Penn vs. Williams for consulting

<p>I was recently accepted as a transfer to both schools. I want to go to williams, but my family is pressuring me to go to Penn. Ultimately, I know that it is my choice, but after speaking with my sister, who said she has spoken to people in the business/banking industry, she said that it would be better to go to penn.</p>

<p>What are the opportunity differences between the two schools?</p>

<p>I am assuming you were admitted to Penn-CGS, not Wharton. Obviously attending Wharton is a big help.</p>

<p>For big firms, there is almost no difference. A good GPA at either school will get you the same number of interviews at the same big financial/consulting firms. From that point on, it is your experience (internships, clubs, demonstrated knowledge) and, primarily, your personality, which will determine your success there. Given the opportunities afforded to get experience at both schools are roughly similar, your chances in interviews senior year won't be that affected.</p>

<p>What will be a difference is the number of small firms who will stop by. I'm from Massachusetts, and I'm well aware that Williams is in the freaking boondocks. Unless you are a major firm with a huge recruiting budget, you just aren't going to be recruiting very heavily from schools that far off the beaten path. It's too much of a pain for the Associates or VPs or Partners or what-have-you to get out there. The limited about of their time that they can devote to recruiting is better spent on the areas that are easy to get to, like, you know, downtown Philly. So for firms who can seek and entice top talent (such as financial or consulting firms) but who have a more limiting recruiting budget, going to Penn will be an advantage.</p>

<p>The point here is that the advantage is a logistical one, not a prestige one. Given that a firm is interested in hearing from Williams students at all, you won't be worse off there. So choose based on fit.</p>

<p>Outside of Wharton, I would say Williams.</p>