<p>I’m a CC 2012 student going into finance, so take my opinion for what it’s worth. In regards to your statement, “My goal is to finish my Undergraduate and work as a Quantitative Analyst, in a top firm, preferably in NYC,” I would say Columbia gives a slightly higher chance for you to fulfill that goal. I’ll characterize the two schools from what I know.</p>
<p>Columbia
Go to SEAS, apply to be an FE major, get a 3.8+ GPA and you can go anywhere you want (Goldman, JPM, etc), especially for a quant position, because 3.8+ FE major cannot be beat. It basically means you’re a genius, or at least very smart. The possibility of speaking and meeting with people in your profession also increases because of your presence in NYC. However, simply being in NYC does not mean you WILL get the job or even take advantage of these opportunities. It depends on your tenacity and willingness to leave the “Columbia bubble.” Some people do it and some people don’t. Don’t think the school’s location will automatically help you. But yes, it is true, being in NYC leaves endless possibilities, so you gotta push yourself. </p>
<p>Also, many students in the Northeast tend to stay in the Northeast, because it becomes easy to live here. First, your Columbia friends will likely live in NYC and will want jobs in NYC. Second, you’ll build an “ivy network” (mostly with Harvard/Yale/Penn probably, and maybe Cornell) after four years, and upon graduation, these ivy friends in addition to your Columbia friends will want to live in NYC. Given your interests, these friends of yours will likely pursue finance/consulting (which are best in NYC). Stanford students, on the other hand, tend to stay in CA because 1) their network is there 2) the Stanford culture pushes people toward entrepreneurship (trust me, wherever you decide, your preferred career will be hugely influenced by your peers. Columbia = easy NYC finance/consulting, Stanford = easy VC/finance/consulting in SF).</p>
<p>Stanford
I can’t speak to the academics at Stanford, but I shared with you traditional paths at Columbia in contrast to what I’ve heard is the culture at Stanford. </p>
<h2>In terms of fun, Stanford is probably more fun. It’s got more land, more space and chances to party underage (really, here at Columbia, no one will throw a big party in their single or double-- it’s impossible. Only senior dorms have space to throw large parties, and as a freshman, you would probably prefer to hang with other freshman. On the other hand, many bars surround Columbia, but you gotta be 21+, have a fake id, or use a real id of someone else.) The culture at Stanford is just laid back. People at Columbia can be high-strung. Columbia follows the “work-hard, play-hard” mentality quite strongly.</h2>
<p>In short, if you want a larger network in the NE upon graduation and want to work in finance, I’d def go to Columbia. If you want to stay in CA, def go to Stanford. Stanford can also provide opportunities in NYC finance, it’s just that many Stanford students either choose to stay in CA (i.e. VC/ibanking/consulting in SF) or prefer careers other than finance/consulting (i.e. VC ). Note, however, that NYC finance is regarded better than finance anywhere else. To conclude further, wherever you choose, you must work hard. If you work hard, you’ll be able to go anywhere and do anything you want. You’ll begin to realize that no one can decide what’s best for you. In HS parents always know what’s best, but in college and soon thereafter, only you can decide, because there’s no predetermined trajectory for the life of an ivy undergraduate student. You gotta make your own. Best of luck!</p>