I applied ED to Wharton and got rejected and was looking for other targets. I saw Stern was a target but also saw some people recently talking smack about it and saying it wasn't worth the hype. I just want to make sure it is a target because I am considering changing from RD to ED2 at Stern and want to make sure it is a good choice. Also Which is better Stern or UVA. Final question that is unrelated. What do you think of Villanova Business School.
| +40 | Wharton Huntsman Program vs Yale vs Dartmouth | 43 | 5s | |
| +32 | Umich Ross vs Rice vs Notre Dame Mendoza | 17 | 1d | |
| St Andrews vs LSE vs Middlebury | 19 | 4h | ||
| +26 | Target School Kids Stop Complaining | 6 | 1d | |
| +25 | Oxbridge or Top 15 US School. | 7 | 1d | |
| +23 | Imperial College Finance Masters' | 5 | 2d | |
| +20 | LSE BSc Economics vs Cambridge BA Economics | 7 | 1d | |
| +18 | UK/EU MSc's in Finance | 7 | 1d | |
| +16 | Succeeding at Penn CAS? | 3 | 6h | |
| +14 | Engineering vs Business degree? | 7 | 20h |
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Avoid nova like the plague. Better off going to Baruch or Fordham than Nova.
Stern is good. It's just a little bit more intense because everyone there is Consulting/Banking or bust. UVA is pretty good as well but remember the location factor (southern banks).
target schools not in the NY area such as UVA, Duke, Michigan etc are all very strong for NYC banks. All the banks come to campus so not being in NYC really isn't an issue. You'll have plenty of time to live in NYC after college, I'd go for a more traditional college experience while you have the chance.
UVA is a great school but I'd argue stern is the safer (but more expensive) choice. Stern is in the heart of the industry which makes networking and getting boutique internships much easier.
What's the upside of a traditional experience vs. Stern?
Stern is def a target, it's a good school. They get a bad reputation because the kids who go there are (stereotypically) really aggressive and arrogant. However, I've found most of the stern people I've interacted with to be generally nice.
Both Stern and UVA are targets, with Stern being marginally better due to location. That being said, NYU doesn't really offer a traditional college experience, whereas UVA will (proper campus, better Greek scene, D1 sports). The difference isn't significant enough to base your college decision around. If you get into both schools, you should visit both and decide where you think you'll fit in better. Also keep in mind that NYU is one of, if not the most, expensive universities in the country.
Stern is definitely a target, but the cost and "student life" factors should not be underestimated. ED will bind you to the school, so perhaps you should consider regular decision to places such as UVA, Cornell, Duke, Michigan. You could also look overseas and consider Oxbridge (too late in your specific case), LSE etc.
Villanova is good if you want to work for a F500 company, along with Drexel, Penn State etc.
I think it’s good that you have an idea of what you want to do but I would Stress the importance of liking the school as well. I wouldn’t go to one school over another just because it increases your chances of doing banking/consulting. That said, Stern is a great school, but make sure that it’s where you want to be. Remember plenty of kids every year go to Stern and don’t get the dream jobs, that happens everywhere. You’ll have the make the most of the opportunity wherever you are in order to make it, some places just have better opportunities than others. Good luck
Additionally, as it has been commented up top. There are other schools that provide a good opportunity and may be a better fit for you.
Cornell is much better.. And cheaper
As a current student at Stern, I'll try to shed some light.
Placement / reputation is not an issue. Definitely a target.
Cutthroat culture is a bit overblown by everyone on this form, but still exists. You attract people similar to you, so if you're generally a chill person this shouldn't be a problem.
The biggest thing I'm missing at Stern is a traditional college experience. While I joined Greek Life and the social aspect of college is pretty good, I sometimes envy my friends on actual college campuses (sports are non-existent here). On the flip side, living in NYC as a college student with limited responsibility can be pretty awesome too.
Important note: I got a great scholarship to go to NYU. Unless your parents have a lot of money or you don't mind taking out significant loans, I would pick somewhere else given a lack of financial aid.
Villanova grad .... would agree UVA and Stern are likely better for NYC finance. Fordham and Baruch are not close though.
Was at a BB this past summer in IB. Could just be that it was the circle of people I was around in the summer, but I didn't meet anyone from UVA undergrad. There were about 5 guys from Stern that I interacted with, so there were at least that many in the class. I'd say Stern has great placement and if you're choosing between Stern and UVA, go with Stern. Banks come on campus at both schools, but if you're a hungry dog you can go out get it yourself for the banks that don't recruit as heavily on campus because you're in NYC. Also, if you're worried about having fun, the NYU guys were animals. These guys fucked.
Georgetown, UNC, Duke, ND, Mich, Vandy, UVA
My personal opinion on the matter (did few years of IB and know people from every bank)
Stern you're almost guaranteed to get into IB if you network, study and aren't retarded. UVA is a bit more of a stretch. I can think of the top of my head I've met 3 UVA bankers and 3 former UVA bankers / buyside folks but at least 25+ NYU bankers/buyside.
With that being said, a ton of people from NYU don't like NYU. It sucks for a college experience. My former roommate hated the school and he was Stern to buyside. If you go to NYU, the nightlife may get duller faster than you know it. UVA has a great social scene, beautiful campus, beautiful people, etc. Personally, I'd pick UVA, get in the business school and network if I wanted a stronger college experience. NYU if I'm a gun-ho finance nerd that wants to crush it to a top group. If you think you're a network fiend I'd take NYU though because being in the city is super advantageous if you use it.
I work at a BB, and Stern is one of our target schools, I dont believe any of the other ones the OP mentioned are on our target.
UVA is overrated, it's good if you like to wear pastel colors and play intramural softball
The girls aren't nearly as hot as they're made out to be either.
Worked at a mid tier BB and Elite Boutique. A third of the elite boutique analyst class was from NYU it was by far the most represented school there. NYU, Wharton, and Michigan had the most analysts at the BB.
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