Undergrad NYU Stern vs Berkeley Haas for IBD

I don't know about picking a school specifically for one career choice, but if you do, you should know that Stern is most definitely NOT unheard of outside of Chicago and NYC.

In any event, make sure you actually like what you'd be doing with finance and Investment banking in general before you set your heart on it. It is a lot of work for something that you may not like.

Schools are almost equal in terms of opportunities. Base your choice on the environment. I personally loathe Berkeley (city).

NYU will be strong in NYC/East Coast. Haas will be strong in LA/SF/West Coast. Both are great schools, world renowned. Engineering actually isn't that bad of a back of choice either. Lot of engineers go into finance as a career change.

if those are your options, go where you feel you can have the best experience.

I would probably say NYU for undergraduate. It seems like there are more people doing banking there, at least in NY.

Don't you have to apply to Haas after you're in (start the program junior year)? Since that's not a guarantee compared to Stern's direct admission, I would take that into consideration. If it comes down to it, econ at Berkeley is a good program as far as econ departments are concerned, but I can't speak about how well they place compared to Haas students. Some people have told me that econ majors at Berkeley (those not aspiring to become Ph.D.'s) are often viewed as Haas rejects.

Yes, Haas is a two-year program. Still, admission rate is somewhere around 45% and getting in is the least of my concerns. If I take care of my shit and put in the time, I'm sure I'll get in. all pre-Haas kids from my school end up getting in.

Ross

Congrats on your achievement!

Know, however, that your career goals might change once you take your first finance class. Consulting/banking and S&T are very different. Just like schools, you need to find where your interests and personality fit the best. You can teach yourself to like one over the other, but your real interests/passions will show when it comes to recruiting for these different jobs.

I'd pick Stern. 1) In the city -- you can have internships in finance during the semester. those can later catapult you to summer analyst programs. Not to mention that NYC is a lively city -- crazy and competitive, but definitely exciting. Is that what you want from the next 4 years of your life? You'll definitely grow as a person in such an environment and learn a lot very quickly. 2) it offers a business program and gives some flexibility to take classes in NYU as a whole. 3) great study-abroad opportunities if interested. 4) easy to study two disciplines of business if interested.

what classes do you want to take for the next 4 yrs?! do you like learning the foundations of a business (finance,accounting, marketing, mgmt etc) and have the first building blocks down when you are in a training program at a bank (stern)? or do you like taking liberal arts classes and learn about finance on your own (non-business program)?

not a lot of consulting recruiting going on there though. lots of i-banking and S&T. don't worry about not being in another Ivy. you'll be well-positioned for recruiting at stern too. good luck!

So people are generally suggesting Stern? Someone mentioned internships during the school semester. Is NYU that close to wall street?

How are the Haas and Stern alumni networks on the Street?

Thanks everyone.

See your PMs, Skittled.

The percent of people who make into IBD post-graduation, out of those who want to get in, is low at both schools but maybe it's just the economy.

Also as a sidenote, being able to get the mediocre internships during the year at Stern is not an advantage. Every other "motivated" Stern student will do it as well (negating the differentiation advantage) nor do most interviewers really even care in later rounds.

I hear top 10% at stern get IBD or S&T.

Haas provides opportunities in SF, not so much in LA. UCLA dominates the LA market. Arguably, Haas may provide better opportunities in NY than LA. Just a FYI.

Ewww, college in NYC?

Pass.

Haas and Stern have the same graduation opps, if you are on top of your sh*t and network, blah blah blah.

Both are socially infected: NYU(Hipsters), Cal(hippies)

But, You will enjoy Cal-Berk much better:

-California sunshine -California girls -Bay Area rocks my socks -PAC-10 sports

My school sends 50 kids to Berkeley every year. Ratio of hot to ok to broken girls is around 1.5 to 1 to 2.5. So eh not that bad. There will be girls everywhere so they aren't my concern right now. Berkeley and NYU have the same opps for their respectiv coasts. So my chances are a bit better at Haas.

Berkeley women are horrible. I cannot speak for NYU Stern specifically, but lower Manhattan absolutely trumps anything in NorCal.

Spoiled NYU wannabe Gossip-Girls are the worst.

majority are dogs but there are a few gems in rough

Wow someone is extremely insecure about his/hers undergrad (Berkeley) and keeps throwing monkey shit at me.

Go wherever you think you'll be happier and have a better experience - you'll only be in college once, you've got the rest of your life to work.

As long as you work hard and do what you need to, the jobs will come - the schools are similar enough in "prestige" that it shouldn't significantly impact your decision.

Stern has a better reputation that Haas in Finance.

Haas is harder to get into than Stern.

the people at Stern probably couldn't get into Haas, so I suggest you go with the better school.

Stern for the internships you can get during the year and the strong alumni base in IBD.

this is seriously one of those choices that come down to where you want to live, not only during college but probably for a few years after. do you prefer chilling on the beach and going to house parties or going out to bars and clubs? huge lifestyle differences and i dont see how its not an obvious choice

I'm an older guy, so im talking from experience. The truth is: your interest might ( will likeley) change during those four years. I can assure you of that. Don't choose a school based on job prospects or a major only. Think about weather, family, hobbies, campus atmosphere and other stuff too. Go to UCB, if you are cali resident. Don't spend 120k at NYU. The difference in quality of education( if there is any) is not that big!!

Look at other criteria when making ur choice

It's about location. Where do you want to work when you graduate? And where do you want to be living for the next 4 years? NYU has a great undergrad business program, solid finance classes and profs. Berkeley has a great undergrad business program too, though not as finance-centered as NYU. They have an IB case competition sponsored by Goldman Sach, it's in it's 12th or 13th year now so it's pretty serious. Berkeley will get you IB, but more likely on the west coast. As other posters mentioned, you have good options from either school, so just decide where you would actually like to be living for the next decade and that'd give you your answer.