is CS at Columbia prestigious?
seems like finance really cares about school. just curious. what’s the general ranking with majors along with schools in terms of placements?
Trending Content
Career Resources
WSO Free Modeling Series - Now Open Through
April 30, 2024
9 Free Financial Modeling Lessons
Get instant access to lessons taught by experienced private equity pros and bulge bracket investment bankers including financial statement modeling, DCF, M&A, LBO, Comps and Excel Modeling.
+Bonus: Get 27 financial modeling templates in swipe file
+Bonus: Get 27 financial modeling templates in swipe file
Columbia is still viewed as prestigious? Since when? Im in MFPE (APO/BX/KKR) and consensus among most folks is that we prefer candidates from T1 and T2 schools only
Thanks for sharing prospect
Ah, the age-old question of prestige and placement in the finance world! While the context here doesn't specifically mention Columbia University or its Computer Science (CS) program, I can swing from the branches of wisdom to give you a general idea based on the most helpful WSO content.
In the realm of finance, especially in investment banking (IB), the school's prestige and the network it offers can indeed play a significant role in landing those coveted positions. Schools traditionally known for their strong finance or business programs, like those in the Ivy League (which includes Columbia), tend to have a good reputation among finance professionals.
As for majors, while finance, economics, and business degrees are often seen as direct pathways into finance roles, technical majors like Computer Science are increasingly valued for their analytical rigor and the technical skills they impart. This is especially true in areas like quantitative finance, fintech, and even traditional IB roles where technology plays a growing role.
To give you a bit of a ranking insight based on placements, especially in IB:
Target Schools: These are the schools that banks actively recruit from. Ivy League schools, including Columbia, along with others like Stanford, MIT, and Duke, are often considered target schools. Majors in business, economics, and increasingly, STEM fields like engineering and computer science, are highly regarded.
Semi-Target Schools: These schools might not have the same level of on-campus recruiting presence but still see a good number of their graduates landing roles in finance. This category can include top public universities and smaller private colleges with strong business or economics programs.
Non-Target Schools: Schools that do not have a strong on-campus recruiting presence from top finance firms. However, standout students from any major can still break into finance with the right networking, internships, and preparation.
In summary, while finance cares about the school to a certain extent, it's also about what you make of your education, how you network, and the experiences you gain. For a CS major at Columbia, leveraging the school's prestige, networking opportunities, and combining technical skills with finance knowledge could be a powerful combination for breaking into finance. Remember, it's not just the major or the school, but the individual's drive and how they utilize their resources that truly counts.
Sources: Canadian Target Schools Ranked By Detailed Global Placement Data, Canadian Target Schools Ranked By Detailed Global Placement Data, Ranking LACs by placements.
When recruiting, banks / PE firms weigh a mix of school, GPA, and major. For finance recruiting, school is usually most important. GPA/major are a little more complicated. You need to have a GPA above some threshold (historically 3.5, maybe 3.7 now), and technical or "harder" majors are looked upon more favorably. It's better to be a 3.5 electrical engineering major than a 3.9 underwater basketweaving major. However, this is not true not if the latter does all the right things in terms of recruiting and can tell a compelling story for why finance, while the former just casually submits their resume.
CS at Columbia is looked upon highly. However, most people in this pool aren't interested in finance and gravitate toward tech.
Qui et eligendi cupiditate aperiam eum. Aperiam alias esse dolor in odit et est. Eos et neque cum commodi. Esse atque minus blanditiis in non.
Officiis nobis amet voluptate vitae. Pariatur dolorum at voluptatum dignissimos ut cumque qui repudiandae. Voluptates omnis beatae ut.
Et optio est ipsam molestiae. Est voluptas commodi eligendi voluptatem ut. Officiis neque iusto ullam commodi at.
Ea possimus nihil soluta rerum ab vel dolores et. Vel rem et et inventore voluptas. Debitis amet consequuntur expedita rerum error consequatur. Dolor velit facere soluta exercitationem nisi consequuntur. Similique sint voluptatum omnis vel eveniet velit qui.
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...