UNC KF or NYU MBA?

Until I caught the "IBD" part, it comes off as an entirely regional selection.

Talk to some current students about IB recruiting, and look at employer lists and it becomes an easy decision.

I personally would recommend taking that $60k free money and go to UNC KF. But it's just my viewpoint.

However, I'd pinpoint some facts you mentioned:

1.lots of people go to Stern just to go to IB. That higher percentage is literally useless because it's a result of self-selection. Plus Charlotte IB is obviously smaller than NYC IB.

2. You said that post-grad salary don't differ much. However, the cost of living will be much higher at NYC. Since that many people will stay in NYC area anyways, it actually means that NYU Stern grads, on average, gets less salary after deducting living expenses. Plenty of students go to Duke (or H/S/W) and still compete on the same scene with Stern graduates.

3. since both schools have people going into IB after graduation, I don't think UNC is exactly "away from your goals".

NYU no doubt. I know a handful of UNC alums on the street, but 100s of Sternies. It's a lot easier to network and interview for IB roles if you live in Manhattan.

Are you looking at BBs, MMs, or regional boutiques? I think NYU gives a much better shot at the first two while at UNC places mostly regionally (in the south).

There's also some other people you might want to contact directly. Get in touch with both of these groups, and be honest about the situation. Odds are both will try to give you a pitch but they'll tell you about placement among their alumni:

http://www.kenan-flagler.unc.edu/student-life/mba/mba-clubs/Investment-…

http://nyustern.campusgroups.com/gfa/home/

It will probably be informative. I'm going to one of UNC's peer schools this fall(barring a rolling deadline) and talking to their IB group was what made me a lot more comfortable with attending instead of re-applying to better ranked schools next year.

The real question is where do you want to settle. Seriously. If you're set on the northeast, then go to NYU. If you're set on any state below the Mason Dixon, go the UNC. $100K is a $100K. Time for you to think long term on this one.

Btw, you say you want to do IBD before you switch to the sell-side? Well IBD is the sell-side... If you mean switching to the buy-side well hate to break it to you but its going to be nearly impossible. Research threads here explaining why it's illogical for HF and PE firms to hire MBA IBD associates.

I work on Wall Street in NYC. NYU is considered a trashy school. Sorry but that's the reputation. Your getting a 100k at a better school.

NYU clear winner here.

http://poetsandquants.com/2014/01/17/where-top-mbas-work-in-finance/2/

Work on the street with lots of NYU grads believe me NYU is regarded sub-par from an aggregate school perspective. Stern is solid, no question about that, better than most bushiness schools and is better than UNC's. But UNC-Chapel Hill from an aggregate school perspective is a lot more prestigious than NYU. At the end of the day that's what people are judging you by, they could care less you went to Stern.

As someone who actually knows something about the process and recruiting, as opposed to these people with zero insight, NYU is a far better name on the street. The Stern people on the street is a large multiple of the UNC people on the street and it's not really close. It's not the most "prestigious" as its seen on the low end of acceptable. But it is by far the biggest name on the street from ab alumni standpoint. You stand a far better chance of reaching your goals from NYU. And it's not really debatable.

BTW, NYU has more grads than Columbia working on the street, albiet most of them low level - medium level front to back office jobs, does that make NYU a better school. Heck no. Get a clue bud.

For IBD recruiting, Stern is superior, especially for NYC.

Personally, I would have difficulty turning down the scholarship

This is one is the worst threads I have read in a long time. UNC and NYU are both very good schools. They will both check the "top flight business school" box for all but the most selective employers, most of whom are probably also looking for very specific pre-MBA experience.

You must have a region preference. These areas offer a very different lifestyle. If you really have no region preference take the scholarship, unless you can successfully shop the offer to NYU in which case you should go to NYU as there is far more Wall Street recruiting there.

NYU Student Body Size: 44,000 Admission Rate: 33%

UNC-Chapel Hill Student Body Size: 29,000 Admission Rate: 29%

No wonder NYU has so many people working on the street, with a student body that size, NYU is a really an overpriced public university. You can't buy prestige folks; it's earned, not bought. Maybe you'll get there one day, your just not there today.

Without a doubt NYU should be your choice. For NYC IB NYU is clearly a much better option.

Please disregard and ignore sillymonkey123. Clearly some bias or just ignorance on his/her end.