COMPARE Need help: Deadline Approaching

[johnnyb]

My largest dilemma currently is University of Chicago (60% scholarship) vs Columbia MFE.

$36k for UChicago vs $87k for Columbia.

It is a hard pill to swallow for me to go on and say “I rejected Columbia” as it is many students absolute dream school.

I can’t wrap around my head/ don’t know if they marginal benefit of going to Columbia is worth the extra $50k. After reaching out to many alumni I have not heard a single “bad” thing about Chicago other than recruitment for BB/IB in NYC is poor. I want to go into trading or HF and Chicago has strong reputation for CTC, CME Group, Belvedere Trading, etc,

I am no Tsinghua or Peking or “Harvard” undergrad— likely be one of the “average” students at Columbia. I need to make a decision by March 10 for Columbia.

ANY HELP IS MUCH APPRECIATED!

 

[Andy Zhang]

It is a hard pill to swallow for me to go on and say “I rejected Columbia” as it is many students absolute dream school.

Nothing wrong with rejecting what others consider a "dream school." It's your career after all lol.

After reaching out to many alumni I have not heard a single “bad” thing about Chicago other than recruitment for BB/IB in NYC is poor. I want to go into trading or HF and Chicago has strong reputation for CTC, CME Group, Belvedere Trading, etc,

It seems Chicago's strengths align close with your interests (+scholarship), so go with Chicago.

 

[dorian]

bro, just ask for an extension. i got into BU MSMFT and they gave me crazy early deadline to accept. emailed, got 3 weeks extra.

 

[Eric Jacquier]

Hi Johnnyb, Dorian is right, it never hurts to ask for an extension. The worse that happens is they will say no ! On the choice itself, both places are start studded. But there is only one Olympus of Finance, and it still is Chicago. Take the other side, you can't go wrong either way. In NYC you are closer to the investments banks but these days 90% of the interviews are online so it is not so crucial as it used to be. In Chicago you are closer to trading. All these are minor points in the end. With a well written resume, you will have the same opportunities. Enjoy the next year and 1/2.

 

[jshree]

Hi Johnny, may I know if you have arrived at a decision - if so, which college have you finalized and why? Also, wanted to know your reason behind choosing Columbia over Cornell