In a slow labor market where quit rates are low and job growth is uneven, the common phrase, “It’s not what you know, but who you know” has never been more important. And for recent graduates looking to start their career, understanding and applying this phrase can easily make or break your chances of landing a full-time role.
That’s why, in its recently published list of top colleges, LinkedIn not only looked at the 50 best U.S. schools that set their students up for success, but it also took a deeper dive into the top 10 colleges that have the strongest alumni networks. In today’s challenging job market, LinkedIn points out that the people you meet in college, and the people you meet because of your college, can matter just as much as the classes you take and the major you choose.
As LinkedIn’s Head of Economics, Americas Kory Kantenga explains, it’s important for young professionals to “use your network to connect with people who are in the roles and in the industries that you have an interest in. That way, you're not just sending cold resumes out and you're actually making a warm connection and potentially getting a referral, which is very important in a market like this.”
When looking at LinkedIn profile data and measuring how connected alumni are to one another and to current students, LinkedIn ranked Washington and Lee University as the top school with the strongest alumni network. While the private liberal arts college is one of the smaller schools on the list, with roughly 1,900 undergrads, LinkedIn says its tight-knit culture has created a close network of graduates who rely on each other for connections and opportunities.
Following Washington and Lee University is the Ivy League’s Dartmouth College, which ranked second, and Babson College, which ranked third. Both schools, according to LinkedIn, embed networking into their students’college experience. At Dartmouth’s Center for Career Design, first year students are paired with alumni for professional networking opportunities, and at Babson Connect Worldwide, entrepreneurial alumni are brought together every year for an event.
See below for LinkedIn’s full list of the top 10 colleges that have the strongest alumni networks as well as the top industries graduates work in, according to LinkedIn data.
1. Washington and Lee University
Top Industries: Capital Markets, Credit Intermediation, Business Consulting and Services
2. Dartmouth College
Top Industries: Capital Markets, Technology and Internet, Business Consulting and Services
3. Babson College
Top Industries: Capital Markets, Technology and Internet, Business Consulting and Services
4. Claremont McKenna College
Top Industries: Capital Markets, Technology and Internet, Business Consulting and Services
5. Bowdoin College
Top Industries: Capital Markets, Higher Education, Technology and Internet
6. Colgate University
Top Industries: Capital Markets, Technology and Internet, Legal Services
7. Davidson College
Top Industries: Higher Education, Legal Services, Technology and Internet
8. Vanderbilt University
Top Industries: Technology and Internet, Capital Markets, Business Consulting and Services
9. Bucknell University
Top Industries: Capital Markets, Technology and Internet, Legal Services
10. Rhodes College
Top Industries: Not available
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