<p>I know each school is completely different in terms of social scene, but what about for job prospects in Ibanking/Consulting. Chicago obviously has a great econ program, but I've also heard that it's geared more toward those who want to become actual economists/professors, not bankers. Duke has a certificate program in M+M, but I've heard that that was a joke. So.. what school has stronger recruiting? Also, which school has more competition among qualified candidates? Money is not an issue, as both schools gave great aid packages.</p>
<p>Money is not an issue</p>
<p>I am from Chicago area and Uchicago, imo, has an edge in the prestige factor and job prospect esp. in finance sectors in the city of chicago. However, I have come to see that Duke's name is more prevalent in East Coast than UChicago, esp. in nyc. So, my answer is it depends on the region of the country, but both will give you good job prospects. Personally, I would choose Duke bc I know that several of my brother's coworkers at his bank (wall street) are Duke alums and my bro said that Duke is very well regarded, at least in NYC. Besides, Duke's social life absolutely dwarfs Uchicago's. Hope this helps.</p>
<p>CNI,</p>
<p>You will have NO problems with Investment Banking/Consulting recruiting here...</p>
<p>I've worked at a NYC investment bank during the summer, and we are highly represented at all the major investment banks</p>
<p>Lol if anything people think there is too much focus on these fields at Duke</p>
<p>By the way you don't need to major in Economics or do an M+M certificate to get a job in these fields.</p>
<p>Students getting summer analyst and full-time positions range all the way from English to Engineering. It varies that much. I, myself, am a Polisci major, Econ minor</p>
<p>How competitive is it? My friends told me that landing internships are nearly impossible (i'm assuming summer of junior year), but that job prospects aren't that bad.</p>
<p>How competitive are IBD and consulting internships?</p>
<p>Very competitive (with consulting being even more so due to the smaller number of "creme de la creme" consulting firms...i.e. McKinsey/Bain/BCG)</p>
<p>It is easier to get an FT offer from a consulting firm than to get an internship offer from a consulting firm.</p>
<p>It is easier to get an FT offer from an investment bank if you worked as a summer analyst at another investment bank (assuming you choose to go to another bank rather than accept an FT offer after your internship at the same bank).</p>
<p>The process is competitive no matter what target school you go to due to the sheer number of interested undergraduates. </p>
<p>This past recruiting season was particularly difficult for investment banking SA and FT recruiting due to the state of financial markets. (Banks were giving less offers)</p>
<p>I'd say Chicago. Due to its strong focus on life-long learning and plentiful grant opportunities for grad students, many of Chicago's undergrads choose to pursue further studies. That is NOT to be mistaken as being less able to provide a professional, career-orientated undergrad education. As with the above post, you do not need an Econ major for these jobs. Job placements are highly competitive, for any school. For world-leading institutions, small, private ones tend to have better placements due to a smaller graduating class. But for your case, there's virtually no difference between Chicago and Duke's size. Chicago might even be slightly less competitive as so many students are chosing to go to grad school. On a national scale, Duke probably has a slightly better reputation than Chicago, particularly on the East coast; though on a global scale, Chicago might be better off. However, for Econ, definitely Chicago, its a world-known fact. Nonetheless, neither schools are as prestigious as HYP schools on an international scale.</p>
<p>Duke's M+M certificate program does not really give you much advantage over other candidates from other top schools. When it comes to your career, its about WYA - Who You Are that matters. Universities only provide so much as connections and foundation education. It is through your experiences, your personality, your work ethics, and how well you perform, that you truly succeed in the business world.</p>
<p>The simple answer is that both schools will serve you very well if pursuing IB/consulting. No one can tell you that one holds any significant institutional edge over the other. I'd worry much more about where I'd be happier - a factor that may also help predict your greatest chance for academic success. You acknowledge the difference in social scene, but these schools are almost polar opposites among elite schools in campus tone and college experience. That should be driving your decision, IMO.</p>
<p>Bala is absolutely right. The exit opportunities for post-BA jobs are basically a wash. You will see more people from UChicago track into Chicago, and more people from Duke track into NYC, but that is about the only tangible difference. That being said, the tenor of day-to-day student life at both schools is so palpably different that I have no doubt to some significant degree this will have an impact on your individual success. Really, you need to give due thought to which environment will best cultivate you as an individual (i.e. keep you motivated in light of the numerous demands both schools place on you
inside and outside of the classroom).</p>
<p>You will have success in finding an ibanking job after graduation at both schools, but the type of education you want is up to you, and is different at both schools. Duke is ... not as intense. I think I heard somewhere that the only school MIT students respect in terms of workload is Chicago. That's not to say Duke is easy-- not at all. But Chicago, from what my friends have told me, is very. difficult. And as you said, it's more theoretical (economics-wise). </p>
<p>The social scene is also COMPLETELY different.</p>