Hello all. I was accepted to UMich LSA during the 2023-2024 college admissions cycle, and I am awaiting my decision on Ross (fingers crossed). I have also applied to Lehigh’s IBE (Integrated Business and Engineering) Honors Program as well, among other schools. Let’s just speak theoretically and say I am accepted to Lehigh’s IBE and rejected from Ross (because if I am accepted to Ross, I will be committing there). Is IBE a better choice than LSA? Vice versa? After college, I’d like to break into M&A in IB at a firm in NYC/Chicago/Charlotte (hopefully a fairly competitive one). Although the route is basic, I feel that it will set me up for success when eventually transitioning into a different position at potentially a different firm. In short, I am asking which program will get me better looks? If someone could help me out here, that would be great! Thanks in advance!
Both will place - but there is no doubting that Michigan is on most, if not all, feeder lists as a top 10. I don’t ever recall seeing Lehigh.
We’ve read from many folks on here at schools like UNC, Michigan, UVA, etc. that their kids get to these type jobs after not being in the b school.
You might ask Lehigh for outcomes from their IBE program - and see if any are finding roles in the place you desire. On the flipside, they may not have them - but it may be by choice.
Obviously both are fine universities.
Best of luck.
Lehigh grad and Wall Streeter here. Things have changed since I graduated in the 90s, but my friends on the IB side generally have graduate degrees. Here are some anecdotes:
- One Lehigh alum, with an impressive # of people under him at a top US bank, did EE at Lehigh, then an MBA at Stern. The MBA got him the job that put him flying on the company’s private jet, prior to the MBA he did 1-2 years in banking tech.
- Another LU Alum did Accounting and then an MBA at Stern, and then went on to become an Analyst at top hedge funds.
- A third LU business major went direct to GS in the analyst program, no grad degree, but got lucky to cover tech when no one else wanted it in the early 90s. Very successful.
If you can reach out to recent LU grads you might get the best advice. LU has a fairly tight alumni association. That said, the school’s reputation is most known in the northeast. We have a home in Charlotte as well, and there you’ll get more traction from the larger names, though there’s still a contingent of Lehigh-Lafayette’s in finance there as well.
HTHs
If you do either IBE of UMich LSA, you aren’t doing IB at a top tier firm unless you get a highly regarded MBA.
Not true.
Lehigh’s IBE is the more valuable degree.
Are you confusing MC and IB ?
Do you make hires in this field?
Do a search on LinkedIn.
Any thoughts on school/program choice for this student who would ultimately like M&A in IB in NYC/Chicago/Charlotte @catcherinthetoast?
Many at Michigan successfully go into business without Ross. I would call and ask for their outcomes.
Mergers and Acquisitions is perhaps the most prestige and connections driven area of I banking. I dont think either of your options lends themselves to great outcomes if you are looking towards such a narrow subsection of I banking.
Speaking more broadly, I agree with @Knowsstuff that lots of non Ross Michigan grads succeed in business but the vast majority of I bank target school recruiting is aimed at Ross students while non business kids are targeted from non P/C Ivies and elite LACS.
I know several very successful Lehigh bankers all of whom had advanced degrees and are over the age of 40. I am being entirely anecdotal but can’t remember the last fresh out of undergrad at Lehigh I met. I am sure they are out there but I just can’t offer a first hand experience as I don’t know any banks that recruit there but they likely exist.
My advice regardless is to broaden your I banking areas of interest. In particular I would consider financial or capital markets and or corporate banking and lending.
Lastly I would avoid extrapolating anything from LinkedIn. It’s like looking at the world through a cardboard toilet paper tube. You see something but is likely mostly crap.
I don’t know if this is helpful but I would compare the program at Lehigh to Industrial Engineering at Michigan. Many chances at minors in business with this major. My son had two minors with Ross. Not sure if that is helpful with IB /M&a but the others with more experience can speak to that. He had several projects with leading companies in business in school.
I took your suggestion and looked up the program…
Several classes could serve as a foundation for a compelling I Banking narrative….
Thanks for sharing.
Thanks for doing that. That will help give advise in the future. My son loved the program and did an entrepreneurship minor and something else at Ross.
If the OP has questions on the Michigan program and alumni and opportunities at Michigan . Pm me. My son did more business things at Michigan then many of his Ross friends. They all had jobs early in the process.
Our eldest S is an IBE graduate (3 years ago). Only about 50 students are accepted into IBE per year. The majority of IBE students major in systems engineering and work in IB in NYC or in consulting in the NE area upon graduation. Our S was not interested in that route and majored in EE and works in the space industry.
The small cohort would likely explain why I don’t see many of these graduates. What sort of IB roles do system engineers pursue?
Are they becoming bankers, equity/FI sales people or traders at investment banks or system engineers who work at investment banks?
I don’t know the specifics, just what I heard. Mine wanted to pursue more the engineering route.
Yes, it is a small group of graduates per class, but IBE began in 2004. Future students can check out: https://ibe.lehigh.edu
and what the alums have done and are doing : Meet the People that Make Lehigh University's IBE Program a Success | Integrated Business & Engineering
I didn’t delve into each class or alums so I don’t know how updated the info is.
Why is that? Is it simply because Lehigh’s IBE is statistically more competitive given they only take ~50 students per year? Personally, I feel that the skills I will gain from Lehigh’s IBE program are unmatched. I will gain both a fundamental understanding of the finance industry (thanks to the business aspect) and the ability to apply critical thinking skills to solve real world problems (thanks to the engineering aspect of the degree). I believe these nowfound skills will be attractive to employers. Although, UMich is undoubtedly better connected in my opinion, with an absolutely massive alum network.
I went through the link - and clicked on totally random names over the 2020-23 lists (8 per year) -and I found 2 IB folks or at least IB related.
I found engineers, a merchandiser for Macys (yes with the IBE and finance focus), other solid jobs and solid companies like Merck, etc. or entrepreneurial type things and a bunch of people that no longer had a linked or never did. That’s what all the people links are to - their linkedin.
It seems the folks in the program have varied backgrounds - not really focused in one area.
Granted it was a random search and small sample.
While the program does seem very impressive and impactful, it does not appear to be a pathway to an M&A career.
Assuming you are aware of this and flexible in your eventual career outcomes seems like a great academic program.
You understand.
Also, if I recall correctly, Lehigh has established two programs to assist students to break into IB/Wall Street.
You should receive extra mentoring as an IBE major at Lehigh.
A couple of years ago, banks/M&A expanded their lists of targeted MBA programs because they wanted hires with more technical backgrounds. While an MBA is not necessary, the trend is real.