Hi everyone! I know this discussion happened before, but it didn’t have enough answers and it was from back in 2008, so I’m bringing it up again. I am trying to decide between USC (Presidential Scholar) and NYU for business (probably management and finance) and double major in computer science. Cost, weather, and location don’t matter, so please give me some input.
Stern, that’s a no-brainer lol
A myriad of opportunities will open up (you’re in NYC!) Also Stern is a very prestigious business school for both undergrad and grad. 
bump
Fellow USC Presidential Scholar here:
If you really want to work in high finance on the east coast, particularly investment banking, Stern is definitely the better option objectively. That being said, it’s not a cake walk. The majority of students at Stern are trying to break into IB and the competition is rough (Stern is known for tough grading). You’ll also be competing with kids from many Ivies (though on-campus recruiting helps). Stern has a higher starting salary than Marshall but I’m sure a lot of that accounts for the cost of life in NYC. The thing with Stern is that you’re not only competing heavily with other top schools for investment banking jobs, but you’re competing very heavily with kids from your own school in terms of said jobs. Stern is known for a cutthoat feel and being very career-centric as well.
With USC Marshall you’ll also have no trouble finding a job due to the alumni network but that alumni network is mostly concentrated near Los Angeles and opportunities on the East Coast will be fewer. So once again, it depends what you want. Marshall will likely be better for accounting/entrepreneurship and if you’re interested in consulting/real estate. Oh, and if you go to USC, you’ll most likely see me there! So that’s always a plus.
To me, USC is a better school overall over NYU in terms of ranking, having a campus, being well-rounded, and other factors besides career, but I know you said weather and location don’t matter so you can probably take that with a grain of salt. Stern is better for pure finance, while Marshall’s career prospects will be more diversified.
Fellow Stern Scholar headed to the Street of Walls in July here:
- Stern is known for Finance--competing with under the Tier 1 shade with Ivies for recruiting season
- However, Stern is skewed towards Finance, esp banking, way too much. If you are going for consulting, you will get nothing more than a gig at EY or Deloitte at best: Big 3 don't recruit
- The struggle is real. 600 kids per grade. With about 400 trying for IBanking, you are competing with bulldogs who all have internship exp in NYC with the same interview guides on wall street with the same business frat network and connections in school. It almost seems like a job training school from 3~4th year when recruiting kicks in. No suit = no interview conception gets to people.
To me, Stern is a better institution in terms of undergrad business ranking, having the NYC exposure in finance + culture, being well-squared, and other life-style factors as well, but I know you said weather and locatino don’t matter so you can probably snatch Stern in a heart beat.
Honestly, man, finance was the only thing I wanted to do going into high school–no pre-med, science, math, literature no nada please! It was pretty simple for me to come to stern, but bear in mind that even that single field of FINANCE means a humongous variety of job sectors. Think about it.
Come hither; let stern blossom your options in the money
Stern student here as well - where did he say he wanted to do investment banking?