<p>I know Stern has wonderful finance undergrad program and University of Chicago has best economics major in the nation.</p>
<p>What would you differentiate these two if we talk about job placement, say I-banking job recruit at Wall Street? Does Stern have obvious advantage on i-banking recruit?</p>
<p>If you have to select between Stern Scholars Program and University of Chicago's economics, what would you do?Thanks guys.</p>
<p>These are two wonderful programs! I have done many posts on these two schools. </p>
<p>I think they both recruit heavily for I-banking. My #1 son earned his BS in Mathematics from UChicago in June 2005 and had 4 job offers six months before that (Dec. 2004) thanks to the Career and Placement Office at UChicago. He accepted a position at a hedge fund here in CT as an assistant trader and was just offered a promotion as a portfolio manager. UChicago prepared him well with analytical and mathematical skills - he took lots of econ courses and was headed to double major but missed out on getting into a very important econ class. It didn't matter. He majored in math and has a concentration in statistics. He had an average GPA - nothing great. The career help that he got at the career office was terrific. They provided help with a resume, interview practice with alumni (this I think was key!), companies offering info sessions at career fairs and call back interviews. He got a great job offer and is very happy there. He would call me from the various locations that he would be interviewing at and tell me " I nailed the interview". I credit the U of C for this. Also, he has wonderful friends that he made at UChicago - he lives with a couple frat brothers (one of them is in i-banking) in NYC and many UChicago young alums love to drop by their apartment. These are friends for life! </p>
<p>#1 S tried to talk #2 S into going to UChicago which he did get into and which was pretty much his first choice but #2 S decided on NYU Stern which has proved to be great for him. He is in the Stern Scholars program and has to maintain a 3.67 GPA to remain. This is not easy because he is on the volleyball team which takes up a lot of time. He will probably major in finance. The Stern Scholar perks are: tickets to openings and sports games, invitations to special speakers, out-of-state trips, dinners, music concerts, etc. He wants to stay in the program but it is not easy trying to maintain this GPA. It is not cutthroat (as some posts have said) just a lot of studying. However, this is not any different from UChicago and probably a little less demanding, but I emphasize only a little.</p>
<h1>2 S secured his own internship with his uncle in CA this summer. Stern doesn't do a lot of help for freshman year but will do much more later years. What's important to know about NYU is the integration of NYC life into your life. Lots of people, new foods everywhere, noise, noise and more noise. Some people thrive on this and others don't like it. Chicago is definitely a city but Hyde Park where UChicago is feels like an upper west side. Plus UChicago has more of a campus feel which is rather non-existant at NYU. At Uchicago, you will have students going onto the quads and playing frisbee or some other sport. My #1 S engaged in all kinds of intramural sports - football, soccer, basketball and also went "downtown" for a movie. He loved the city but I think he felt like he could get away to his dorm or the "Midway" or the quads for green and quiet. That will be more difficult in NYC although you can go uptown to central Park.</h1>
<p>You won't go wrong with either of these programs suited for i-banking recruiting. I think what you need to do is decide what college atmosphere you want.</p>
<p>I would pick Chicago Econ over Stern anyday. But that's because I feel Econ is a more versatile undergraduate subject.</p>
<p>Peacemaker: thank you for sharing your two sons' experience at both programs -- It's definitely worth a lot. Talking about Stern Scholars Program, you only need to maintain a 3.5 GPA to stay, this may be a new policy starting 2006. However, I heard it's tough to maintain a 3.5 or above GPA at Chicago Econ. And I know GPA means a lot to I-bank recruiters. </p>
<p>Alexandre: I've been reading your posts and appreciating your many opinions. I agree with you on that opion - economics is more versatile subject. But if I've decided I-baking job is what I want after undergrad education, would you still think Chicago Econ is over Stern finance?</p>
<p>Does anybody have I-banking job placement data for both Stern and Chicago? Thanks.</p>
<p>there shouldn't be much of a difference in job placement for Stern-finance and chicago-econ as they are both highly respected in their fields. one aspect that i don't particularly like about Chicago is the annoying quarter schedule as opposed to the semester schedule employed by most colleges. Chicago also has a very intense(tough) liberal arts core before you start focusing on your major. NYU doesn't have as rigorous a liberal arts requirement, but they do have a very extensive business course requirement. once you get to your major, both schools are quite tough and you have to consistently turn in top quality work. these are two great schools, choose the one that best fits into your personality .</p>
<p>Biztogo, looking forward to the future is always good...but never at the expense of the moment. For the next few years, your priority is your undergraduate education. We know that for a fact. Whether or not you decide to go into IBanking is unsure. Get the best education you can and worry about the rest later. Chicago Econ is amazing. I recommend that over Stern. However, you need to go with your heart on this one.</p>
<p>UChicago and Northwestern and a few other top universities are on the quarter system. My #1 S didn't seem to mind it b/c he had the opportunity over the four years to take more classes than you would take in a semester program with fewer at a clip. Probably the main drawback to Uchicago's schedule is that fall semester starts at the end of Sept. or early Oct., after your friends have been gone for a month. You will have less time at the holiday and then all your friends get back (mid-May) a month before you do (mid-June) at the end of the academic year. All I would say is try to have a summer job lined up way before you get back in June. Then you can stay on the job longer into the fall.
Chicago Econ is amazing - my S had the author of Freakonomics! He was a great prof! My #2 S really likes his econ prof at Stern, esp. after having such a poor teacher for AP Economics in HS.</p>
<p>Thank you so much for your reply.</p>