Business college advice [FL resident, 3.95 GPA, 1380 SAT, <$70k]

College Search & Lists
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Gpa 3.95 uw 7.5w

Instate for Florida

Sat 1380 retake fall goal 1500+

9 aps so far ( 5 more senior yr)

School council member 2 yrs

Multiple clubs ( hosa nationals finalist, FBLA state finalist)

Started an organization and working with small business to improve viability by increasing visibility and provide marketing services 2 + yrs

Socia media intern with state congressman

Social media lead with non profit for 2 summers helping provide 2nd chances for disadvantaged clients

Intern with alternative assets firm

Looking at starting with high reach and go to safety.. NYU, Cornell, cmu, gtech, Austin, u Miami, Indiana Kelley, UiUc Geis, smu, Fordham

Merit aid would be nice. Doesn’t qualify for need imo.

large merit offered the better ! In adittion to interships and career prospects.

Thanks

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What is your budget? That’s what matters.

Saying merit aid is nice means nothing.

Surprised UF and FSU aren’t on your list. You note in-state for Florida but list neither.

What’s your highest level of math you’ll get? What was the English/Math breakout?

If you are looking at investment banking, you might add ASU and look into the IBIS program - as 15% who apply get in.

Assuming a 1380 SAT, I’d imagine the first four are no.

U Miami is possible - and you should get some Bright Futures. You might get some merit. Maybe 50/50 type.

IU - for sure a yes but Kelley is unknown as they removed the Direct Admit and are going holistic.

UIUC - Geis - 50/50.

SMU - a decent chance but not sure about Cox.

Fordham - likely.

Here’s the thing - you need a budget - some of these schools are $60-95K and have no merit - so can you afford those?

If you need large merit/low cost, look at U of Alabama Culverhouse - you’d be $27K-ish with auto merit - tuition, room and board.

They make efforts to help - whether they work or not - but it’s tought to get into your field from any campus. I put another link below - I guess it’s the “affordable” option if you need one - so come back with a budget - which is very different than - I need large merit aid (which isn’t happening from your list).

You’re interned at a firm so you have contacts already - that’s likely as good if not better than most any school can truly provide. You’re a known commodity - hopefully in a good way.

Investment Banking Industry Scholars | ASU W. P. Carey

UA Investment Banking Academy

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Uf, fsu and usf are in state. We are applying to those schools.

AP Calc bc I believe is the highest

Budget 70k ( stretch to 90 if needed) if it’s worth / value going that route

Applying test optional if no increase in test scores

Any suggestions are appreciated!

Thanks

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If your username is your real name, you may want to change it to protect your (and your kid’s) privacy. Here’s how.

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Just an fyi, Cornell, CMU, GaTech are test required. If you don’t have a significant improvement, those schools would be very high reaches and you might consider removing one or more from your list.

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So what’s the career goal ? I thought it said alternative assets - but that was just an intern line. So apologies if I missed that.

The SAT is an issue but it’s not realistic to get to 1500. Not impossible but not realistic. Just from a don’t put pressure POV. Frankly even a 1500 - will open some but not all doors.

The goal is important - you have some big names but for many ‘business’ jobs they may not offer an edge vs USF or FAU as examples.

If I respond, I just want to ensure I understand the career goal first.

If it’s just b school - nothing at this point - it’s a lot easier to answer.

So location isn’t a concern ? The $70k budget is loan free ??

NYU is $93k now - this year. Just tuition, room and board. Not extras.

CMU is $88k and will be higher.

Cornell $93k now.

Again just tuition, room and board and will go up each year.

So unless you qualify for need aid, they don’t work anyway. A stretch is likely too far and these are beyond a stretch.

Some schools are generous beyond belief though. You might fill out the Cornell Net Price Calculator - you never know. Linked below.

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Note that Indiana has eliminated its automatic admission process to Kelley for future classes and revamped it all.

What about Babson and Bentley?

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Am assuming you are the parent? What are your kiddo’s goals at this point? Remember too kids (and adults!) change their minds/their majors/their career goals and paths. But what are their current priorities?

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Currently interest is finance in IB, M&A. So exploring various schools that are focused yet have options available in case it’s not the right fit. I hear often that reputation of the college helps quite a bit in financial sector.

Any thoughts ..

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The reality in some aspects of IB is that yes, what you have heard is correct- reputation can matter in some cases and can potentially lead to better opportunities for internships/jobs. Yes there are ways to end up in IB from other schools, and some will say that regional offices will hire from nearby schools. But some of the “name” institutions are familiar with the kind of student/training/education/etc that come from certain schools. @hebegebe and @blossom, can you help?

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Undergrads typically get into IB as an Analyst, and are told what to do by . One one deal that could be M&A, and on other deals helping a company go IPO, raise capital from banks, giving advice regarding market positioning and strengths, etc.

It’s after the two year stint that the real opportunities open up, at other finance companies. IB analysts get recruited to various roles including corporate M&A, private equity (which involves M&A), venture capital, and hedge funds.

My knowledge about recruiting is a few years old at this point, but I do remember that almost all of the roughly 60 interns in my child’s IB cohort were from top-20 colleges or their LAC peers. The one notable exception she mentioned was I think from Alabama, who was excellent. So it’s certainly possible to break into a top bank from anywhere, but at least back then, it wasn’t common.

@catcherinthetoast is the real expert here.

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@ray001 I would suggest you read this thread. It has a lot of valuable information in it from a finance IB expert.

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For these interests, this site may offer you further ideas:

As a suggestion, look into whether Richmond, for example, may be affordable.

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Thanks for getting back.

I’ll give you a response that will differ from others. Admittedly, I’m not in the field but I’ve done some research - and take it for what it is - another perspective or way to look at things. Many a student here refused a Va Tech or Alabama or Maryland or U Houston as - they can’t possibly work.

If you do a linked in search of any of those and more of Investment Banking Analyst, you’ll find some. Then others will say - anyone can call themselves that, etc. and I suppose that’s true of anyone from any school. But I always suggest if you have a school in mind, maybe reach out, ask for an informational interview, and find their path. I want to look on the optimistic side here because I don’t think you’re getting into Cornell or NYU and frankly you can’t afford them anyway - and even going to them is no guarantee. It’s not black and white.

You might find, no different than top schools, that people were connected so yep that Va Tech guy’s uncle got them in, etc.. You might find it’s luck. I remember the kid at Ga Tech who couldn’t find an internships - and their dorms face big buildings in Atlanta - and he wrote - in thousands of post in notes - “hire me” in his dorm window - and oola - he had an internship - at I think NCR. That’s making luck!!

When I was in sales, I used to buy these chocolates shaped like feet from a place called toe foods. When I had a potentially big prospect, I’d live my flyer, staple a chocolate foot on the flyer, and say now that I got my foot in the door. Maybe you start doing something like that to execs - send a resume (yes, paper in this case), attach a chocolate foot, handwritten note - now that I’ve got my foot in the door…and write something else. Not saying it works…but sometimes people that get creative…win.

I don’t think going to any school assures a role and going to any excludes you. I do think, of course, some can lay the ground 90 times easier - but not everyone can afford those or get into those which I think is the case here.

I also think there’s so many roles - far more than people know about. Maybe they truly don’t know what a banker does - or maybe they find they like operations or sales/trading or money management and decide to shift there or that’s where the opportunity is.

With that - let me give some thoughts on your list and budget. I take your budget as $70K - I’m not sure how one can go to $90K if it’s “worth it” given there are no guarantees - but of course, your schools are over $90K (NYU, CMU with Cornell close) so that’s that anyway.

I think NYU, Cornell, and CMU are high high reaches - especially with the SAT. Even 1500 isn’t enough.

I think UT Austin out of state will be tough. GA Tech tough too - better shot if in state. Frankly, UGA would be a great addition with similar odds to UF - a bit of a reach but a reasonable one. U of SC may be another worthy addition - definitely an in but Honors is possible but not assured. See Poets and Quants article on U of SC and some successes linked below.

Looking at the rest -

U Miami - 50/50, IU Kelley would have been auto admit. But no more. IU is a safety - we just don’t know about Kelley - but it’s possible so keep it. Just know Kelley is a mega huge b school…if that’s a concern. UIUC same - 50/50.

SMU an in but I can’t say Cox for sure. Fordham - I don’t know enough about - an in - but not sure about business.

Now, all three in states you mentioned - you can find IB Analysts on linkedin. Maybe check with the school’s career centers or reach out and ask those about their path via linkedin. DId the school help? Were they connected?. These may not be the big firms but…I know a Florida college grad at Goldman - but - in a back office job - so there’s those too.

I think UF is a slight reach - but I think FSU and USF are target/likely.

The point - no one can say you can’t achieve your goal - is really my point.

Now I mentioned ASU IBIS up top earlier. Have you looked at the link? ASU Carey is a fine school and a safety. IBIS has a 15% acceptance rate. They list the placements on the link - so that seems better odds at success than others not known for placing (even if they do an occasional)…but IBIS is no guarantee.

Your son interned at a firm - has he looked at the bios? Talked to those execs or even lower level people. What are their backgrounds, schools? How did they get in the business. If he interned there, take advantage!!! Fire away at them…ask for 15 minutes…a coffee, etc. Man, what a great resource he has access to.

One very good b school - my future son in law went - is U Denver. He’s learning to manage money - with a pension manager - small firm, they took him to the Buffett weekend - he’s learning client relations, operations, does research - they’ve given him the lead on a few clients. DU is sort of like Miami but a much easier admit and lower cost - again, a well regarded b school. He’s not a banker…wouldn’t want the hours but he’s involved in the finance/industry and it’s just another avenue. They have placed…but like most, it’s not a main focus.

Another school I know has lots of money managers (not bankers) but lots of people in the industry - is Lafayette. I’m a trustee on an account with a sizable firm and I’m astounded how many alums they have. Lafayette offers potentially good merit.

How about a targeted b school like Bentley. They have a club and per College Transitions, they are #25 when you adjust placements per capita. Now it’s like, higher ranked cousin Babson is more renowned (and a harder in) but given the budget - Bentley could work. They can cross register at Brandeis for more breadth.

Someone up top noted Bama - not saying it’s the one - just that you are low 20s all in and it’s safe. Yes, they’ve had placements as the poster noted - how they were placed I don’t know.

Another large school that I’ve heard some success of historically is Penn State - another not easy b school - but in budget.

In short, work with what you have - take your shots if you truly want to stretch at $90K or over - but if they don’t happen, what do you have left? There’s many schools out there - not even mentinoed? Schools like Rutgers and Elon and Binghamton - yes, all show investment bankers in their midst.

And if you come out and don’t get your dream job, work a few years, get your MBA at a target, and who knows.

Anyway, a bit long winded, but lots of school names, articles, and I wish your student luck.

But don’t let them get down - spending $90K doesn’t assure a career just like spending $25K don’t exclude a career.

Sorry for the long ramble - but I thought it might help.

Best of luck.

Poets&Quants For Undergrads - Under The Radar: Inside Darla Moore’s Pipeline To Top Wall Street Firms

Investment Banking Industry Scholars | ASU W. P. Carey

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OP, what are your SAT section scores, right now, without a retake? What math do you have senior year…I didn’t understand if you are taking AP Calc BC, or if that’s the highest math your school offers?

As well as U Miami!

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I think Fordham Gabelli would be a Likely with your profile. The Rose Hill campus is more traditional, offers more business majors, and is a ~25 min train ride into Grand Central (and from there, internships.) The Lincoln Center campus is in Manhattan, so very convenient to internships, but doesn’t offer the whole range of majors. Alumni network is strong.

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@ray001 gimmicky items sent to admissions or hiring managers is ill advised
Items you should not send to Admissions Offices - UGA Undergraduate Admissions.

https://www.askamanager.org/2019/02/dont-send-chocolate-or-lottery-tickets-to-hiring-managers.html

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Calc BC is the highest and its is being taken snr year

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Because you have high GPA+rigor and this is 2/3 of the decision for Penn State right there, Penn State Smeal would be a target. Submit SRAR and test scores by Oct 15 to give them time to process. However, expect NO merit scholarships from them. They’re super stingy unless you’re admitted to Schreyer (and even then the scholarship is 5k only!)or Millenium Scholar.

Fordham Gabelli is a good target.
Look into Villanova, Dickinson, Pitt, Lehigh, and run the NPC to see if any of those would be affordable.

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As usual, points were taken out of context.

I never suggested sending admissions anything. I noted a well known story of how a Georgia Tech kid got an internship.

And I noted a trick I learned in sales.

It’s great to have articles that say don’t do something. And few today know who hiring managers are although often there are ways to at least get an idea.

We are trying to get the student into a school. The point is simply that if it’s not a target, and they find it harder to get in the door, sometimes being creative can open a door. Ask those sending 150 resumes today with no response how it’s working out for them.

When it’s time for OP to seek an internship, perhaps contacts they made from their hs internship will prove out the best way.

Thanks for naysaying but the experts aren’t always expert.

But again we are ahead of time and no one said send chocolates - like a box. I said when I was in sales, I used a chocolate foot and cute note to open doors. I made a lot of money off that one. People like humor.

It’s an anecdote.

Those who think outside the box often secure an advantageous result is the point. It’s a tough world for the students who want to enter this field, even harder from a not as targeted school - and today tough for many students in general.

But the discussion is irrelevant for admissions. But it’s relevant for - I’m at a place where I have to scrap for an opportunity, sometimes you gotta be different.

And just trying to give OP comfort, if they end up at a non-target type, there’s always hope. That’s all I’m trying to say - but you have to get lucky - and sometimes, people find a way to make their own luck.

Let’s no take that out of hand - beyond that.