<p>SUMMARY: Go with GEORGETOWN!</p>
<p>This is a tough choice. Tepper at Carnegie Mellon actually has decent placement in business (suprisingly). But, then again, so does Georgetown. Cornell is a large school, and I know it is an Ivy and everything, but you are competing with students from AEM, the engineering school, and students from the college of arts/sciences for the same jobs. ILR DOES NOT place as well as you would expect in management consulting, investment banking (and other financial services jobs), etc. I would advise you to go with Georgetown. Cornell would be my second choice, but it would be close between Cornell and CMU. I would go with Cornell because you may change your mind once you get to college and it has overall a stronger reputation and prestige than CMU.</p>
<p>remember about the grade deflation at cornell</p>
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remember about the grade deflation at cornell
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<p>The idea that Cornell has grade deflation is laughable, especially outside of engineering and the physical sciences. In ILR, economics, and other applied social sciences Cornell has just as much grade inflation as everywhere else. Hell, this fact was even featured in a national news magazine a couple of years ago:</p>
<p>Primary</a> Sources</p>
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ILR DOES NOT place as well as you would expect in management consulting, investment banking (and other financial services jobs), etc.
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<p>Until you can provide any serious numbers to the contrary, this claim is unfounded. In my experience as an ILR alum, qualified candidates with a good academic record and personal selling points place just as well graduating out of ILR as they do in AEM, ORIE, Arts, or even Georgetown or Tepper. At this level, it's the individual and what they do with the opportunities and resources provided to them, not the program -- all three programs are extremely high in quality. All I know is that the ILR students I was friendly with who knew their stuff, pulled good grades, and brought a personable personality to the table with an interest in their chosen career path have done wonderfully -- whether that is law school or union organizing, human resource consulting or investment banking and private equity.</p>
<p>So choose the program that offers you the type of environment and resources that you think will best allow you to succeed.</p>
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ILR DOES NOT place as well as you would expect in management consulting, investment banking (and other financial services jobs), etc.
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<p>I am afraid you don't know much about how hiring process goes on in the Wall street. As long as you have taken some quantitative courses such as finance and econ, and you have a stellar gpa, you qualify for the job in banking/consulting. It matters less what you major in. Rather, it will depend on your gpa, work experience, ecs, and interviewing skills. I know several English majors, ILR majors, and anthropology majors who got the jobs at Wall.</p>
<p>I think that it is foolish that a bunch of hs seniors on this board, who don't know anything about the professional or the academic world, who are contemplating on their college choices based on which school they think will give them an 'edge' in getting ibanking jobs. </p>
<p>First of all, let me stess that it is extremely difficult to land a job in this field. The job is highly coveted and you will have to be the cream of the crop. Don't focus on small details, such as 'the name of school', but focus on getting that gpa, becoming a well rounded person, developing leaderships, and see how you end up later. It isn't so formulaic. Go to the school that appeals to you most, otherwise, u will have a lot of regrets later.</p>
<p>You might just want to think long term that you have your whole life to live in cities (and given the jobs you seek you probably will). I know it's hard to think that far ahead now, but you probably won't have an opportunity to live in a gorgeous wine country region with a funky small city like Cornell has ever again. If that appeals to you at all, it might be the chance for a once in a lifetime experience.</p>
<p>I went to Cornell and then lived in Washington, DC. DC is truly an incredible city for young intellectuals, but I think it caters most effectively to 22-35 year olds, not necessarily college students. Boston is more suited to the college crowd as a city. Anyone over 25 in a bar is just old in Boston. DC is much more of a professionals city that people wind up in after college. My impression of DC (having not gone to college there) was that the college students / interns didn't really use the city as much as you might think. They pretty much stayed to a limited number of bars and restaurants that cater primarily to them and that everyone else avoids like the plague. So, ultimately, might not be that different from either Pittsburgh or Ithaca in the amenities actually used.</p>
<p>I might be wrong about this, though. Just my impression having lived there. Whichever you choose, all three of those schools will provide you with an incredible experience in their own unique way and none will hurt you anytime down the road. Congratulations.</p>