Columbia Transfer not Worth the 65k student debt...F'ing Thing Sucks

how is your alumni network?

the reason i say this is that with your experience and GPA (especially in such a quantitative field), if you have alumni or other connections pulling for you it is very likely that you would receive some first round interviews. Now many people will tell you to transfer if you can, and obviously if you could afford it it would likely be in your best interest, but with your stats, and a large alumni network, i don't see any reason why you shouldn't do very well in recruiting.

The one suggestion i do have is if you can, get a different i-bank on your resume next semester. This way, you can have 2 different banks listed instead of just having the length of time increased on 1 bank--it will stand out much more in the process rather than have extended dates (i doubt they even look at the dates when screening resumes).

3.99? What did you take swimming pass fail or something?

Alumni Network is decent I would say. I have talked to probably 6-8 analysts at BB's in NYC. Also there are a handful of higher ups and I am currently in touch with or trying to contact.

I feel I will probably have my resume forwarded, I just was wondering how often a non-target gets picked up even with forwarding to the"special" pile or whatever.

LeveRAGE you make a good point about trying to get a different bank on my resume. The bank I was at had very minimal deal flow because it was just started like 6 months before so that is part of my reason for wanting to intern elsewhere. I did work on some interesting PE investments they are working on though which was pretty solid.

And I know the 3.99 + engineering looks kinda nerdy but I swear I go out and drink about 3 times a week (barring an exam on monday or finals). I feel like I'd probably interview pretty solid. Just have to deal with the usual non-target BS like why did you go to that school? Why didn't you feel like you could handle the student debt for an ivy? I went to xyz and I have no time for you. etc

IP said it better than I could.

Hey. Firstly, you can round that 3.99 to a 4.00 lol. 4.0 just has a much bigger impact on your resume.

Second, don't go to Columbia if you have to take on a debt that large. You can do just as well from your current school, and if, by some chance, it doesn't work out you still have MFE programs which are definitely worth more than a BS degree.

Lastly, are your parents helping you out? I'm pretty sure that in an EFC, Columbia awards what it believes what your parents CAN pay. They're usually pretty generous (in my case more generous than Duke and Penn).

Long story but parents aren't too solid financially, but have a high AGI. I'm pretty much on my own for college and EFC is that high even with a sibling who will be going to college next year too. I think the financial aid for transfer students isn't as strong as for freshman admits. Makes me work harder though I guess.

FWIW I go to a total non-target west coast not top 100 and got a full-time S&T at a BB. I had a 3.83 GPA and an Anthro major/ Business minor. I found a good alum contact and he helped A LOT. I was passionate about the job i got the interview for and that came through in the interview: boom, offer.

You have an excellent chance in my opinion. I would not transfer and incur roughly an entire year's salary of debt.

You resume speaks for itself, but what Leverage said about getting another bank on the resume would be HUGE!

I would probably stay at your current school, as it seems like you will definitely get a couple interviews with your current resume. It's good that you have already made connections, but try to make as many new ones as possible while maintaining your old ones. Ask each contact for new people to speak with and try to set up in-person meetings/visits later in the fall. Even if your contact has already said that he will forward your resume, this will make it easier for him to get you an interview because he can introduce you to more (higher up) people when you come in who will informally interview you right there. A lot of analysts/associates try to forward resumes but if one of them can say "yeah but this was the kid that visited a few weeks ago, he met 5 of our group and they all liked him" -it's much more effective.

Also (I just said this in another thread but whatever), if you are near any target schools, sneak into their recruiting events. As a 3.99 GPA kid sneaking into a target's recruiting event with previous IB experience, you will get the attention of the people there. Just be like hey I don't go here but I want IB pretty badly and I'd like to set up a call next week.

Really tough choice. Sounds like you killed your academics and deserve to be at Columbia but sorry to hear about the financial aid. That sucks.

One thing to consider is that if you want to move to PE or HF later your school could matter, though a 3.99 at a good school looks fantatic by any definition. This is secondhand info so ask around the forums about school and PE if you want to go down that path

Your gpa does reset at cornell or Columbia though, and the academics might be tougher so it might be harder to keep that 3.99

Do not transfer.

From the perspective of a kid who took on six-figure debt for school, you are absolutely golden. You have alumni pulling for you, a GPA almost perfect as can be, relevant experience, and sound like a well-reasoned likable guy. You have no reason to transfer.

Keep your GPA that high. Try to arrange a visit to the junior alums you know, get in and visit them on the desk someday and try to network. Chances are they'll put you in front of people who can make things happen for you, and that's what's most important. Don't worry about long-term options too much, that 3.99 engineering GPA will help you SO much for any grad program.