<p>So, due to low EFC it would cost me about the same to attend either one of these schools. I think I want to go into IB or consulting. But, I also have interest in accounting. So, I plan to attend U of Illinois over Northwestern even though it is about the same price. Is it stupid of me to turn down Northwestern (much more prestigious) because I feel like U of I is a much better fit and allows me to study business from my first year? Will it kill my recruiting options even if I am towards the top of my class at U of Illinois?</p>
<p>It’s very rare that people interested in IB and especially consulting will like accounting. I think first of all, you should apply to both to see if you get in first. If you get rejected by Northwestern, you won’t have to worry about it anyway. </p>
<p>In the meantime, you should research what people in each area do. Entry-level accounting jobs at private companies are generally pretty boring. The high turn-over at audit firms should tell you something about that line of work. Tax is another area that many accounting grads get into. It’s hard to guage if one will like it though without real world exposure but it could potentially be fairly interesting if you get into tax planning and transfer pricing the Big 4. But on the other hand, preparing tax returns are boring and low-value; tax softwares can do a lot of that already these days. </p>
<p>Consulting jobs sound a lot more interesting than typical accounting jobs but are harder to get, especially with top firms. NU will definitely open more doors; if you get into Kellogg cert and have okay personality, a job with a decent firm is pretty much a given.</p>