Asking again: Cornell A&S ECON vs the rest of world
Hello!
I am a newly accepted Cornell student to the A&S school. I want to major in economics and pursue IB/BB or Consulting.
- What are suggestions that you have in my situation? Any clubs/organizations that I should attempt to participate in that are strong?
- Does Cornell have a strong presence in the business world? How has Cornell helped you?
- I see lots of people on WSO seem to dislike Cornell. How does Cornell compare to other ivies and target schools (specifically Dartmouth, Brown, Duke, UMich, and UVA)
- Should I try to transfer into Dyson, or is Cornell A&S the best option? I just felt like finance curriculum could be self taught—Idk, just my thought.
Thank you!
Ahoy there! Congratulations on your acceptance to Cornell's A&S school! Here's some treasure trove of advice for an aspiring economics major looking to dive into the world of IB/BB or Consulting:
Clubs and Organizations: Based on the most helpful WSO content, getting involved in finance clubs and business fraternities can be a golden ticket. These organizations often provide networking opportunities, practical experience, and a community of like-minded individuals. Look for clubs with a strong focus on finance and consulting, as they can help you build the necessary skills and connections.
Cornell's Business Presence: Based on previous WSO threads, Cornell has a significant presence in the business world, especially in Wall Street firms. The university is among the top schools in terms of graduates working in large Wall Street firms. So, you're starting with a strong brand on your resume.
Comparing Cornell to Other Ivies and Target Schools: When it comes to comparing Cornell with other ivies and target schools like Dartmouth, Brown, Duke, UMich, and UVA, it's all about what you make of the opportunities presented to you. Cornell has a robust alumni network and is well-represented in finance. However, each school has its unique strengths, and it's essential to consider factors like location, culture, and specific programs.
Transferring to Dyson: The Dyson School is highly regarded, especially for its placement in finance roles, boasting a 100% placement rate within 3 months of graduation to the desired industry. If you're considering a transfer, it's worth noting that Dyson's curriculum is tailored towards business and finance, which could provide a more structured path compared to self-teaching the finance curriculum.
Remember, the finance curriculum might be self-taught to some extent, but the structured learning, networking, and recruitment opportunities that come with a program like Dyson can be incredibly valuable.
In the end, whether you choose to stay in A&S or transfer to Dyson, make sure to leverage Cornell's resources, network effectively, and gain as much practical experience as possible. Now go swing through those academic vines with confidence!
Sources: Brown vs. Cornell, Cornell vs Michigan vs Dartmouth school choices, Cornell Dyson vs. Dartmouth for Undergrad, Cornell vs. USC vs. Michigan, Q&A: Johnson (Cornell) 2nd Year MBA Ask Me Anything
Feel free to reach out, current Dyson Sophomore.
Anonymous forums are a good place to start but you should try to get in front of actual Cornell students and alum to get good concrete advice (vs asking specific questions on a forum that may only have a handful of students and alum).
Cornellian who started off at GS/MS/JPM IB here:
1. The club/org culture at Cornell is pretty cancerous and I want you to know that there are countless people who landed great gigs with zero clubs/orgs. Don’t feel bad about not getting into any. Target all of the business fraternities and finance clubs/orgs and see which ones you get along with the most. I’d highly encourage you to join Greek life because it does play a big part in Cornell’s social life. You can still find things to do outside of Greek life but going Greek makes your life easier.
2. Cornell has a huge presence in finance, especially in New York. Cornellians will always try to go to bat for you and I’m pretty sure I’ve landed every internship and job I’ve ever had because of Cornell alums pushing for me on the other side. Cornell is also a pretty big school so there’s substantial presence at every firm. For some reason, its presence in consulting is a little weaker but finance pays a lot better anyway. If you insist on doing consulting, you’ll probably need to network a little harder than you would otherwise. There are definitely alum at MBB but just not at the same numbers as the people we have in MF PE or BB/EB IB.
3. Cornell is disliked because ultimately there are eight Ivies (generally society’s measure of a top school) and Cornell is one of them while most other schools are not. Does Cornell deserve its Ivy status? Very debatable so that’s why there’s some hostility. I can count on one hand the number of people from HYP who have made fun of Cornell to me, while people who go to non-Ivies (think UChicago, Georgetown, UMich) bring this shit up all the time, despite all of these schools having students of the same caliber. People just want to bring you down because of their own insecurity or some other stupid reason. Cornell places as well as any of the schools you listed, if not better than most of them.
4. Recruiting at Cornell isn’t school specific. There are kids who are ILR or PAM who land top IB positions and people in Dyson who end up in marketing. If you can transfer, go for it but ultimately it’s really hard because the program is so tiny (not sure why they keep it so small). You can always just take the coursework without being in Dyson.
I loved my time at Cornell so try to enjoy it. The weather can definitely bring you down but the school has a lot of pros. Good luck.
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