is IU Kelley worth it?
Im not sure if Kelley is worth going to because I here their isn't much to it besides their IBW program. Assuming I get in as a pre business or into their business school directly, would it be worth it for me to go or should i consider other options like Madison, UCSD, UCSB, or even cc and transfer into a semi target or target?
Based on the most helpful WSO content, IU Kelley is considered a strong option, especially for students aiming for careers in finance, investment banking, or consulting. Here are some key points to help you decide:
Investment Banking Workshop (IBW): While it's true that the IBW is a standout feature of Kelley, it is a significant advantage. The IBW and CMBW (Capital Markets & Banking Workshop) are direct pipelines to front-office roles in investment banking. Around 180 students from Kelley go into IB annually, with approximately 120 landing front-office roles. Admission into these workshops is competitive, but they provide excellent preparation and networking opportunities.
Reputation and Placement: Kelley is ranked as the #13 feeder into Wall Street jobs nationwide and #3 among public universities, according to Bloomberg Businessweek. It is often compared to schools like UNC, UT Austin, and USC, though it is slightly below top-tier schools like Wharton, Stern, and Michigan.
Broader Opportunities: Beyond IB, Kelley has strong placement in consulting and tech companies, with graduates landing roles at firms like Google, Facebook, and Salesforce. This makes it a versatile choice if you're considering industries beyond finance.
Comparison to Other Schools:
Final Thoughts:
If you are admitted directly into Kelley or as a pre-business student with a clear path to the IBW or CMBW, Kelley is absolutely worth it for its strong career placement and alumni network. However, if you are not confident about getting into these workshops or are considering other career paths, you might want to weigh your options based on your long-term goals.
Sources: IU Kelley Prestige, Don't go to IU Kelley*, Why IU Kelley is not a "Target" School, Why does IU Kelley get so much hate despite being a top ranked school?
If you want to transfer 1000%, go to USCD or USCB, they are transfer feeder schools for some reason. If you're unsure, probably pick Kelley. If you REALLY want IB, then you're probably going to have to transfer, and for that, it technically doesn't matter what you pick. But I would pick a school where you can get there, enjoy, but also focus a lot and join clubs (lots), get close to 4.0, get good prof recs, continue work from HS, and transfer out of there.
Then you can look into UChicago, Northwestern, Georgetown, Vandy, Columbia, etc. transfer. The schools you listed are good schools but aren't traditionally targets, so it would be wise to transfer if that's the path you want to go down.
I think the thought that comes to mind about going to some UC and transfering is that what if I don't get into anything. Then, I feel like I would be in somewhat better shape if I'm at Kelley becasue maybe I can join the IBW somehow or even in general have a better chance at high finance through there compared to like UCSB. I guess this is being overly cautious, but I would be in a pretty tough spot if I'm not able to get a solid school to transfer into.
I understand. I think it's up to your risk tolerance. If you put your mind to transferring, you 100% can. It really depends on your stats, ECs (which ones you keep doing from HS and how you translate them into college), college GPA, recs (both from HS and college profs), and story of WHY transfer. I've seen people transfer so easily—you just need these basic things and have a really good story of WHY. Schools are happy to take transfers—aim for UChicago, Northwestern, or Columbia. Very transfer friendly. Also, only those + Ivies, Duke, Stanford, MIT, Johns Hopkins, and Caltech are worth transferring into. A place like Vandy, NYU, UMich, or USC is so insanely competitive or doesn't send that many to banking that a transfer may not be worth it. The place you transfer has to give you a sizable advantage to make the sacrifice worth it.
I recommend going to Kelley, putting your all into transfer (but also into setting yourself up best at Kelley) and seeing what happens. It'll be so many late night and you probably can't rush greek life, but that's the trade off.
Okay I appreciate the help, thank you for the feedback.
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