Undergrad Amherst College vs Cornell CAS vs UNC

As a LAC grad I'm biased but my rank would probably be Amherst>UNC>Cornell.

With that being said I think an argument could be made for UNC over Amherst as well. Here are my thoughts.

Amherst isn't a household name, but it's 100% an elite college. The education as well as "prestige" will be well known by top banks, consulting firms, and you'll place just as well as anyone from Harvard, Stanford, Wharton, etc. Believe it or not, people turn down Ivies for schools like Amherst/Williams. The low number of undergrads makes for a high faculty to student ratio and thus the education is top notch. The Alumni network is strong and tight knit and it will give you a great brand for anything you want to do whether it be business, law, academics, etc. You'll have no problem placing into a top group at a BB or an MBB consulting firm if you apply yourself. With that being said, the small LAC feel is different from a "traditional" college like a UNC. Amherst has no fraternity/sorority presence and LACs are known to pull from more of a northeastern crowd. I've known people who have struggled with a smaller campus feel and like the idea of going to a bigger school, being part of a frat, getting to tailgate football games on the weekends, etc. Not to say Amherst won't have some of that, but it won't be as good of a UNC in that regard.

UNC is a great school as well, one of the best public schools in the country. The fact that you're in-state and could pay 20k less a year isn't something to be ignored. If you have confidence that you can get into Kenan Flagler as an undergrad and do well, there will be a number of banking opportunities for you as well. With that being said, the disadvantage to undergrad business schools is that everyone is gunning for the same thing. Everyone wants the top BB/MBB jobs and competition will be tougher. Additionally, while the UNC network will be far reaching, it'll be weaker given the number of UNC grads in the world. Think about it, if there was a UNC alum who was an MD at Goldman, I'm sure he/she gets hit up by dozens of kids each year, what is going to make you standout?

Now for my pros of UNC. It's be a ton of fun, will give you a true college experience if that's what you want, and honestly, school will be much easier while still giving you a chance at a top outcome. Don't get me wrong UNC is a great school, but when you need to take a certain quota of in-state kids, the overall quality of student is going to be lower than an Amherst. The benefit for you is that in theory, you should be able to rise to the top while still enjoying your experience.

Cornell is out for me. Yes it's an Ivy league school, but it doesn't standout from Amherst or UNC in any way. The classes will be tough, it'll be full of other Ivy league rejects, job placement is there, but highly competitive, the weather is pretty bad in upstate New York, and it's the most expensive. Unless you were going for hotel management or something like that, I'd pass on Cornell.

I'd visit all the schools and assess for feel as well. What type of person are you? Would you love to join a frat, go to every UNC game, and be close to home? Or are you a little more academic and maybe want to see a different part of the country, and focus more on those types of pursuits.

In terms of job placement and academics, Amherst is objectively better than the others. But I realize that UNC has a wide network, I know people that have had amazing outcomes from UNC, and it's one of those rare schools that blends fun with a good education. Plus 20k a year isn't insignificant, even though an Amherst warrants a 20k a year deficit if that's where your heart is.

Good luck with the decision.