Stanford or UVA full-ride (undergrad) for IB/Buyside?
I’m currently deciding between Stanford and UVA as a Jefferson Scholar, their full ride merit scholarship, for undergrad. Hoping to go straight to PE (I know that's a longshot) but also super interested in IB. Ideally would be in a tech/TMT group. For context, I’m more focused on placement and college experience than on cost.
I have past PE internships doing real work and am doing a MM IB internship this summer, so I think I'm well prepared to get into top clubs and be top of the pool for finance recruiting at either school. I've seen a ton of crazy recruiting outcomes from the UVA Jefferson Scholars program, so that is very convincing; though I know that Stanford has a big advantage in tech.
- Is the added prestige of the Jefferson scholarship at UVA worth it for recruiting?
- Will the namebrand of Stanford will get me super far in tech finance?
- Do recruiters know of these merit scholarship programs (e.g., Robertson, Morehead-Cain, Jefferson) and pay attention to them in recruiting?
- Is there any merit to being a "big fish" at UVA rather than being less prominent at Stanford?
- Is the Stanford network that much better than the UVA one, and will that affect my career trajectory long-term?
- Which school gives a better chance of getting a ridiculously elite outcome in PE/IB (BCP, Bain Cap, KKR, GS TMT, Qatalyst)?
Aside from finance outcomes, I also really value how intellectually stimulating each school would be and social scene/Greek life. Any advice on that would be appreciated as well. I’m definitely more social than the average Stanford student but think I could find my group there.
This is probably just a case of which school you like best.
To some degree they both have their advantages over the other. Stanford is a tech heavy hitter and has a very successful, large alumni network. UVA has a very highly ranked business school with statistically better/more placements than Stanford, and a sometimes cult like alumni network willing to go to bat for you.
I think recently some BB CEO (can't remember who it was) spoke about how the cream of the crop at these big state schools is often compareable or even better than the top preformers at traditional targets (Hungrier and sometines more money spent on student resources/education). If you know you are smart and a hard worker you can really make any school a target for yourself (especially when your choices are Stanford and UVA). So yes being a big fish can certainly be a benefit.
To answers your other questions concisley. Stanford wins at tech and tech related finance recruiting especially west cost, and UVA with this scholarship will 100% be seen as impressive and label you as a go getter (great quality for IB and PE).
You're really just suffering from success at this point. Go to the school you genuinely enjoy the most out side of the class room and prestige and make it your own when you're there. Also having a full ride is very nice, doesn't take a finance degree and IB seat to know how much student loans can weigh you down.
del
Go hoos
If you're interested in tech finance, Stanford is a no-brainer.
Stanford.
Prestige over everything.
Stanford and email them ur Jefferson letter to leverage financial aid
Agree, long shot but the worst they say is no
very few people know what jefferson scholar is. HYPS will give you opportunities that are simply unavailable anywhere else. a lot of the above is cope and i’m going to get MS for this, but in thirty years having gone to stanford is part of your brand, being given a scholarship to an amazing state school simply won’t have that same effect, though still impressive. From a branding and outcome perspective, go to stanford (try to leverage UVA offer for finaid too of course, but really stanford is the easy GTO choice)
Stanford full-stop. Both Stanford and UVA are excellent schools, but unless you feel very strongly that you would enjoy the social experience at UVA substantially more, then you should go to Stanford. 99% of people will not know the Jefferson Scholarship and Stanford is one of the few schools where you have the opportunity to rub elbows with potential "elites". The UVA alums I've worked with have all been excellent, but Stanford is Stanford.
I say this as a non-target alum who has worked with both Stanford and UVA alums. My experience is in BB IB and LO AM at one of the largest AUM shops.
Thanks for the advice. While talking to some Jefferson Scholars at UVA, it looked like that scholarship program had crazy placement. The majority of them going through recruiting got either elite buyside offers (Ares, Bain Cap, KKR growth equity) or great IB offers (CVP TMT, GS, JPM M&A).
I know UVA as a whole is lower prestige than Stanford, but do these placements from the scholarship program outweigh that at all? Would those same placements be achievable as an above-average finance kid at Stanford?
Hey -- as someone who goes to UVA, working at a pod this summer, and and has friends in many of the top clubs (AIF, MII), I would encourage you to go Stanford.
I will also say this -- it isn't very intelligent to be making this post on WSO -- a lot of the jeffs periodically browse this website and can put 2 and 2 together and piece together who you are.
You come off as a bit of a bot, and its not a good rep you want to be floating around especially at UVA. UVA is distinct from other targets in that its a pretty fratty school with a huge emphasis on Greek life, networking with Alum and current students here is incomparable to what conversations look like at nerdier targets. So its even more important that the Jeffs who run recruiting next year aren't talking to each other and thinking "oh, thats the kid I was on a call with who knew about WSO as a high school freshman and dreams about evercore and centerview IBD offers."
UVA recruiting is also very nepo heavy -- the jeff who got Centerview TMT this year was complete nepo-"indigenous" DEI and dad very involved in finance. The Jeffs going GS are also mostly in some of the shitter teams like REGAL/cross markets (basically mm). Nepo or diversity makes up a huge percentage of placements -- i.e the kid going citadel leveraged posse scholar into internships into de shaw, etc. The girl going blackstone is DEI through jeff. The MII kids are all pretty nepo, i.e kids of tiger cub founders and JPM placements were mostly D1 athletes/or kids of LevFin MDs. The kids going gugg from MII are all pretty dumb tbh, but there is a huge gugg pipeline. The same can be said about a number of other jeffs. While I will say the jeff to banking pipeline is very strong and has a ton of merit on its own, keep in mind that recruiting in general does get conflated in the sense that a very significant amount of placements are from existing family connections or outside help (i.e posse scholars).
As a jeff, you'd probably be able to get easier convos and get ur resume passed along at a number of banks, but longer term once you start thinking about on-cycle and just the general wow factor associated with stanford on top of all the mitigatory effects that come with going to UVA, I think you could really chug it out at Stanford and come out looking really strong. Also, it doesnt help that you've made this pretty obvious post broadcasting to UVA heads on the forumn that theres a Jeff bot posting on WSO from high school talking about sm centerview evercore goldman sachs nonsense. Trust me word gets around. Its insignificant, but its also kind of not.
Just wanted to say Id echo everything the IB Assoc mentioned.
Few things in life are as difficult to achieve as getting into Stanford UG. And no MBA from any any school is as prestigious as Stanford UG. I say this as a non-target. Had one relative attend and his trajectory was meaningfully different from every single family member.
If this is not a troll post then wtf. How can you get into Stanford if you don’t see the clear answer here
If u have a full ride just take it, why pay for college if u don’t have to
Stanford if better but if you put your best foot forward at UVA you will get the same outcomes
You will be fine - you'll probably get into one of the good clubs if and seem to be ahead of the curve in terms of experience. There's people who've been to all of the firms/groups you've listed and most of them aren't Jefferson scholars from UVA, so it's really more on you to prepare and network well enough for the seats you want.
Good luck, there's no obvious wrong choice here but I would personally pick Stanford.
UVA if you are cool, social and good looking. Stanford if you are not. It honestly boils down to this for the most part. UVA is a more fun experience if you fit the mold, but Stanford is just objectively more prestigious and better recognition so if you don't think you would love the social part of UVA or stay east coast after then go S
Given that you are posting on WSO about MF PE programs and TMT banking in high school Im going to assume you will hit the ground running. If you focus on the high finance path from the jump, I doubt your outcomes will be different at one school vs another. Being the top kid at UVA or the top kid at Stanford will both get you superdays at BCP, GS TMT, Q, etc… and what matters from there is how you do in said interviews. If the money matters, go to UVA. If the money doesn’t matter go to Stanford
Bro being the top kid at stanford will get you tiger, sequoia, bx, silver lake pretty much any top buyside out of ug
I think people on this forum are underestimating the prestige of being a Jefferson Scholar. Anyone who has any affiliation with UVA will know what it is, and will instantly think/know that you are a rockstar. This would make networking with alums nearly automatic (if you reach out, they will respond). Given the number of people from UVA at top firms, this would be an incredibly valuable position to be in. I would also all but guarantee that you get into the top finance clubs (ex. AIF, MII) that drive UVA's best placements. With both of these (and assuming you would be a top student academically), you will have access to whatever opportunities you could possibly want in finance.
I would be surprised if an "above average" student at Stanford had access to the same opportunities as Jefferson scholars in finance purely from a networking perspective.
I go to UVA and also happen to know a few Jefferson Scholars. It is incomparable the white glove treatment they receive during club, fraternity, and job recruiting.
I would take the opportunity for sure, knowing that you will be a top dog at UVA and will come in with not only a network of other Jefferson Scholars but preferential treatment in everything you do.
Stanford. Anyone recommend you go to UVA is actively sabotaging you.
I’d be surprised if anyone saying UVA doesn’t go to UVA
Unless your guaranteed UVA AIF go to Stanford
UVA easily. Know a guy from “AIF” there and the placement of kids are insane…
As the guy who is 20+ years out of college, I can tell you the day you graduate no one GAF where you went. By the time you accomplish something in life, the person who uses college as a signifier is almost always the failure.
There is no way someone should turn down a free ride at UVA (Id say this about a lot lower ranked schools too) to go to Stanford. The money saved alone can set you up for life if invested wisely.
Plus UVA alums are more loyal, UVA is more fun, anyone who knows what a Jefferson scholar is will respect that more then a rando at Stanford and the average net worth of a Jefferson Scholar 20 years is multiples of that average Stanford grad.
Can i intern at your firm next summer
Congrats on UVA
Appreciate the advice, can you pm me so I can ask a couple of questions with info more personal to my situation?
Classic old man 'school doesn't matter, young fellers' speech. Times have changed grandpa, super targets get more looks period, and the social cachet of Stanford is simply unmatched.
Both are great schools, but I think Stanford is a no-brainer here considering cost is not a priority for you. If you ever want to do something besides finance, the Stanford brand/network will open so many doors for you. I know name brand isn't everything, but it really has helped open many said doors for me - both in finance and otherwise - going to a HYPS 10+ years out.
(For what it's worth, I have never heard of a Jefferson scholar, and I'm not sure many outside UVA community know what that is, despite it's prestige)
Good luck!
As someone who chose Wharton over the Jeff but has friends who accepted Jeff/Walentas over schools like Yale, Stanford, etc, I would say there’s gen such a nice network for Jeffs only at UVA, as well as a huge finance focus
For me, it came down to the fact that 1) I’m a VA resident & want to GTFO, 2) penn would be the same price, 3) UVA commerce is less specialized than Wharton (but again network/amount of learning is the same)
Having come here, I kinda do regret it a bit because of how toxic the culture is but I would make the same decision —-> make sure you’re a culture fit at Stanford by talking to some upperclassmen
MOST IMPORTANTLY: I personally believe that NO school is worth debt/loan drowning —> talk to your parents for sure!
^ forgot: if you attended Scholars Weekend & got to talk to Jeff alum, I’m sure u saw firsthand the finance focus
I don’t know anything but seconding the comment that said to think longer term than IB recruiting.
In 20 years when you’re at a cocktail party in Samford and someone asks where you went to undergrad. Would you rather say Stanford or UVA? If we are being honest it’s not really a competition. Take Stanford and if you can’t find a way to make that work then you would’ve been cooked at UVA anyways.
yeah bro you gotta think about the fucking cocktail party in Samford when you're 40 years old. Are you being serious?
If you’re at a cocktail party and someone asks this question, you’re at the wrong cocktail party. A lot of 18 year olds overestimating the impact of college in your lives. It’s all the same.
It’s not a serious example, but you get the point. College isn’t everything but you should pick the better school.
Stanford will give you more optionality down the line if finance isn't your thing. You may end up attending stanford and be influenced to join the tech/entrepreneurship scene anyways. From what I've heard from folks at Stanford, there isn't a huge emphasis on chasing high finance jobs out of school, everyone wants to create the next big startup. In that regard, your perspective on your career and life may shift since you'll be surrounded by people trying to challenge the norm instead of trying to squeeze themselves into the high finance scene (assuming that's what they do as a jefferson scholar). That's not to say you won't do well at one school or the other, making it in any industry has more to do with the student than the school and you're already ahead of the game here. I also wouldn't narrow your career choices before you've even started school. You're not going to be the same person you are now in four years...you may discover something you had no idea existed before you started at stanford and want to pursue that instead.
Side note, being in the heart of silicon valley has its benefits, not even talking about the weather. Any and every company will pick up your resume. Stanford is my vote here.
Also excuse my ignorance but I've never heard of a jefferson scholar. Met plenty of smart UVA people though.
Congrats! I didn't go to either school. I'd take UVA. Few reasons why:
This
I’m shocked at the responses here. If you take UVA, you deserve all the opportunities that do (or don’t) come your way. I was public school undergrad and Harvard for MBA. The opportunity set coming out of Harvard was orders of magnitude different. By the way I was on a full ride to my undergrad but would’ve traded that for a T10 no money in a second. Sure UVA alum may know what a Jefferson scholar is. Guess who knows what Stanford is… everyone. This would be a very bad mistake to take UVA
but at the end you worked in IB post the Harvard MBA which is equivalent to an analyst who went to Indiana and works for 2/3 years.
I worked in banking out of undergrad and went to buyside after Harvard
People here are missing the point about a Jefferson scholar. If I saw “full academic scholarship” to UVA o a resume, that’s just as impressive as a regular Stanford student.
No it’s not lmao
I don’t know why but people hate the idea of paying for school. Is it really any different from buying a nice car/watch/home or paying for a nice vacation? Your school will be part of your branding for the rest of your life, and the friends you make there will be your core personal and professional network.
If you’re ambitious, you’re going to be successful and make a lot of money, so you can certainly afford Stanford. If you’re burnt out and want to take it easy? Then yeah, don’t pay a fat sticker price. I personally have saved up more money than I know what to do with at this point (7 figures before my 30s and plenty of my peers have been able to do the same) so again, if you’re ambitious and hard working, money really isn’t an issue.
Ut rerum corporis qui quibusdam. Hic assumenda architecto qui id. Optio quidem in sunt nesciunt deserunt. Sunt cupiditate et deserunt velit quo velit. Dolorem id sed ipsa atque.
See All Comments - 100% Free
WSO depends on everyone being able to pitch in when they know something. Unlock with your email and get bonus: 6 financial modeling lessons free ($199 value)
or Unlock with your social account...
Nostrum vero quidem reiciendis numquam ea alias. Voluptatem veritatis suscipit dolor in commodi reiciendis. Id ea earum aut natus dolorum sapiente blanditiis. Cupiditate eveniet totam voluptatem atque nesciunt recusandae. Illo et dolore facere qui.
Ab eos maiores est eum corrupti quo sed. Necessitatibus et est explicabo nihil consequuntur suscipit saepe. Et voluptates vero magni aut dolor qui. Ea et esse blanditiis in non mollitia est.
Animi tempore cupiditate corporis dolore corporis natus. Porro dolore aliquid sapiente ab.
Fuga omnis qui impedit amet excepturi mollitia similique. Officiis nam quia quia. Minima enim pariatur voluptatem eum quos deleniti excepturi.
Aut eum aut dignissimos omnis voluptatem et. Voluptatem incidunt corporis consequatur consequatur. Iste unde eos sequi omnis et. Accusamus ut eaque ipsam omnis odio sit animi. Vero velit at beatae est voluptates ex fugiat odio.