10 Comments
 

I went to neither, but I think UMich Ross is the move if you want to work in IB/PE/HF. Ross is phenomenal, and you'll get an incredibly strong finance background and a vast alumni network. Williams is a great option to have, too, but since it is liberal arts, it won't make you as technically strong.

 
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Williams has more aura. Recruiting will be easier out of Williams because of the lack of competition compared to Ross, but you will need to network a ton and prep your technicals on your own. 

Ross will be better if you want more of a standardized recruiting process / OCR at your front door, but companies still trek up to Williamstown, and it is not a big deal with Zoom. I go to a different NESCAC and do hope you think more about the environment. It is incredibly isolating at times, and you will not get the traditional college experience going to a school with ~2,000 students. 

Both schools will get you into IB if you work for it, just need to weigh the pros / cons. 

 

if u r more of a fratty/washed athlete type, then Ross fosho. If u r more just finance hardo/nerdy/outdoorsy/not interested in greek life, then Williams.

Will say, Williams will honestly be easier to place out of. Someone said something abt technical skills in favor of ross, but that doesnt really matter for recruiting as long as u self motivate a little bit to learn the guides.

Also, at Williams you will have a higher response rate, and can leverage the entire NESCAC where people will respond to you.

But at Mich you will have a better/more stereotypical college experience and it would prolly be more fun given big sports and greek life.

 

In my experience, they go easier on technicals if you go to a NESCAC. I have a friend at Vanderbilt / Duke / UChicago, and they get absolutely grilled on questions I never studied. Having a strong alumni network landed me MF / BB internships with just a few cold emails and knowing the bare minimum. 

I'm not sure what OP's personality is, but Williams would probably be better if you have separate interests you'd like to pursue. I am a huge history buff in a niche area, and you get the authentic liberal arts experience by having unparalleled access to professors with small class sizes. I was able to pursue an independent research with one of them and do many other random activities on campus, which I don't think I would be able to do at a bigger school. It's a bit of a big fish / little pond scenario—but instead the pond is a $3.7 billion endowment for a population that equals many American high schools.

I've met billionaire alums, traveled the world on the school's dime, and just had incredible experiences I wouldn't find at a place like Ross. Of course it comes with its disadvantages, but it depends on what you are looking for. I also grew up in a low-income family, so having a generous full-ride was a plus if that's applicable.

 

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