<p>It really doesn’t matter how many ORFE majors there are a Princeton. If you go to Princeton, you can major in anything and still get an IB job. Thats the reality. I see both Wharton and Princeton as having equal opportunities in the finance sector though. The difference is that you can study w/e u want a Princeton and still end up doing finance IF you choose so after 4 years of college. Maybe you will start off as a history majoring intending to do IB and after four years decide to pursue your PHD instead.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Well you can say that about any top college, but Goldman Sachs does not make a habit of hiring history majors. </p>
<p>
I thought so too at first but then I noticed the same firms were often listed multiple times</p>
<p>“Well you can say that about any top college, but Goldman Sachs does not make a habit of hiring history majors.”</p>
<p>I hope you’re not implying that history majors are discriminated against in the hiring process. Goldman Sachs and other companies are simply looking for individuals who are able to learn quickly and work efficiently.</p>
<p>I’ve worked at an investment bank fairly recently so my impression is the following:</p>
<p>-history majors are in fact discriminated against in the bulge bracket
-people who interview and screen resumes have fairly strong beliefs about what are “hard” and “easy” majors</p>
<p>preference: sales & trading (emphasis on trading)/quant hedge funds</p>
<p>1) math/cs (theory)
2) biochem/chemistry/ee/mechE/chemE/physics/general cs/ORFE (at Princeton)
3) biology/econ/finance (at Wharton)/ systems or industrial engineering
4) finance (non Wharton)/accounting/info systems/ English/philosophy
5) history, history of science, psychology
6) anthropology, sociology, area studies, ethnic studies, communications</p>
<p>preference corp fin:
- technical majors (STEM)
- econ/finance/accounting</p>
<p>gap</p>
<p>3) everything else </p>
<p>I agree with Aston that for corp fin/advisory and fundamentals oriented hedge funds
-> big recruiting advantage to Wharton over Princeton ORFE.
For sales and trading/quant HF: Princeton ORFE = dual degree: Wharton and science CAS or M&T</p>
<p>Also, the Princeton senior thesis catalog lists majors and their research topics by year, 38 ORFE majors in 2008.</p>
<p><a href=“http://libweb5.princeton.edu/theses/index.htm[/url]”>http://libweb5.princeton.edu/theses/index.htm</a></p>
<p>cmburns and astonmartin</p>
<p>I think that you may be correct about the numbers of students in the ORFE program–it looks like there were 38 or so in 2008.</p>
<p>Not everyone who majors in ORFE wants to go into finance, probably a lot lower % than Wharton kids. For example, I know a premed ORFE major. </p>
<p>Any major at Princeton can match a Wharton degree when it comes to job placement.</p>
<p>They’re both excellent schools and you can’t go wrong with either. That being said, Princeton is. so. boring.</p>
<p>And students there seem really unhappy with the administration and the direction of the school. Penn kids seem pretty satisfied with the university’s governance in comparison, save for the lackluster performance of Penn Admissions in getting that admit rate down…</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Rather ridiculous statement to make when ORFE can barely match Wharton in job placement</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>History majors are definitely discriminated against. Not only will they be forced to answer many more technical questions to test their ability to handle quantitative work, but there will also be many awkward questions about why they chose history rather than economics or a more relevant major if they really wanted to work in the financial industry.</p>
<p>Ok, you go ahead and think that a Wharton degree outshines a Princeton one. Maybe at Penn there is a difference between job placements of Wharton and CAS but none of that happens at Princeton. It is true that you have to prove that you are quantitatively able for the finance industry if you are a humanities major, but certainly the most important factors are GPA + interview + school reputation. </p>
<p>Also, almost all majors at Princeton are more flexible than a Wharton one. For example, not all ORFE majors want to have a finance job. Many enter law, med, or work for the government. On the contrary, I know no one at Wharton who doesn’t aspire to enter the financial industry.</p>
<p>go to Princeton</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>I’m pretty sure a higher percentage of FINANCIAL engineering students want to go into finance than general Wharton students. About 60% of Wharton students go into finance while another 20% go into consulting. Honestly though, people go to Wharton BECAUSE they want to study finance, so is it really that surprising most end up in the financial industry?</p>
<p>I also have no idea how you measure the “flexibility” of a major, good luck trying to prove that.</p>
<p>
If you look at the career survey for ORFE students (<a href=“http://orfe.princeton.edu/sites/default/files/placement.pdf[/url]”>http://orfe.princeton.edu/sites/default/files/placement.pdf</a>), there are about 3 students each year who DON’T go into finance or consulting.</p>
<p>In 2006 there was one “aid,” a ball player, and a lieutenant.
2005: 1 military, 1 legal.
2004: 1 info tech, 1 med school.
2003: 1 teaching.
Everybody else goes into finance or consulting.</p>
<p>See my above post about how many go into bulge brackets.</p>
<p>Nice try though</p>
<p>pwnd.</p>
<p>if i had any doubt about wanting to go into business/finance, i would have wanted to go to princeton. i agree that a p-ton degree is more flexible and more prestigious overall. but if you are dead set on finance, wharton will open more doors for you</p>
<p>[How</a> To Get An Investment Banking Job | Mergers & Inquisitions](<a href=“http://www.mergersandinquisitions.com/get-a-banking-job/]How”>http://www.mergersandinquisitions.com/get-a-banking-job/)</p>
<p>and the related links in there might help get an understanding of ibanking. They really do care how many hours you can go without sleeping. Wharton, as a whole just fits the environment of ibanking alot more. Not to say that Princeton is really worse off but lets get real here: an education at Princeton outside of ORFE will NOT prepare you for ibanking. You can still get in but you’ll need lots of training and will HAVE to get an MBA to advance. Not the case with wharton. But if you don’t like the atmosphere at Wharton, go for Princeton (although I’d recommend not doing ibanking at all, it will be much worse).</p>
<p>In short: if you like liberal arts more and want to broaden perspectives, go for Princeton but seriously consider if an ibank is right for you. Wharton if you want the money and training.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Conclusion: you don’t know very many Wharton people. 40% of Wharton grads go into finance…a very very large number to be sure, but that still leaves a staggering 60% who do not…</p>