Cornell (Econ) Vs Western Ivey
I'm a prospective undergraduate student deciding between Cornell Econ and Western Ivey AEO, with the goal of breaking into investment banking or management consulting, ideally in the US.
For context, I'm currently a Canadian permanent resident and expect to obtain Canadian citizenship before or during college. I'm particularly interested in U.S IB/MBB, although I'd also be happy starting my career in Toronto.
Cornell obviously has stronger US recruiting opportunities, but I'm increasingly concerned about the recent CPT restrictions, ongoing litigation, and proposed OPT changes. Given how important junior-year internships are for IB recruiting, I'm worried about potentially facing work authorization issues even if I manage to secure an offer.
Western Ivey, on the other hand, offers a strong recruiting pipeline into Canadian IB and consulting, potentially with the option of moving to the US later. As a Canadian citizen, I would also potentially have access to TN status for qualifying occupations, although I'm aware that traditional IB roles don't necessarily qualify.
Cost isn't a major deciding factor but the money is still quite some investment. But I'm primarily evaluating career outcomes and immigration risk.
A few questions:
- How significant is Cornell's recruiting advantage over Ivey for U.S IB/MBB, particularly for international students?
- How concerned should incoming international students be about the recent CPT/OPT developments, especially regarding summer internships?
- Would Canadian citizenship meaningfully improve US recruiting prospects from Cornell, or would I still face essentially the same obstacles as other F-1 students?
- Is the Ivey → Toronto IB/MBB → US route realistic, particularly through internal transfers or TN-eligible roles?
- If you were in my position, would you take Cornell's stronger US recruiting opportunities despite the immigration uncertainty, or choose Ivey for a more predictable Canadian recruiting path?
Would especially appreciate perspectives from current bankers, consultants, or Cornell/Ivey alumni familiar with cross-border recruiting. Thank you! :)
