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Stanford is the only "super target" , a good performer at Haas could probably work at any banks regional offices (ie SV, SF, LA) & probably get to New York with enough internships. Although USC & UCLA aren't really targets, they're good enough schools to if you network a little bit you should be good for a second look by a recruiter, & the alum networks are very powerful at both as well esp USC. Claremont McKenna has a very respect Econ program counting Henry Kravis as notable alum. Caltech & UCSD/UCSB are all fantastic schools but I cant remember the last time I've meet someone in industry who went to one of those schools, but I'm sure their case is the same as USC & UCLA, it would just take some networking.

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Stanford - all NY + Cali + wherever else

UCB - Very Strong Cali, a bit of NY

UCLA/USC/Claremont - Strong Cali, but mainly LA, little or none NY

UCSD/UCSB - good luck

 

UCSD, yes complete non target, but the smartest person I know is alum of UCSD. Both very good schools, & your extremely ignorant if you think otherwise, there are other subjects out there beyond finance & economics.

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Very aware pussinboots, however you made a blanket statement. I would have agreed with you had you included foot notes.

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Let's not forget that David Shaw, founder of the elite hedge fund DE Shaw, went to UCSD (albeit a computer science major). UCSD has the second ranked econometrics faculty in the country, so unless you're doing more quantiative stuff after college, your chances of doing "traditional" IBD is going to be unlikely. UCSD is more well known for science and engineering than finance and business.

My ranking: Stanford Berkeley USC/UCLA/Clairemont Schools UCSB UCSD ...the rest

 

USC and UCLA are definitely semi-targets at the very least, though it depends on the bank/firm.

EDIT: We all completely forgot about Caltech!!! That's the strongest school in the world, with arguably the smartest student body. To me it's the most prestigious as well, it's just that not many students from there care much about making money and more about doing what they love.

 

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