This is my emphasis on going to Kelley as opposed to Purdue Daniels, for example, despite my mom being a boiler lol.
Despite some placements they have recently had and the investments they’ve put into their bschool, I feel their reputation will lag a few years as they try to compete with IU as the top Indiana Bschool. I feel that prestige and reputation are taking priority in my decisions.
Catcher is the CC expert on I-Banking so I won’t (and cannot) add anything to these excellent posts.
I will just point out that most HS students don’t understand what Finance is, what Capital Markets/I-bankers actually do, the differences between different career paths.
There are people working in state government (all 50 states) who work on financing strategies for bridges, infrastructure, other capital investments. They choose the financial institution that they want to work with for bond issuers. These are super interesting jobs; not as well paid as working in origination for a top tier bank, but usually in a lower cost of living area. (pull out a map- the state capitals aren’t always in the expensive places). There are people working in Fortune 500 companies in Treasury (if you’re a US headquartered company that has a huge volume of business in Asia, Europe, etc. who is worrying about currency and risk?). These are super interesting jobs, better paid than working in state government.
I could go on for hours. But my point is, you don’t need to decide “Investment Banking or bust”. There are so many great paths for someone interested in finance. And many of them have MUCH longer target lists than “Ivies, little Ivies, and Berkely/Michigan”.
Good luck.
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100%!!
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Good point, I have been considering reading some books about this. I was recommended “Investment Banks, Hedge Funds, and Private Equity” which I believe is a textbook used for a Kelley IB class actually. If you guys have any other recommendations I’d love to hear them.
When I was little, I thought I’d an engineer to employ my creative/qualitative side. Realized in high school I prefer working with numbers (potential for the data science double major?), economics, and applying my skills to business applications, especially in a declining midwestern town where even my own family’s business has gone under. Guess I’m still figuring things out.
Thanks for all the replies!
OP I like your voice and how you are approaching college admissions, as well as the posts here. I believe that you are going to be successful no matter where you go to college. Good luck and keep us updated.
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I truly appreciate your kind words. I’ll update y’all in the coming months (and years!)
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IB is one of literally thousands of occupations you can do with a business degree. Don’t risk setting yourself up for failure trying to get into the “best” school. Cast a wide enough net so you can have the major you’re interested in. You might find out you like Hotel Restaurant management. Yes, you should definitely apply to Purdue. Keep an open mind. Your future self will thank you later.
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Conversely, if IB is something you aspire to, you need to be thoughtful and strategic well in advance of some other career paths.
OP good job putting in the work early to consider your future and hopefully give you options later.
I disagree with the implication that setting lofty goals or seeking lucrative career opportunities is setting yourself up for failure. In fact it is the only way of achieving such things.
In the words of Vince Lombardi…
“The man on the top of the mountain didn’t fall there”.
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You can still go to IU and plan your transfer to Kelley. You can start looking at the course and gpa requirements needed. You can even take some of the courses in the summer at Ivy Tech (if needed to protect gpa) after confirming they transfer to IU.
I’m definitely planning to take finite math at Ivy Tech if I choose IU lol. I’ll already have 2 or 3 of the kelley prerequisites from my HS dual credit, and I’ll already have the 30 needed credits.
But for the Kelley specific coursework, I’d be nervous about any circumstance where I get a B- or worse, potentially wasting a year of my life at IU (and about $15,000)…
Going SA to Kelley would be good to solidify hitting the books instead of the beers the first time I’m living on my own, as many freshman seem to fail to do. But then again, there’s so much uncertainty having never taken “real” college classes (ivy tech and dual credit is pretty easy…) and having complete freedom over my own decisions lol.
I’m sure I could do it, just nerve-racking and I’ve heard lots of terrible things about trying to go standard admit (11% success rate?)
If any of these courses are in an actual college (not “college in the high school”), then you have experience with how college courses require more student self management and motivation compared to the more supervised environment of high school.
Finite math is not one of the classes you need to complete for standard admission though, so no need to take the class before you apply for standard admission (although still hoping you get direct admission via your petition!)
Here are the standard admission requirements:
Math is required for the Kelley degree though:
Good point. I have only completed 1 “actual” college class through Ivy Tech, college algebra/pre-calc. I got an A in that class. Currently working on Calculus 1 and holding a low A.
Both classes were/are online though (although the 3 HS classes I’m in right now are all dual credit through IU East, so a low-moderate amount of work on top of that as well). This is also affecting how I’m learning to manage my workload.
I think I’d be alright though. I’d consider myself pretty introspective/mature. My mom’s advice as a professor was “you can only party if it’s on your schedule” lol
Thank you for the well wishes!
Good point though. I’m still planning to get that class out of the way while I’m in high school for my own psyche. I am family friends with a high ranking IU employee (and alum) that said he failed finite three times. I’m not much of a math guy, as could be seen through my low test score. At the very least, I won’t plan to take finite until I’m into Kelley if that is the path I choose.
Looking at those course requirements and IU’s grade distribution from last fall, I feel that I could almost certainly get in as a standard admit. Especially so considering I am taking English W-131 right now in high school and might take K-201 at IU East this spring as I hear it’s a weed out class in B town. I have an older buddy from football studying business at IU East who excelled in K-201 and gave me that advice.
Also, I applied to Hutton Honors College today with a pretty good essay if I can say so myself!
I am also traveling to West Lafayette Monday and Tuesday. I have an appointment to meet one-on-one with a business recruiter from the Purdue Daniels School while Im up in WL. My main concern with Purdue is the poor recruiting, in spite of their recent investments into the B school. Regardless, I’m seeing that I can make it happen wherever I am. Purdue placed a senior in GS due to Purdue’s strong CS and analytics programs. I’m liking the plan of study for their new “Quantitive Business Economics” degree focused on creating financial analysts.
Decisions, decisions.
Thanks again for all your help
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Nobody “places” a senior at GS. Not Wharton, not Harvard, not Princeton. You can have a perfect GPA and all the right activities and still not get an offer. Caveat emptor and don’t drink the Kool aid…
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True, he put in the work to make it happen and definitely had a bit of luck. Triple major with a 3.9. Regardless, a testament to hard work regardless of which school you go to.
Forgot to post this weeks ago lol
Just left my meeting with a Purdue Daniels recruiter. They sold the program pretty well, recently have been focused on integrating business concepts with economics (which is in within their Bschool, not their liberal arts school) and cs.
Seems like a solid option, they just got $500M for their bschool and have been climbing the ranks recently, with the university’s focus being on Daniels. The new head of the finance department is from Ross, and the new dean came from the Fed. They have econ and finance students going to work with FAANG (& Microsoft) through their historic stem and cs recognition. They have been working a lot with GS and even MBB.
Definitely considering Purdue as well. Have been thinking about minoring in econ elsewhere so could be nice to integrate it with finance and analytics. Plus, tuition would only be a couple thousand.
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Update- accepted to Purdue University, Purdue Honors College, and offered $10,000 per year. Not including any other scholarships, Purdue Daniels would cost $8,000 per year whereas IU Kelley would be closer to $25,000 per year. Also got into Miami Farmer Honors with a nice scholarship, but learned they don’t share in-state reciprocity with my county and it would cost even more than IU.
Still haven’t heard back on my petition either, but not so hopeful anymore with my stats and being male. I love Purdue’s plan of study for Quantitative Business Economics but I really love Bloomington and the workshops/recruiting/prestige at Kelley.
I’ll have 3 Kelley standard admit prereqs finished as I was able to get enrolled in a program to take classes at a regional IU campus. After reflecting, I think I would perform better with the pressure of trying to gain standard admission at Kelley regardless. Overall though, ~$32,000 at a top 30 vs ~$100,000 at a top 10 for a BSB seems like a no-brainer… sort of.
I’m so torn, but hopeful for the future of Daniels. Just applying for scholarships now.
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The issue is - what if you don’t get in? There was a student the other day with less than a B - and now can’t study business. That’s a lot of stress to carry the first year.
If you truly want to study business, 100% - take the direct admit - IMHO.
It’s ok to bet on yourself and try (IU) - but it comes down to risk tolerance and what is your plan if somehow it doesn’t happen?
That’s the tradeoff you have to decide on or make. I wouldn’t but you might.
btw - you love Purdue’s plan. For most b school students, the prestige of IU won’t matter much - they get the same jobs as kids from every other b school…for most I say. We had an IU guy doing my job - and we also have Memphis, etc. Maybe for IB, IU matters - but for regular marketing, finance, or other jobs - not necessarily.
PS - I don’t think gender plays into a DA petition role.
Good luck whatever you decide.
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On the contrary, students interested in business take this kind of risk at schools like UNC, UVA. Worst case you might have to transfer.
But that said, you can get to the same place as Kelley with Daniels, I think.
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