NU is <50% Caucasian.
“Will any of you dispute that NU would offer an engineering major more and better non-engineering opportunities (specifically in consulting and finance)?”
I am not sure there is an advantage in attending either if one is interested in IBanking. Neither university is a target for major IBanks. On the other hand, both are equally excellent when it comes to consulting placement. No edge goes to either school.
"Will any of you dispute that a Murphy Scholar at NU would get more personalized attention than a non-Regent Scholar at Cal?:
I give you that. But at the end of the day, Cal engineers are given very special consideration in the world of engineering.
Cal and NU are peer institutions, but in Engineering, Cal has the distinct edge. If the OP were committed to Engineering, I would have recommended Cal. But the OP seems hesitant, and if changing majors is a criterion, Northwestern is a better option.
@Alexandre: Although I “liked” your post above, I do disagree with your statement that “Neither university is a target for major IBanks.”
The most cited list of US university IB target schools is : The Ivies plus Northwestern, NYU, Georgetown, Duke & Stanford.
Top US public universities are : Michigan, Virginia, UNC & UCal-Berkeley.
I would add the University of Chicago to the list.
The most prestigious & highest paying positions in investment banking for recent recruits tend to be front office positions. Both Northwestern & Berkeley rank in the top 15 of US universities for those positions.
Northwestern & the University of Chicago are outstanding schools with respect to placement in Chicago.
“The most prestigious & highest paying positions in investment banking for recent recruits tend to be front office positions. Both Northwestern & Berkeley rank in the top 15 of US universities for those positions.”
Either way, Northwestern does not have the edge.