[#permalink]
12 Aug 2005, 19:17
I can name dozens of SP500 CEOs from local schools so it is certainly possible to become an important exec from a relatively unknown school (although they tend to head companies that are rather close to their MBA program).
When it comes to recruiting, having a well known school helps in that recruiters come to your school looking for people like you. In interviews outside of the campus recruiting context, a school with a strong rep can certainly be in your favor (e.g. if you come from Dartmouth or Northwestern they might have positive expectations about your team skills, if you come from MIT or CMU they probably have a positive view of your quant skills). Of course, this could cut against you if you are seeking a "soft" position from a "quant" school or v/v.
If you are thinking about a local school, you should at least consider the career prospects of that region and whether you would actually want to live in that region.