getting asked "why did you go to (ultra non-target) University" in my interviews, and I'm trying to figure out what to say. I now go to a semi-target MSF school but clearly I'm not gonna escape my UG. Admittedly, I went because at the time it was the easiest school to get into I could back then. I can't say that to the interviewers. A recent valuation boutique interview, in which 5 different people talked to me, had each and all interviewers asking it. I tried to say "I initially thought I wanted to be a (the profession for which the majors at my UG were best, think PT, Nursing, Accounting, etc.) but it wasn't my thing. I like history which is why I ultimately majored in that." Should I have said "I ultimately majored in history due to time constraints" instead, or leave it at that? Or am I doing it all wrong on this question?
I definitely wouldn't say you couldn't do a certain college major due to time constraints...doesn't reflect well on your time management skills. Unless you were the captain of a D1 sports team, the president of a club on campus, an RA, and volunteered at the local homeless shelter (or had serious medical issues, but I don't imagine that's the case or you'd mention that rather than time), I don't know why you wouldn't have had the time to complete a pretty standard college major.
Was the cost low? You can also mention that you didn't have the money/support system to go to a better school.
Not sure why the above got red but it's a fine thing to say and one of the better "excuses" you could make. If it's near where you grew up, can say you originally wanted to stay really close to home (might not work as well if there are "good" schools really close by).
Or anytime someone asks you why you didn't go to Harvard, you can just ask them why they don't work at Goldman Sachs.
They're probably just asking normal questions and you're reading them as negative. Don't worry about it and don't assume they're looking down upon you
You can turn it into a positive. Talk about how its a chip on your shoulder, and it motivates you to work harder/longer than the other guy. People love a good underdog story, just sell it, and it can actually pay off (assuming your GPA at the non-target was solid).
Here is my response to why I went to my non-target:
1) I grew up in a small town and went to small schools; I really felt more comfortable going to a smaller college and school XYZ really gave me the opportunity to develop myself 2) Able to do all the things I wanted to do, ranging from being a leader in student organizations to excelling academically 3) Being able to go abroad several times, especially doing an internship in Asia and a semester in South America 4) Being part of an growing organization -- named top 50 business schools for the first time why there
While the reality is pretty different, the above has worked for two PE firms I've accepted offers to.
Just own it man. You shouldn't apologize for anything on your resume. If anything, you should say how attending your UG school gave you a different perspective on college, careers, etc. and how you ultimately grew from that experience.
I had the same exact issue as an MSF graduate. I just told them that money was tight and that the school offered a full scholarship.
Whatever you do don't tell them the part about not choosing their "best" major.
should I then mention how I initially was going to use a scholarship I won but during the financial crisis didn't think it right when others needed it more? Or am I just paying the price for going to school to f-in' rage?
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