Undergrad Finance

hey im an IB student who just finished year 12. i have to decide about my universities and courses. i am keen to do finance, and im good at math (IB HL student). My college counsellor sugested NYU Stern and Umich Ross for undergrad finance. But i was reading a lot about the high level of competition in these schools. So i was wondering what are the pre requisites for taking an undergrad finance? as a student what should i do now? what should i be reading? what skills should i already possess?

i just need any tips on how to not get eaten up by the competition, i want to survive.

Also how is student life in NYU? iv read on blogs that the campus isnt that great and its very cut throat.

3 Comments
 

There's no set way of going into college prepared persay. Just keep an interest in the market and know the basics on what the hell they're talking about on CNBC. You should be looking to have 4 great years in college with something to look back on. Gunning to lose your hair and get a pot belly by the time you're 25 is not the way to go about life.

Btw, if you want to go into finance (i.e. ibanking) you're not going to get away from stiff competition. That shits gonna follow you like herpes. Oh and about things to read, Mergers and Inquisitions is a good start, Liar's Poker and Monkey Business are good overviews of the S&T and iBanking life respectively...

 
Best Response

I'm not in NYU Stern but am in NYU CAS and interact with Stern Kids all the time. Here's my input:

Do you value the traditional American college experience? Big comfy campus, frat parties, school pride and cheap booze on the weekends? If so, stay as far away from here as possible.

If you are extremely set on going into the professional world, and want to start that process immediately, and are over big college parties, come to NYU. You'll be able to do internships during the semester no college student in the US is able to do -- location, location, location.

The food in NYC is obviously outstanding but is also extremely expensive. Alcohol here at bars isn't badly priced but, at least for me being on a college budget, isn't really feasible. I'm sure at Michigan that's a different story.

NYU is not a very prideful school -- we don't really watch out for our own and I'd say we're more alumnus's of New York City than NYU. That being said, Stern kids are probably the most prideful of any of our undergrad students, along with Tisch, simply because at NYU Stern is very highly respected.

Also, if you're on a tight budget, as mentioned above regarding alcohol and food, NYC is terrible. My biggest problem personally is that everything around me is awesome, but inaccessible due to my financial situation.

Competition wise for IBD, haha, well, yeah - it's bad. Everyone at NYU Stern wants to go work for Goldman Sachs, everyone. As a result, the curve can really hurt people. I worked with a guy who was double majoring in Finance and something else (don't remember), 3.8 GPA, ridiculous activities, and had to network his ass off to get s&t.

Personally, I came to NYU this last fall, and am almost positive I'm transferring out this fall. Goodluck!

 

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