Help me! College List for IB.
I am currently a senior who has to make a decision by May 1. The 4 schools I've narrowed it down to are Indiana University, Ohio State University, Miami OH, and the University of Richmond. I am hoping to go into Investment Banking after college. I will be majoring in Finance. Here are the pros and cons for each University:
Indiana University:
Pros:
-Kelly School of Business: Semi Target with good connections for IB and lots of good clubs and workshops for it.
- Great Greek Life scene with amazing sports (football, basketball).
- Beautiful campus, loved it when I visited and solid location, sorta near Chicago and not too far from home.
- Fell in love with the town of Bloomington, so many great food spots and bars.
Cons:
- OOS Cost: 50k a year - Pretty much the main driver in my decision as of right now. I got a decent scholarship but not enough to wear its a comfortable amount to pay. More financials and scholarships are coming soon though.
- Culture at Kelly just based on these forums seems so weird and hardo extreme.
University of Richmond:
Pros:
- Most beautiful campus I've ever seen.
- Robin's Business school seems alright for IB, not a target or anything, but based on research seems to place kids in either MM (HW) in Richmond Area or some decent banks in NYC.
- Probably the most affordable option between all of these schools on the list.
- Close to the city so could get some decent freshman/sophomore internships in the city.
Cons:
- Super small with a little greek life scene.
- School spirit/sports seem below average.
- Around 5,000 students, super small, good for learning and more personal connection with professors, but idk its pretty small.
Ohio State:
Pros:
- Amazing sports with a good greek life scene
- Fisher is solid with IB, Fisher Futures places lots of kids in MM in Chi or NYC.
- Columbus could be a good city to get some early internships.
- In-State Tuition- 30k
Cons:
- Super big school 60k students.
- Clubs at Fisher seemed to be lacking compared to these other colleges I've researched.
- Campus is too big and I don't like how it's in the city.
Miami OH:
Pros:
- Great campus with a nice small town college feel.
- good greek life.
- Seem to have a lot of student-managed funds and lots of clubs related to finance and IB specifically.
- IB club sends a lot of kids to MM Chi, which is nice, I like Chi a lot.
- In-state tuition with good scholarships and Honors program - 25k.
Cons:
- In the middle of nowhere.
- Sports are mid.
- Probably the worst school on the list based on prestige/placement in IB.
Main caveat: Is the debt worth it to go to IU Kelly? Talking 50k+ a year. I like IU the most on this list just based on the fact its a semi target and the campus with good sports and greek life. I know IB salary is nice and I could probably pay off that debt in 10 years, maybe 5, but the risk factors if I don't break into IB and I don't get into IBW workshop or others is high. I know my family will be helping with $$ a bit, but not to a large extent. So, what would you guys suggest? Thank you.
Based on the most helpful WSO content, here's a breakdown of your options and advice for your situation:
1. Indiana University (Kelley School of Business)
Cons: The $50k/year cost is a major concern, especially if you don’t secure a spot in the IBW or other top finance clubs. The culture at Kelley can be competitive and intense, which might not suit everyone.
Verdict: Kelley is the strongest option for IB placement on your list, but the financial burden is substantial. If you’re confident in your ability to excel academically and secure a spot in the IBW, it could be worth the investment. However, the debt risk is real if you don’t break into IB.
2. University of Richmond (Robins School of Business)
Cons: The small size and limited Greek life might not provide the vibrant college experience you’re looking for. Its IB placement is not as strong as Kelley’s.
Verdict: Richmond is a safer financial choice, but its IB placement is limited. If affordability is your top priority and you’re okay with potentially working in MM banks or regional roles, this could be a good fit.
3. Ohio State University (Fisher College of Business)
Cons: The large campus and lack of a strong finance club ecosystem compared to Kelley might make it harder to stand out.
Verdict: Ohio State is a balanced option with decent IB placement and affordability. If you’re okay with MM roles and want a big-school experience, this could work well.
4. Miami University (Farmer School of Business)
Cons: It’s the least prestigious school on your list, and its IB placement is weaker compared to Kelley or Fisher.
Verdict: Miami is a good choice if you’re focused on minimizing debt and are okay with MM roles in Chicago. However, it’s not as strong for IB as Kelley or Fisher.
Key Considerations:
Recommendation:
Ultimately, weigh the financial risk against the strength of each school’s IB placement and your confidence in excelling academically. Good luck!
Sources: Indiana University (Kelley) vs University of Iowa (Tippie), Last-minute Decision: Vanderbilt vs. IU-Kelley (undergrad), Northwestern ECON vs IU Kelley vs Vanderbilt ECON, Kelley School of Business at Indiana University or University of Florida?, Is IU as good of as a undegrad school for Finance, or should I just go to Bentley
Hey Jackson, first off, these are all solid schools. Breaking into IB is an uphill battle at all of these for sure, so the most important thing will be what you do once you get to college. One thing I think you could think about more is the location after school. So Kelly gives you some CHI or NYC options, and on the contrary OSU would be smaller markets like Cincy Cbus and CLE . This difference in city sizes could be huge, so ask yourself in which do you see yourself building your life in. OSU is 80k cheaper than Kelly in total, which is a pretty big gap. I think getting a final price on Richmond should be a huge decision influencer. If Richmond could match OSU or lower that would be huge. I think Robbins is less developed and it's definitely not the strongest program at UR. That being said they do have some pipelines that are strongly connected and I think if price lines up, its the best option. Consider city size and also regein, meaning you might find yourself in the south after UR, is that a pro? Also i beleive greek life at IU is difficult to break into out of state. and if your not in greek there the social scene sucks. So id recomend OSU and Richmond. Miami has fallen off a ton. and its become a party scene 7 days a week. OSU and Richmond are your best 2. Just pick between those based on cost, location and social.
Best of luck in banking jackson!
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