Columbia vs Dartmouth vs Cornell for I-Banking/S&T/Wall Street

Hi,

I am a senior in high school and have recently been accepted to Columbia, Cornell, and Dartmouth. I am interested in investment banking/trading/other wall street careers (early, I know) and was wondering which of the 3 schools would be best for my goals. How is finance recruiting at each of these schools?

I will be in SEAS at Columbia as well as Cornell. I realize it is foolish to base my decision on the quality of I-banking recruitment, so I am definitely considering other factors as well. I just want to get as much information as possible before making a big a decision as this.

Thanks

21 Comments
 

Check Morgan Stanley's website. Go through the profiles of their employees. Tally the number of people from each of the above schools. Pick the one with the most tallies.

"The code of competence is the only system of morality that's on a gold standard." - Francisco d'Anconia
 
nummI'd pick between Columbia and Dartmouth depending on where you fit better.
I also say Columbia because the internship opportunities you will have are going to be amazing. But ultimately all three schools are among the best and you can't go wrong with either, so you do need to chose the school you feel most comfortable in...
 
nummI'd pick between Columbia and Dartmouth depending on where you fit better.

Dartmouth is for pussies. Who the fuck goes to a school with the word "mouth" in their school name? I'd be embarrassed to tell people I'm from dartMOUTH.

 
chubbybunny
nummI'd pick between Columbia and Dartmouth depending on where you fit better.

Dartmouth is for pussies. Who the fuck goes to a school with the word "mouth" in their school name? I'd be embarrassed to tell people I'm from dartMOUTH.

Can someone throw down the ban on this one? Never contributes, says anything productive, or makes funny jokes/troll threads. Useless in every sense of the term.

edit: and PMing me "hey man fuck you" doesn't change the truth.

 

All have their own strengths and weaknesses. I'd go with Cornell or Dartmouth because I like the idea of spending college on a college campus (Actually, I did got to Cornell/Dartmouth!)

Columbia is also sick, but it doesn't feel like college to me. Plus, you can go there for business school -- but you're unlikely to want to go to Cornell (maybe dartmouth - but it's small for an mba)

 

Dartmouth has great placement into IBD, but overall for finance I think Columbia wins hands down. Col > Dar for s&t, asset management and Col = Dar for ib. Columbia undergrad is one of the most represented schools at bulge bracket banks, probably the most represented after Penn and Harvard.

Col > Dar >> Cornell

That said if you really like Dartmouth more than Columbia, go to Dartmouth, it's more important what you do at these schools.

 

The loyalty in Dartmouth's network is unparalled.

No hyperbole.

The truth is you're the weak. And I'm the tyranny of evil men. But I'm tryin', Ringo. I'm tryin' real hard to be the shepherd.
 

Honestly, both these schools are good enough that you really need to decide if you want to go to a more fratty suburban school or an urban school that revolves almost entirely around NYC. Both schools are very, very, very different, and attract quite a different type of person.

For what it's worth, friends/acquaintances who are Dartmouth alums are fanatic about their alma mater, whereas Columbia alums seem much more neutral. Knowing what I know now (having graduated from an HYP) I would say that HYPDartmouth > Penn >>>>>> Columbia/Cornell/Brown when it comes to alums and overall experience (Wharton aside, although that is by no means a good experience, just good at getting you a job).

Hi, Eric Stratton, rush chairman, damn glad to meet you.
 

Hands down Columbia. Workload sucks cock and guaranteed lack of any real school spirit or camaraderie ... but will get you acquainted wit the city + opportunities.

Im pretty sure only in Columbia can you get a part time job in NYC and leverage that experience + solid summer internships to end up in the buy side like a boss.

 

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