Duke (Economics), Carnegie Mellon (Tepper), or UMich (Ross) for undergrad?
I want to go into business and finance, and I think I am leaning towards investment banking but am not quite sure. Which school would be the best in terms of education and opportunities (internships, programs, etc) and also recruiting and job placement? Also want some sort of well-roundedness in the field of business in case I don't choose investment banking.
Assuming cost is not an issue, I'd go Duke. It's the best school and Duke places very well on the street. If you're in-state or Michigan is significantly cheaper, I'd take Ross. Ross is still a fantastic program and top students will definitely place well in finance. Given these choices, don't take Tepper. CMU is a great school, but Duke and Michigan will be much better college experiences while also providing better job prospects.
Thank you so much for your response. If cost is not considered, would UNC (Kenan Flagler) be better than Duke or Michigan for undergrad?
I would still pick Duke and Michigan over UNC
Agree with Penn. If you do end up going to Michigan due to cost, by no means is it a bottom tier school so don't feel like you're at a disadvantage at all. I would give Duke a slight edge over Michigan, emphasis that it's a slight edge and not a landslide. If cost is an issue or if you simply prefer Ann Arbor and get a better vibe from the place, that's worth considering as well. I can tell you that Raleigh is a booming area, and Chapel Hill isn't too far from you either which is also fun. That said, Detroit is also going through a good revitalization. You've got two good choices, so good problems. Agree though that those two are in fact your choices, and I'd pick either of them over CMU.
Thank you so much for your response. If cost is not considered, would UNC (Kenan Flagler) be better than Duke or Michigan for undergrad?
No - I'd personally take Duke over Ross and Ross over UNC (Kenan Flagler) if cost was no issue.
Personally would take Ross (if you're admitted / guaranteed into Ross) over Duke Econ. Both over CMU.
Duke may be slightly ahead of Ross as far as the edge you get for finance roles; the difference is probably negligible. But comparing the schools more broadly, Duke is decidedly more prestigious. This would really come into play if you decide you want to explore something other than finance. The Ross degree is great at opening doors in finance. The Duke degree is great at opening lots of doors.
I wouldn't consider CMU unless you're really sure you want your finance career to be heavily quant/CS focused, but if so it actually may be best of the three. UNC is a good school but not on the same level as the others.
I may be biased, but I would choose Ross. Ross is ranked as top 3-4 undergrad business programs in the country with every major BB and boutique attending their career fairs. Based of their most recent job placement survey, nearly 20 percent of students land a job in IB. That's a staggering amount. Comparatively, Duke probably has the same opportunities, but I would still favor Ross.
Now, as a city, Ann Arbor is absolutely amazing. It's been ranked the best college town for years for a reason and the environment will absolutely crush Duke's and that is a guarantee. Game days and concerts at Michigan are some of the largest studsnt events in the nation and if you care about that then I think Ross is the easy choice.
As most here have said, Duke>Ross>CMU.
Duke has a great name and will place you anywhere you want to go. Duke will also give you a better holistic education in the event that you decide you want to do something else.
Ross would also be good, equal to Duke in terms of business recruiting(some will say better but I'm dubious of that), but would be much weaker if you decide not to go into finance/banking.
CMU would only be better if you were going for something technical like Comp Sci, otherwise I'd avoid it. It's supposed to be a pretty weird place too.
As far as fun goes, I can't speak to either from personal experience, but have had friends go to both Duke and Michigan. Both have great sports teams and will have pretty good college experiences. Michigan will give you more of the "traditional" college feel in that it's a bigger student body, football focused, so lots of tailgating, and would probably be more fun in that sense.
Duke is obviously a basketball school and is a little smaller. The kids also tend to be higher achievers, so you'll have some more diversity of interests.
Eos sunt sit voluptatibus consectetur minus pariatur nesciunt. Libero molestias quis ipsum nisi. Omnis velit est molestiae esse ab id est nesciunt.
See All Comments - 100% Free
WSO depends on everyone being able to pitch in when they know something. Unlock with your email and get bonus: 6 financial modeling lessons free ($199 value)
or Unlock with your social account...