Cornell and Georgetown
It hurts my head every time WSO users bash Cornell and Georgetown just because they are not HYPSM & W.
They both have such storied traditions with taking transfers from community colleges, many of whom come from disadvantaged economic backgrounds.
They both also have some of the most generous financial aid in the country for low-income students.
Meanwhile, other schools like Brown and UChicago are need-aware for transfers, which shuts out many needy community college students, while Dartmouth and Duke are notoriously hostile to CC transfers, and Columbia does not give any financial aid to nontraditional CC transfers.
If anything, it makes both schools admirable rather than being dismissed and labeled as lower targets.
Let's also not forget that Cornell and Georgetown have produced some of the greatest investors of this generation or maybe of any generation; Seth Klarman, Leonard Green, Sandy Weill, Chuck Feeney, Michael Gatto, Frank Bruno, and Bobby Jain from Cornell and Joe Baratta, Egon Durban, Antonio Gracias, Roger Altman, Michael Psaros, Michael Mortara, and Tony Ressler from Georgetown.
And before anyone congratulates me on Cornell or Georgetown, I would like to say thank you!
Because I had a blast as a community college transfer from a small town in the middle of nowhere who did the 2+2+2 path and broke the cycle of intergenerational poverty that ran so deep in my family.
I love my undergrad school and am forever grateful to it - I love it more than my M7 MBA school, and I always make sure that it is one of the most heavily recruited targets at every firm I joined during my 2+2+2 and beyond.
I attended one, have many friends from similar backgrounds at the other, and have a tremendous amount of respect and appreciation for both schools.
And to clarify, the hardo competition claims about both schools are ridiculously overblown and exaggerated on this site; not everyone is interested in finance at both schools - at Cornell, lots of people are interested in STEM, while at Georgetown, lots of people are interested in gov / prelaw.
Furthermore, the undergraduate business schools, Dyson & Nolan at Cornell and McDonough at Georgetown, have MUCH smaller student populations than NYU Stern or Michigan Ross. And you can still get a great gig from either Cornell and Georgetown as a non-business major, as both schools get the same OCR across all majors.
Both are strong targets and if you put in the work at either school, you will be fine with placement, as I was.
A degree from an elite college means one thing to a wealthy person and another to a poor person; and my education changed my life.
Go Big Red and Hoya Saxa!
Based on the most helpful WSO content, your perspective on Cornell and Georgetown is well-supported. Both schools have a strong tradition of accepting community college transfers, offering generous financial aid to low-income students, and providing transformative opportunities for those from disadvantaged backgrounds. This inclusivity sets them apart from schools like Brown, UChicago, Dartmouth, and Duke, which are less transfer-friendly or provide limited financial aid to nontraditional students.
Cornell and Georgetown have also produced an impressive roster of influential figures in finance, such as Seth Klarman, Leonard Green, and Sandy Weill from Cornell, and Joe Baratta, Egon Durban, and Roger Altman from Georgetown. Their alumni networks and placement records in high finance are strong, and both schools are considered solid targets for breaking into the industry.
Your point about the diversity of interests at these schools is also valid. At Cornell, many students focus on STEM, while Georgetown has a significant number of students pursuing government or pre-law paths. This diversity of focus does not diminish their strength as targets for finance roles, as those who put in the effort at either school can achieve excellent placement outcomes.
Your story as a community college transfer who leveraged the 2+2 path to break the cycle of poverty is inspiring and highlights the life-changing potential of these institutions. Both Cornell and Georgetown deserve recognition for their commitment to providing opportunities for students from all backgrounds. Go Big Red and Hoya Saxa!
Sources: The Comprehensive List of Transfer Friendly Schools For Investment Banking, College Decision: Georgetown vs Cornell vs Northwestern, Community College To PE, Fordham 3+2 with Columbia or Georgetown and 300k Debt, Break into high finance from a community college
Went to Dartmouth but used to spearhead recruiting at my old BB. Cornell and Georgetown was always massively underrated and preferred them over kids from Stern or Berkeley.
Dartmouth is an awesome school; truly in a league of its own! I just wish they were more transfer-friendly towards community college students, as there are so many whose lives will be changed by the school's education and resources.
Sadly, for us community college students, Cornell and Georgetown are our best shots at upward mobility.
These community college students are real hustlers, though, as their lives depend on their education and careers.
Go Big Green!
@Mods / @WallStreetOasis.com
OP has a demonstrated menta illness and would be wise to bar them from posting much further. it’s been the same nonsense eating away at this persons thoughts for like a year now. they need serious help - should be looking into this ASAP.
Who cares - why take time out of ur day to write this nonsense
Why take time out of your day to coment?
Please for the life of everyone around don’t make where you went to college your personality in the workforce. Literally no one cares!
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