Undergraduate: Wisconsin, UCSB, Indiana, or Boulder?
So I have heard back from all the colleges that I applied to, and I now must choose between Wisconsin, UCSB, Indiana, and Boulder. I know none of them are really target schools, but I'm wondering if it is easier to get an investment banking job from one of them over the others. I'm from California, so I get in-state tuition at UCSB, and it is the most highly ranked school to which I was admitted, but they don't have a business school, just an economics program,. I have the opportunity to take business classes all four years at Boulder, which may be an advantage. I was directly admitted into the undergraduate business program at Indiana, which has the most highly ranked undergraduate business program of any of the schools I've been accepted to. Wisconsin is just a great school, ranked a little behind UCSB but it has a business program and is tied with Harvard for most CEOs of fortune 500 companies with 14.
Any input is greatly appreciated!
Boulder (no bias, of course, it being my alma mater)
I would probably choose Kelley though, assuming you were directly admitted there.
Wisconsin.
Nothing against the other schools you listed, but your BEST shot of landing a gig in investment banking is going to Kelley and getting into the investment banking workshop. Great placement, even at BBs and EBs. Again, nothing against the other schools (e.g., Wisconsin has a great undergrad business school that sends kids to IB, too -- just not with the certainty that Kelley's workshop offers).
I agree. I think I've heard about it (I'm IU Admit just not in Kelley), but I just don't know much about it~ similarly, Wisc has some Security Analysis stuff--I dont know if they're comparable. Linkedin Profiles really tell a lot--about firms, industries, alum spreads, and most importantly, you can see the jobs grads are holding--because they're the most likely jobs for a soon-to-be-graduate
practical answer: kelley if direct admit, wisco if not what I would've done at 18: UCSB
if you check linkedin from your list of schools, you probably won't find much IB among IU Kelley--they're big accounting but not a hot IB feeder.
UCSB doesnt have a business degree--okay, so does UCLA, but I'm sure UCLA is a big IB feeder, or feeder for anything, thus the argument isn't too valid. As UCal grad you get the UCLA/Berkeley alum job database too~ Also if you really really want the UG business experience, Business Admin. certificate from UCLA extension is probably transferrable among all UCal schools.
Tuition and homesick can be some other good factors to consider. Post-UG location is also important too. I think Boulder is a good STEM research school--however, it is stuck in the middle of nowhere unless you say Denver is a good stepping stone...and just not the best bet for business.
Wisc & Indiana are solid schools--enough UGs can go to elite MBA. However, I think they're still limited regionally for UG students, same as UCSB's situation.
You are certainly correct that Kelley is largely an accounting school. However, the poster is going into school knowing he wants to do investment banking. Knowing that, he should get into the investment banking workshop (if he can't get into the workshop, that's another issue...). The workshop places well across the country, with people ending up in NYC and SF. If you're not in the workshop, you're pretty much limited to the Midwest.
if you think I may be too silly to respectfully disagree, don't mind me then.....I'm not going to be always right, but I hope it helps the OP
just sayin', besides winter, life in madison is really swell.
Kelley places more than 50 students each year in IB full-time. With grades and activities you will be set for a BB or EB too. Massive alumni network.
Wisconsin is probably closer to 15-20. Growing program.
You're not likely going to get any front-office banking jobs out of Boulder. The skiing is nice.
As for UCSB... that beach is hard to pass up on, but your career opps would be difficult without a business degree.
Go to Boulder, do a STEM and biz double major/minor, work in renewable energy in Boulder and start your own thing by your mid/late 20's. Have a shit load of undergrad fun. Build wind or solar farms and take advantage of rec's and other programs and have a good and fulfilling life. And be on the cutting edge of renewables. Or just get into the tightly knit yet decent start up community in Boulder. Incredible place to live. I recently received a call from an hh for a CFO role at a start up and it's very attractive just to live in Boulder. I'm considering leaving a lot to bring a family up there for the lifestyle.
Or go to SB with awesome surf breaks on campus and a short drive to Rincon. Other than living in CA in the mid to late 90's and having friends who did well from SB I can't tell you if you'd have a chance getting into IB, but you'd have an awesome time and you'd be good for corporate finance and a decent amount of real estate investment roles in CA.
I can't comment on midwest schools with regard to IB (no offense to the schools or the midwest, I'm just not from there and never worked there) so others should.
But unless you're so dead set into going to IB as a senior in high school because that's your dream, go where you want and can afford. You may want to be a banker this month and something completely different next week. Then you're stuck in shit weather in Wisconsin (and again no offense) instead of SB. Aside from a few, very few in comparison, most of the wealthiest people I know were not IB people but came from random and hardworking people. So don't do it because that's what you think is the only road to money.
If money is a concern, California community college and 4.0 then transfer to Ivy, Cal or UCLA. Haas preferred, Econ is fine. Work to get your SAT scores up if you haven't already, banks like those high.
Thanks guys, I appreciate all the advice. To clear things up, I am a direct admit to Kelly School of Business. Boulder sent me an e-mail after I posted this to let me know that I have been accepted into their honors business program. I visited Wisconsin today and loved it. I love the weather and the women at UCSB, and if I go there I graduate debt free (my dad might make me go there because of this). However, I am genuinely interested in business, and it would kind of suck not to be able to take any business classes in college. Because of the money and my father, I might go to UCSB and then try to transfer to Berkeley, but I'm still not sure.
sometimes you just have to take a choice and live with it man
however, try to reduce the dependence on things like women-- after you graduate, you'll realize that nobody cares, and it'd be stupid to say in interviews, that I like the women in UCSB and it's why I went there
thinking about saving some $$ is a good concern though--sometimes $$ is also a valuable option (people turn down Wharton sort of school for a lower-tier school's full-ride, all the time!)
just have to pick and choose your options--but I'd say if you're serious about business, avoid Boulder. You'll find networking and job search like hell outside of Denver.
I also like the chances of transferring to a higher tier from UCSB. it's not a bad school, it just has some bigger brothers in UC
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