Hello everybody! I am posting this in the hopes that I can get some advice from this wonderful community!
I was recently accepted into NYU Stern, Georgetown’s McDonough School of Business, Cornell’s College of Arts and Sciences for Economics, and Williams College. I am absolutely torn between which to commit to, because all four of these schools have their own merits and are incredible.
I am majoring in economics or finance-related concentrations for all of these colleges, but I also want to be able to obtain a double major or minor in computer science (I have no solid background in the subject but it has always fascinated me and I am eager to learn).
I also plan to visit Williams and Cornell’s campuses to get a feel for them as I know they are more rural (I have already visited Georgetown and NYU and am familiar with their urban environment).
However, I am posting this because I am wondering about outside opinions on the alumni networks of these schools, their student life and atmosphere, the difficulty of changing majors/schools within the universities, internship opportunities over the summer, and their placement in prospective job markets out of college, especially on Wall Street.
Thank you all so much for your time!
Congratulations!
Georgetown and Williams are absolutely wonderful schools that exemplify two distinctly different college paradigms:
- Williams is a quintessential liberal arts college; Georgetown is an outstanding medium-sized university.
- Williams may feature more small classes than Georgetown; Georgetown may provide greater curricular opportunities than Williams.
- Williamstown is quaint but tiny and isolated; the town of Georgetown is charming and offers direct access to the excitement and opportunities of Washington DC.
- Williams has a beautiful rural setting; Georgetown is in a posh suburb.
- Williams is a haven for outdoor enthusiasts; Georgetown does not offer immediate access to outdoor activities other kayaking, etc on the Potomac.
- At Williams, you will switch majors; at Georgetown, you will have the option to engage in an intra-university transfer between MSB and either the College or SFS. Some do this in the summer after they matriculate; others do it at the end of their first-year; still others do it their sophomore year.
I lack the data regarding internship and job outcomes for students at Williams. I suspect they do quite well.
According to CNN Money, Georgetown is a top-three school for “hav[ing] the most undergraduate alumni working in finance and investment banking …” Bloomberg ranked Georgetown a top-five feeder school to MBA programs. And Forbes ranked Georgetown fourth for graduates who make the most money.
Finance and consulting are the two most popular professions for Georgetown students. Georgetown students routinely intern at large finance companies. About 40 percent of all Georgetown graduates work in finance and consulting after graduation. The percentage is likely higher for MSB graduates.
Employment data for Georgetown graduates can be found here: http://careercenter.georgetown.edu/career-exploration/exploring-your-options/senior-survey-outcomes.
Good luck with your decision!