Berkeley vs. Warwick: which undergrad uni is better for banking?

refrigerator
Wed, 14 Jul 2010 20:13:53 +0000

I am choosing between getting an undergraduate degree from UC Berkeley or Warwick (in the UK) and I want to know which college would give me more of an edge with job prospects. I’ve been accepted into Warwick for Economics specifically, which is supposed to be one of their stronger programs. With Berkeley, I’m planning on either declaring a major for Econ or applying to Haas (which you can’t do until sophomore year). I want to go into banking in general, and not necessarily just investment banking.

Berkeley

I got the Leadership Award Scholarship (it might look good on my CV?)

I am an international student.

Warwick

I’m a UK citizen so in terms of getting a job, I’m on the same level as other residents

Though its Econ program is Top 5 in the UK, the “brand name” may not be as well recognized elsewhere (US and Asia)

I want to get some opinions about which college would be the better option if I want to do a career in banking. Also, regarding the schools specifically:
-> What kind of tier is Berkeley (esp. Haas) seen in among recruiters? Is it highly regarded? Is Berkeley as well regarded in the US as Warwick is in the UK, or vice versa?
-> Is Berkeley a target school for banks and investment firms in the US?
-> Does being an international student at Berkeley put me at a major disadvantage in terms of getting an IB job (especially in this financial situation)?
-> Do international companies recruit at Berkeley?

I’d really appreciate all the advice I can get, so please tell me about your opinion even if it can’t answer all my questions. Thanks in advance!