Cornell vs. Duke

<p>Yes, Cornell and Duke are both on the "strategic campus list" that almost all exclusive companies share. Keep in mind this list isn't an official secret list or anything. It's just that practically all highly exclusive companies (like BCG, McKinsey, Carlyle, Blackstone, Lazard, Goldman Sachs, etc...) recruit at 15 or so campuses in common. There are about 15 or so universities on that list, and both Cornell and Duke are on it.</p>

<p>is NYU on that list by chance?</p>

<p>Like I said, it is not an actual list, but NYU is generally not considered one of the strategic campuses, although Stern is for the majority of elite IBanks.</p>

<p>actually, i read that cornell does horrible w. consulting and it is not on mots of the consulting lists, but others like northwestern (a peer) does better w. consulting but not as well with the finance companies....</p>

<p>I am nost sure I agree with your analysis either way BBall. I have worked at very high levels with the recruiting arms of major IBanks (Lehman and Goldman Sachs in particular) and I have been involved in projects that included major MCs, like McKinsey, BA&H, BCG, Bain and Mercer and they all recruited undergrads at both Cornell and Northwestern. Of course, one must keep in mind that MCs hire mostly MBAs and PhDs, so they don't exactly recruit undergrads by the thousands as the IBanks do. At any rate, it obviously varies year-to-year, but I would not say that either one of those schools have a weak point when it comes to employment opportunities. Cornell, Duke and Northwestern are all on "the list".</p>

<p>My uncle actually does recruiting for a major firm in New Jersey. The colleges he mentioned to me were MIT, Harvard, Cornell, Columbia, and UPenn (Wharton). Those were only the ones he named off the top of his head. He had some very funny comments about some of the schools' students in general, but I don't know how proper it would be for me to post those comments on this board.</p>

<p>Hmm Cornell but no Stanford Pton Yale or Duke? Most firms recruit at all the top schools. Is it a financial firm?</p>

<p>he was just talking to me over Thanksgiving dinner, and those were the students he had recently spoke with. I'm not saying those are the only schools he goes to. He did mention having visit Stanford, Yale and a few others in the upcoming weeks, but not in any detail He was not talking business, just sharing some anecdotes with me for some laughs. </p>

<p>Sorry if I led you on there.</p>

<p>Also, he only does about half the recruiting for the firm. It already has him traveling on extended trips for about 30 weeks out of the year.</p>

<p>Blackferrari, it also depends on the nature of the recruiting. Some of it are done at the branch level, in which case, the recruiting tends to be a little more regional. For example, if company X has an office located NJ and that office does some recruiting for specific positions, it will probably conduct its own personal recruitment at schools within a 4 hour drive, which includes Penn, Cornell, Columbia, MIT, Harvard, Princeton, Yale, Brown, Dartmouth, Johns Hopkins, Georgetown and maybe a few others. On the other hand, let us say that same company X has an office in LA, it will probably conduct most of its "direct hire" interviews at schools in the West Coast. But that's not what I am talking about. I am talking about about those companies' headquarters' initiative to hire young people to fill their "development programs'" needs.</p>

<p>They're both very fine schools. </p>

<p>It's my opinion that Cornell is stronger academically, but Duke is excellent as well.</p>

<p>Choose the one that you like more. It's a win-win situation for you.</p>

<p>Alexandre- He was doing recruiting for the company "headquarters." He was going to be traveling out to California and the Michigan area in the next few weeks (to stop at Stanford, UMich-Ann Arbor, and I believe Notre Dame on that same jaunt).</p>

<p>Like I said before, both are great schools, Duke's student body is a bit more competetive than Cornell's, but I think Cornell is more academically focused (maybe because of the big engineering program and colder weather) while Duke is a bit more sportsy</p>

<p>competitive in the HS admissions statistics way. Once students come through the school though, the best students and worst students at each are equal. In terms of getting a job, no business is going to say "cor-what?" or "what's duke?," nor is that business going to regard one degree as more valuable or elite than the other. They are going to analyze the person instead.</p>

<p>Cornell Hockey matches duke basketball in rabidness of fans...have you guys even had a ticket stampede, much less three? :p obviously if you like basketball rather than hockey, that could be a factor, but I have to say, watching either team (duke bball or cornell hockey) is incredible</p>

<p>basically, you can't go wrong with either school unless you're going for specific program where one school stands out far above the crowd. Even so, you can't go wrong, I'm just saying there are a few cases where each school is significantly better than the other. Other than that situation, it all comes down to personal preference. If they're two top choices for you, visit both after you get accepted, and that will help you decide.</p>

<p>
[quote]
watching either team (duke bball or cornell hockey) is incredible

[/quote]

No no! That's too passive. You don't watch, you cheer. And paint yourself blue. And bounce up and down. And scream. And tent for tickets. And light the bonfire after the Duke-UNC game (my job :cool: ). Etc... :)</p>

<p>Hmmm, Ivy League Hockey vs #1 (errr maybe 2 now) college basketball nationally...:) Though I agree, hockey is pretty sweat, especially the throwing fish on ice stuff
Plus, kids live in tents for bball tickets so there's never a need for a ticket stampede...its nice and organized lol</p>

<p>On a more serious note, I think the selectivity of the student body in the "HS Statistics" way is an important way to show how good a school really is. Duke is a very big feeder school to top programs and its due to the strength of the student body. It really does depend on the individual though, but I'd rather go to a school with stronger students, all other things equal. Of course, its rare that other aspects aren't important or different among choices as well.</p>

<p>Again, both great schools</p>