Williams vs Dartmouth vs Cornell or wait...

I'm currently a high school junior with lacrosse offers from williams, dartmouth, and cornell. I would need to commit to dartmouth by the start of summer, cornell by july, and williams by september, so if i want to take any of these, I need to know by then. 

I'm gunning for IB out of college (or hf/pe; I know this is very tough but I've seen people do it). My question is which school would give me the best shot at a top seat? I know I'm smart and I'll have a 3.9+ gpa in econ

I can also say no to all of these and apply as a regular ED1 applicant with coach support at Harvard, or apply to MIT (1600 SAT, usamo qualifier and top GPA). And after that apply to other schools. I go to a prep school where with my GPA uchicago ED2 is a 80%+ acceptance rate. 

So just wondering if there's any advice. Honestly I'm tempted to take something soon and cruise the rest of high school.

27 Comments
 

I'll put in a word for Williams. Per capita we have the best placements out of that list and it is worlds less competive in terms of who you would be up against. 

TBH I would pick between Williams and Dartmouth on fit and not look back.

 

Yes.

Was in another similar house and always had a good time there.

Considering this advice as the one good thing i did today

 

Among Dartmouth, Williams, Cornell, I feel that the right choice is Dartmouth (unless you like the small school environment at Williams). Williams is obviously a great school, but I think prestige-wise and socially, Dartmouth is a better fit for a lot of people. However, I don't think picking a school for finance placements as a junior in high school is the right choice. I think given your background, you'll be fine placing in finance at any of those schools if that is ultimately the path you want to go. 

In regard to applying to other schools, USAMO isn't a guaranteed in at MIT anymore, which I'm assuming you already know, but obviously it's great to have on your application. I had a very similar background to you. I had a fair amount of offers for a sport from schools and I also had a 1600 on SAT and was a very strong STEM applicant. I considered just applying to MIT with support from the MIT coach (they can't give offers) because I wanted to be a math major. Ultimately, I took an offer from HYP because I didn't want to risk the MIT application. I'm really happy with my choice and I placed great in finance. Ultimately, I think it's simply up to your risk tolerance applying to Harvard or MIT, instead of taking one of your offers. I personally would take Dartmouth and be satisfied with that. 

 

Take Dartmouth and be done with it. You can land IB / PE easily with some hard work early on. Just take easy classes freshman year to have a high GPA when recruiting happens sophomore year. I go to a similar NESCAC and landed MF / EB offers while a friend at HYP couldn't (ultimate lazy nepo child lol). Enjoy the rest of HS! 

 

Do what is right for you. Don't pick a school based of placements. Regardless you'll be attending a top institution and will be an athlete there which is even better. I go to Cornell & all the athletes I know place really well - I'm sure it's the same for Dartmouth and Williams. Make your decision off of campus, people, dorms, etc. aka where you actually see yourself at.

 

Fuck the academics Dartmouth lax is terrible and the coach is terrible. I knew lots of 2.5 gpa Ivy football guys who get bb placements all the time. Go to Cornell win games drink beer and you’ll get any job you want. My buddy plays at Maryland and his roommate was a criminology major now working at well known mm bank. Cornell could be a natty contender any year go there.

 

I go to Dartmouth. Great school, and I love it. Pick over Cornell and others for sure. You get used to the woods lol.

That said, I understand you want finance really bad. If you want a slightly more fun college experience, I’d suggest fsu, Penn state, usc, uva, etc. Believe it or not, great placement if you work hard. You’ll never get your college years back and the “thrill.” You’ll have fun later in life, but you only have college once. Be careful.
I’m at fsu over spring break, and tbh, I wouldn’t even mind the cut in prestige and potential job offers. These guys are just happier than Dartmouth students 😕

 

lol why would you want to do IB tho if you were a usamo qualifier. So many better jobs out there if you’re smart enough to be top ~250 for math olympiad. Most of those dudes work in HFT now. 

 

IB is a start, i ultimately want to go buyside or tech (i mentioned trying for pe or hf out of ug). I eventually want to start my own pe shop/join a startup early/high up at a hedge fund and have unlimited upside.
 

Also I don't like math all too much. I've been doing it for 10+ years competitively, and to be a quant I'd need to study more advanced and applied math and some physics. I have no motivation to do that.

 
Funniest

Honestly insane if this is true. Don't think very many USAMO qualifiers are enough of athletes to have interest from college coaches. Congrats bro if this is real (but don't blame you if anonymizing details). 

 

Dartmouth is the best on the list. Also as a LAX bro you'll probably be put ahead socially. Also I've been to Williams. Unless the area got hyper it is extremely boring. Far more than Dartmouth.

 

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