<p>I am currently a freshman at Clemson University majoring in economics. I am set to graduate in May 2010 (32 AP credits, all applicable toward my degree), and I have an academic scholarship. Over the past six months I have decided that I want to do consulting, mergers and acquisitions, etc. I understand that getting many of these jobs may be difficult for a Clemson student. Although I love everything about Clemson, I would love a more intellectual atmosphere and a chance at the jobs I want to be doing. </p>
<p>My Stats are
- 4.0 college GPA (15 credit first semester, 18 credit second coming up)
- 4.0 uw high school GPA
- 7 AP classes (five 5's, one 4, one 3)
- 32 ACT
- mediocre to bad EC's (small high school with minimal clubs) </p>
<p>The colleges I am looking at (for econ) are; U Penn, Northwestern, Dartmouth, and Cornell. </p>
<p>I understand that some of these schools might have prerequisites for applying as a transfer. I would prefer to keep my Clemson schedule the same, because I am not sure if transferring is for me yet. I did not take any SAT II's, and I used AP credits to exempt out of science while at Clemson. If I do transfer I want it to be to a school I like, and one that would open doors for me.</p>
<p>I dont think you should transfer just yet. You love everything about Clemson, you have a scholarship, and everything is good. It seems more like you are just being greedy. A school's prestige will only work in your benefit for the 1st job; after that, the school's reputation wont matter, but only your experience. I think you should stay at Clemson, and at least finish the year just to see where it goes. If you continue to feel greedy, then transfer by your junior year.</p>
<p>I wanted to explore my transfer options now because I will only be at Clemson for a total of three years. This semester I will be spending most of my time in the econ department, and that should help qualm my worries. I was thinking of applying to transfer now, just in case I don't find what I am looking for in terms of econ this coming semester.</p>
<p>I understand. However, your AP credits wont be looked at when you are applying for admissions into those schools, just your GPA and how many units you completed at Clemson. Also, you can omit AP scores, but you cant omit grades/units, which gives you plenty of time to think about it.</p>
<p>Donjuan is wrong. A first job means everything, it gets you in the door into career paths that will be very difficult, if not impossible, to enter later. The awareness of how to get elite jobs, and the ability to obtain those jobs, is much much higher at the top schools. You could take the best econ courses in the world at Clemson, it won't matter because the top firms won't be there come recruiting time. I also strongly recommend transferring after first year, you'll get much more out of the second school if you do so.</p>
<p>There is very little you'll need in terms of pre-reqs so don't worry about that. I think you have a good list, you might also consider adding UNC as a safety.</p>
<p>Or go to a tip-top graduate business school and get into consulting, M&A from there. Of course, that's another two years of school, but nothing beats a Harvard or a Wharton or a Tuck or a Kellogg MBA.</p>
<p>I am just worried about my AP's when it comes to meeting requirements for transferring. I know Cornell AEM and Wharton require a transfer to have certain classes. </p>
<p>I have thought about just going to a top MBA program, and I will still pursue that if I do transfer, but I worry about working in any area similar to what I want to do for those few years in between if I stay at Clemson.</p>
<p>I wouldn't transfer for somewhere like UNC, because I actually love Clemson and it won't give me much (if any) of a career boost.</p>
<p>Actually VeryHappy, the truth is that a vast majority of the students at top MBA programs come from the top 15 schools or so schools. There are very real reasons for this, a good undergrad gets you a good job, and mba admission os very work experience dependent. </p>
<p>As for a UNC or UVA, they do have better recruiting than Clemson (some of the top banks and consulting firms). But probably not enought to justify paying full tuition. I wouldn't worry about the APs, in fact call the schools directly. My bet is that they will say not to worry. Also I'm not sure why you want to apply to AEM anyway, my understanding has been that Cornell CAS does better with business recruiting.</p>
<p>slipper, what are you talking about? most people's first job is at mcdonalds. I dont know how anyone will get into a good business firm out of that.</p>
<p>
[quote]
A first job means everything, it gets you in the door into career paths that will be very difficult, if not impossible, to enter later.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>I have never read so much baloney in my life. Has anyone here seen the pursuit of happyness? This is what all ivies want you to think, but it is not true. Just because slipper goes to Dartmouth, he/she probably thinks he/she will get the most elite job in the world...yeah buddy, keep dreaming. It's all about connections and who you meet.</p>
<p>Can slipper please explain why 18% of the alums from Dartmouth report that they are unemployed if "The awareness of how to get elite jobs, and the ability to obtain those jobs, is much much higher at the top schools. " ?</p>
<p>Thats right, he can't; thus, his statement is invalid.</p>
<p>If ibanking or consulting is what you want to do straight out of undergrad, go to a target. If its something you might want to try at a later date, do it after an MBA.</p>
<p>It just depends on what you want to do, for some it might take longer to get into an ibank than for others. Even a low paying fortune 500 job out of undergrad could eventually land you into a top tier ibank after an mba. It depends on the experience you gain. I mean, if you can work your way up to a mid level/senior management position, most top 25 mba schools will take you. And that definitely means, a bb bank will take you too, if you're cut out for banking.</p>
<p>Its moreso being cutout for banking that sets those apart. Target schools are just plain out more rigorous than other schools. And banks are looking for people that can put 100 hours a week with precision and accuracy. The easiest way to exemplify that is by getting through a difficult program with a good gpa. </p>
<p>But in the end, is banking what you really want? the pay can be just as good elsewhere, as a junior executive or mid level vp with less hours. Don't do banking for the pay.</p>
<p>You are very uninformed. I actually graduated from Dartmouth, worked at an elite consulting firm after graduation, attended a top 5 MBA program, and now work in venture capital. About 90% of the professionals at my firm attended top 10 schools. There is a big difference between getting a job and getting a top job. Top jobs (elite banking/ consulting) only recruit from maybe 15 schools, with the best shot coming from probably 10 of them. Its not easy to understand. There is a big difference between an recruited investment banker at Goldman who will make 120K first year but likely 500K-1M after ten years and a local Financial Advisor who will make maybe 80K first year but unless they excel will not make much more than 150k after ten years. The pursuit of happiness was for an FA job. He excelled in FA, that's why he was so successful, but most Ivy students are not looking at FA unless its ultra high net wort . </p>
<p>For people looking to go into high profile jobs a top school is a major pre-req. And these jobs get you into the top MBAs bottom line.</p>
<p>Um, well, you still didnt prove me wrong so I am not misinformed. I still disagree. Anyone can have the luck of going into IBanking if the time and the opportunity is right, regardless of the school you went to.</p>
<p>Those jobs do not fully get you into the top MBA programs, and there is no "bottom line." The school will diversify the pool and some individuals will not have those jobs/internships.</p>
<p>As to the 18% unemployment rate, I think it's safe to say that at least a fifth of the student body at any given school either doesn't give a **** about school work, or simply doesn't have the smarts to perform at a top notch level.
Your argument above to me sounds like "Anybody can get rich by winning the lottery if you're lucky enough, even if you didn't do anything to earn that money."</p>
<p>^Right, and its a true statement. Anyone can win the lottery.
[quote]
even if you didn't do anything to earn that money."
[/quote]
However, since when is the lottery merit-based?</p>
<p>
[quote]
or simply doesn't have the smarts to perform at a top notch level.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>And this proves my point that going to a top school is not necessary. This is off topic, but Oprah didnt need to go to a top journalism program to be what she is today.</p>
<p>It never was... so if anybody can win the lottery, why does anybody bother going through elementary, middle, high school, college, and sometimes grad school? Might as well not even have a job. We should all just go scratch lottery tickets and test our luck, right? I mean... I'd rather use my luck to win the lottery than get a good job.</p>
<p>OK, apparantly you don't get that I was being sarcastic. What I am saying is: arguing that luck can get you just as far as anything else is a very blunt and unrealistic argument. You can't take extreme rarities such as Oprah's success and utilize it as a general case. Of course luck plays a pretty big role in life, that's just the way it is, but if you look at the proportions, graduates from the top10~15 schools have a much better chance of getting an elite job/going to a top5 MBA school. I was just reiterating what slipper said.</p>
<p>No one here said that your chances of winning the lottery was a good one. I said anyone can do it when and if the time is right; that also applies to individuals with top MBA programs, not all of them will end up at IBanking either.</p>
<p>Lottery was a bad analogy though, because for banking/finance, a lot of it is merit based, while the lottery is not.</p>
<p>
[quote]
from the top10~15 schools have a much better chance
[/quote]
You said it: "chance." It is all about chance. They may have a better chance, but it is not going to be the official thing that gets them to that point. There is so much to consider, other than going to a top school.</p>
<p>You're just trying to find loopholes now. I'll condense what I'm saying and choose my words carefully so you can't do any more of that. </p>
<p>My definition of "chance" = proportions based on statistical analysis. Your version of "chance" = luck. The prestige associated with the name of the school you attended plays a HUGE role in employment and admission to the top MBA schools. Oprah is a special case that can't be generalized. The end.</p>