I just finished my freshman year at W&L, and I’d like to go into IB or Consulting.
I decided to roll the dice again at these top schools. I have good stats, so I was pretty bummed when I didn’t have more options last year. Well, now I have options and I need to choose. The options::
Stay at W&L: stay on the sports team and study econ. I’m not in a frat (70% are) and half the kids here want a business related degree. Of those I feel like half want IB.
Transfer to Vanderbilt: study econ and Spanish, possibly get a business minor. I wouldn’t play a sport there (I’m D3 material, not D1), nor would I be a part of a frat.
Spring transfer to USC (Marshall): I’d go back to W&L for one semester and then transfer to USC for the second semester. I would major in business in Marshall w/probably a double major in Spanish.
University College London (UCL): this is in the UK, so I’d be spending a couple years after graduation here. I do want to return to the US at some point, however. My degree here would be Management Science (their Bus Major). UCL would probably save me $30K-$50K over 3-years. I’ve been told UCL is a “Target” for IB in London, but salary might be lower.
I have no idea what to do. Please help me decide.
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You have started well at W&L which can give you the career options you are looking for. I don’t see how any of the others can give you better options or connections and you will have lost a year or more of what you have built at W&L. Don’t let the idea of “making up” for last year’s disappointment sway your judgment
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What do you dislike about Wash & Lee ?
If you are not going to join a fraternity at W&L, it may not be the best school for you.
Your only real option seems to be Vanderbilt University.
Attending W&L for three semesters & leaving for second year mid-year entry at USC seems unattractive & may raise suspicions as to why you “left” W&L at such an odd time.
UCL is unlikely to satisfy your career goals in the US.
P.S. Are you a member of a Fall or Spring sports team ?
USC isn’t really known for IB and consulting. I went to grad school there, and when I think of USC for business, I think of tech, accounting and real estate. To get anywhere in IB and consulting, you’ll probably have to go to graduate school no matter which school you graduate from.
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@simba9: Graduate school is not necessary for one to have a career in IB.
Otherwise I agree with your post.
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I’m sure you can get a job in IB without going to grad school, but I don’t know how easy it will be to advance if you graduate from one of the schools mentioned without going to grad school.
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Any thoughts on the alumni network b/w Vandy & USC?
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I worked on Wall Street for a few years and never met another USC alum there. USC’s alumni network is very strong on the west coast. I’ve seen it work to get people engineering and management jobs here in California. I’m not sure how strong it is for IB and consulting, which is more of an east coast thing. I don’t remember anyone from Vanderbilt when I worked on Wall Street, either.
@simba9: Thank you for expanding upon your earlier response.
My understanding is that Wash & Lee does have a presence in IB on Wall Street.
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My sport is actually year-round. I could play the “Club” version at Vandy &/or USC.
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I still do not understand why–in light of your career goals & year-round athletic participation–you are unhappy at Wash & Lee.
If the environment is too small, then Vanderbilt offers you the best opportunity for a fresh start. Entering at mid-year as a second year transfer at USC presents the liklihood of an uncomfortable exit from W&L as well as an awkward introduction into life at USC.
University College, London is interesting if you will be permitted to remain & work after finishing university.
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@publisher I’ve really liked being on the team, but Washington & Lee is really small and in a very pretty but really small town. I made a decision after I got to W&L not to go Greek, which does dominate the social scene.
Also, I’ve been bugged by the fact that I can’t get the classes I want. I came in w/a lot of 5’s on AP’s, which enabled me to place out of a lot of the basic core LA classes. I’m done w/those, but W&L is so small that they don’t allow me to take many of the classes for my major b/c juniors & seniors get preference on those classes & then they fill up since a little over half the school is either an Econ or Business major. I could fill hours by double majoring in Spanish, which I’d like, but W&L’s language majors are dominated by a lot of literature classes & not speaking, reading & writing, which I prefer.
Vanderbilt & USC both have much better approach to a Spanish double-major. With both of those schools, I’ve already completed half the major requirements, and they have better Study Abroad programs - both for Spanish & Econ.
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OP: You appear to have legitimate concerns & well thought out reasons for wanting to transfer.
An approach to consider: UCL for placement in London; USC for West Coast placement; Vanderbilt for smoothest transition & for Southern & East Coast placement.
W&L is tough for students who choose not to join a fraternity or sorority. Great place for those who go Greek & play a sport.
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