<p>I'm possibly interested in a career in investment banking and have been accepted to the above four schools. Unless I get accepted off some waitlists, I'm down to these choices. I've visited all four of these schools, and none of them particularly jumped out at me. They were all nice places, nice people, etc. I thought I fit in more with the kids at Cornell than at the other three, but not overly so. </p>
<p>This all being said, would I face a harder route towards a position in an IB after four years? I plan to get involved in student government and various clubs and will do my best to maintain a 4.00 (although that actually happening... might be very difficult). </p>
<p>Thank you.</p>
<p>You will get recruited just fine at Cornell. There isn’t more than a marginal difference between Dartmouth, Duke, and Cornell (Chicago is worst though). At that point it’s going to be the work you put in. If you can’t get into banking from Cornell, you’re not going to get in from Duke or Dartmouth. That said, you’re only a senior in high school. Are you sure you want a career in banking?</p>
<p>Objectively Dartmouth does the best among these, then Duke. After than Cornell then Chicago. Here’s one major reason why:</p>
<p>Because of Dartmouth’s D-plan and sophomore summer it means you have to take one term during the year off for an internship. All the banks (Goldman, JP, UBS, etc) have special DARTMOUTH ONLY spots available for these terms and they are plentiful. So while the kids at the other top schools fight it out with every other school for a summer internship Sophomore or Junior year, the Dartmouth kids almost coast into the first one with no competition. Then the Dartmouth kids have ANOTHER summer (after already having a banking internship under their belt) to do it again when they already have experience. I mean its almost a ridiculous advantage, and given Dartmouth’s success on the street one that clearly is very real.</p>
<p>Hm, very good point.</p>
<p>Dartmouth’s advantage has been clearly pin-pointed by slipper1234, but don’t overestimate how easy these spots are to obtain. My friends have claimed that they are extremely limited for the freshman that were pursuing them, and once you get to sophomore year you could get the same opportunities (and chances) applying from any targets.</p>
<p>That being said, for IB I would say:
Dartmouth > Duke = Cornell > UChi. </p>
<p>However, I think you willl have opportunities at any of the above. If you have a 4.0 and solid EC’s, there is no reason why you shouldn’t be able to break in from any of these four schools. As a result, I would pick the school where you do feel you would fit in the best and where you feel you would enjoy yourself the most.</p>
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<p>Lol easier said than done. Change 4.0 to 3.5-3.6</p>
<p>^ I was referring to the poster’s declaration that he would do his best to maintain a 4.0-- obviously I know you don’t need a 4.0 to do IB (although it sure as hell wouldn’t hurt).</p>
<p>Slipper and roneald has described the situation perfectly. UChicago is a tier lower than the rest. It’s arguable whether the other three are on the same tier or on different tiers.</p>