So I was accepted into both Williams College and Princeton University recently (also Amherst, Swarthmore, and Wash U but I eliminated those for various reasons). I’m going to school for economics with the intention of going into Investment Banking and I’m having a hard time selecting one of the two. Princeton seems to be the obvious choice for my career goal but Williams appeals more to me with its smaller classes and liberal arts culture. I’m visiting both later this month before college decision day but I just wanted some input before then. Thanks!
You won’t have any issues getting into IB from either school. Williams has a ridiculous amount of on campus recruiting relative to how many students are actually interested in banking. Virtually anyone who wants an IB gig there gets one- I would venture to say that it may have one of the highest success rates of IB placement out of any school including UPENN / NYU / Columbia / Harvard. I would say it really comes down to culture fit and learning style. Both are the best of the best and comparing the quality of education is slicing hairs.
Agree with BruiserBrigade. There is no meaningful difference in reputation (among either graduate programs or investment banks / management consulting firms) between Princeton and Williams economics majors. Economics and math, the two majors that would set you up most obviously for an ibanking career, are both absolutely stellar at Williams. Between Princeton and Wiliams, I’d say go where you feel more at home after visiting. If Williams appeals to you more, there is simply no reason to turn it down in favor of Princeton (and vice versa).
Maintaining a GPA over 3.5 is important for IB. Princeton no longer has grade deflation so getting that GPA shouldn’t be too hard. At Princeton you’ll also have to do research and write a Senior Thesis, I’m not sure about Williams.
@Aerophage - I think if you want to go into IB, then you should go to Williams where you seem to feel more comfortable. But if you want to study econ, Princeton’s economics department is one of the very best in the world. Princeton is also very demanding academically, so you have to be prepared to work very hard there