<p>I need help deciding. I plan to double major in economics (or in finance if I attend WashU) and either English or Spanish. I am considering going into IBanking. Neither weather nor social life is a factor. I would need to take out about 20k in loans total over 4 yrs to attend all but WashU, which will end up being about 45k cheaper than the others. WashU is in 4th place due to it's less than stellar location/placement in Ibanking, but the lower cost is keeping it in the running. How do these compare in terms of graduate business school placement, job prospects, grading, quality of education etc. Thanks.</p>
<p>Although Amherst and UChicago may be slightly better for investment banking than WashU, they are no where near Harvard & Wharton and quite far from Princeton, Stanford, Dartmouth, Columbia, Yale, etc. as well. Therefore, go to WashU, Amherst and UChicago isn’t worth the extra $45000. Do well at WashU, and you will be as competitive as anyone.</p>
<p>Amherst and Uchicago both send a decent amount into IBD, especially Andover considering its small size. WashU on the other hand is a complete non-target, and it will be extremely difficult to break in to IBD. If I were you I would pick Amherst considering that 20k in loans will be easily payable when you’re making 120k at a bank.</p>
<p>If you are a top student (top 10%) at each of these schools. The difference really won’t matter.</p>
<p>While I agree that $45k is definitely a lot of money, I would have to still cast my vote for UChi or Am. While they may not be as widely recruited for IB as W or H, they are still absolutely strong schools with solid IB recruiting. Coming from either school you will never be second guessed in terms of intellect and ability (especially Chicago given its rigorous courseload and analytical nature). </p>
<p>While a strong GPA from a non-target definitely helps, coming from a non-target I can honestly say that it DOES not eliminate the ugrad pedigree biased. Fair or not, coming from a non-target, you will not be immediately looked at for IB. Additionally, looking down the line, whether you want to change careers, go to B school, etc, you definitely want the strongest brands on your resume. In the grand scheme of things, $45k isn’t a lot (it definitely is now though) - I would go with the stronger school and eliminate the weak/doubt points from your resume. </p>
<p>Good luck and PM me if you have any other questions.</p>
<p>IBanker</p>
<p>I agree one thing to consider is that most bankers want to go into hedge funds/ PE/ VC. So even IF you make it into Investment Banking from a non-target, two years later when you might want to get into other high finance there is another set of barriers.</p>