I decided to enroll at Cornell’s ILR School for the upcoming school year. I thought it was a good option because Cornell has its prestige and lots of good connections for the business and finance world. However, I just got off the waitlist for NYU Stern. I know they’re both great schools with lots of great connections, but I’m not sure which I would rather go to. I want to end up working in finance with BB and potentially private equity. Given that, what should I do? Which school is the better option with business clubs, classes, alumni network that’ll be good for the long term? Thanks in advance and I hope I can figure this out soon!
Based on your career goals, NYU Stern Finance is clearly the better option. Nonetheless, if you prefer Cornell, folks in the banking industry certainly have heard of this Ivy League school.
To get offered employment by those employers you pretty much need to do very well academically. For one thing.
You are getting into Stern off the wait list, which prompts me to ask you:
are you at or above the top quarter of Stern’s class academically, by stats, coming in? I don’t mean NYU as a whole, I mean Stern specifically, if you can find those stats. Because Stern’s are higher than NYU aggregate.
If you aren’t, then how likely is it that you are going to “top out” sufficiently there to get the most coveted jobs that everyone there wants?
I guess the same applies for ILR.
If, upon honest reflection about your comparative credentials, you conclude that such destination may not be in the cards, you might think about what else you want to do and what school accommodates those goals.
In general, the school that will be best for you is the one that will best help you thrive, scholastically and socially. The place where you will have the best all-around experience…
The destinations you seek are available at Cornell. And from ILR at Cornell.
Stern is the most straightforward path IMO, but in either case you must stand out. You have the best chance of excelling where you are happiest.
IMO.
I would suggest you look at the following:
– Are there any financial differences between the two schools? If so, that is a consideration.
– The two schools are in very different environments. Do you prefer an upstate campus or a school in the heart of Greenwich Village?
–Take the time to look at what your course of study would be at each school. You should be able to find this online. See if one group of classes is more appealing to you.
The PE firm I know best (50b level) met with some more recent hires at the associate level. Four different schools. Duke H BC Carroll and UIUC with an mba from tuck.
Universal theme. All stellar students and polished… All will get MBAs if they want to move up the totem pole at this firm.
Go where you feel that you’ll do your best work and feel excited to compete and have some fun. Either is fine. You are the independent variable.
What’s you decision? I’m actually in the exact same situation as you, choosing between Stern and ILR.