BC or Northeastern for Finance

Just curious, I have to get in both first but wondering as a finance major, which school would be better. BC doesn’t have much diversity but has huge name recognition, Northeastern has the co-op program which is top notch. I would like to play club volleyball and both schools have that. Just some thoughts if anyone wants to give them. Thanks !!!

Do you mean “better” for overall education or for after Uni employment prospects?

For education, both are fine and great schools.

For recruiting, BC would be better, as it has a more established and very loyal alumni network and has a longer track record as a feeder for Wall Street firms. As Northeastern is more of an up and coming school (based on its recent rankings increases) it is not going to provide you with the networking opportunities of a more established school such as BC.

Having said all of that, if you can land the right Co-op at Northeastern, you may be able get hired after graduation by one of your Co-op companies.

Also, please be aware that you do NOT have to major in finance to go work in financial services after graduation. Top banks hire plenty of econ, math, other liberal arts and engineering majors for their entry-level programs. Therefore, you may want to apply to BC’s College of Arts and Science if you are a borderline candidate.

Thanks so much!!

Boston College if you want more recruiting

–First off, they are both fine choices. Apply and see where you get in and what is affordable.
–All things being equal, I’d go with BC as that school’s reputation, alumni network, recruiting etc. would be more well established. And instead of co-ops you can do summer internships to gain work experience while you are a student.

BC. The finance faculty at BC is significantly stronger.

Thank you, do any of you have any thoughts on the lack of diversity at BC? I have a friend who goes there and says everyone is pretty much a clone, just wanted thoughts on that as well. Thanks again!!

^^^^I would post that question on the BC page as it is specific to that one school.

On the original question, BC.

BC is very white catholic. It is widely criticized for lacking diversity. Northeastern is much more diverse and more accommodating to minorities and LBGTQ.

BC also has a conservative political stance while Northeastern has a very liberal conservative political stance.

BC focus on traditional education while Northeastern has lead the way with co-ops and job placement statistics.

These are two very different schools. If you want a traditional education at a conservative white catholic school, BC is a fantastic choice. It also has a great alumni base and beautiful campus.

If you are more interested in career and job placement at a more liberal and diverse school, Northeastern is a fantastic choice.

Both are great schools but they are VERY different.

@informative

^ The OP’s question was which was the better undergraduate business school, not which was whiter, less diverse or more/less LBGTQ friendly. The consensus on this thread is BC is the better undergraduate business school.

The OP did ask about BC’s diversity in #6.

@londondad The Op DID mention diversity in the original post AND subsequently.

“The consensus on this thread…” The point of the post is to get opinions. 3 posters does not equate to closing the subject. Sheesh.
@informative 's post was appropriate.

OP, have you visited both schools?

Definitely visit both. Some like NEU’s urban campus feel; others prefer the sprawl and Gothic look in Chestnut Hill. I would suspect the programs are probably pretty similar these days, with NEU substantially beefing up the quality of its incoming classes in recent years.

@suzyq7 - Actually, the consensus was (over the 5+ weeks since the thread was written) that BC is a better undergraduate school for a finance major by a score of 4-0. (Most people would consider that a consensus). Nobody has said that NEU is a better business school relative to BC.

Keep in mind that about half of the recruiting done at Northeastern is through the coop process. For example there are several coop positions with Goldman Sachs in both New York and London. Potential career hires are identified through that process. Those who are selected for a coop position and excel in that are offered career positions thus avoiding the senior year interviewing mania.

If you’re looking for people’s opinions from the industry, go to wallstreetoasis.com

Northeastern is never mentioned in bulge bracket recruiting. Boston College is considered a semi-target.

I have been accepted to BC, Northeastern and Babson so far and have visited each campus in the last 6 months. I am thinking that I should go to each students accepted students day and figure it all out, they are all very different schools. Any advice is greatly appreciated , thanks!!!

Congrats on your acceptances. I do think you should re-visit the schools and see which is the best fit for you. Also if there is a major price difference that should be considered as well. Overall, they schools have very different qualities. Some comments quickly:
BC - if you want a Jesuit school, bigger sports, I’d say it has the strongest overall reputation
Babson – if you want a smaller school and/or a focus on entrepreneurship
Northeastern - if the coop program appeals to you