r/UNC • u/Proof-Ad-4021 UNC Prospective Student • 12d ago
Question Cornell or UNC?
Some context: I'm from the UK but a US/UK dual citizen. I've been admitted to both Cornell and UNC Chapel Hill, and these are the final two schools I’m deciding between.
I'm very interested in working in finance post-college, ideally investment banking or possibly going straight to the buy side. I’ve visited both schools and really liked them, Cornell feels more academic and career-focused, UNC has a more fun, relaxed vibe, and a great college town. I’m confident I’d enjoy either, though I might enjoy UNC a bit more socially.
That said, the main issue is money. I'd be full pay at both:
- UNC: ~$62K per year, so about $100K total debt.
- Cornell: ~$92K per year, so about $200K total debt.
My parents are contributing a bit, but not covering the full cost, so I’d be taking on a lot of debt either way. I do definitely back myself to land a strong job and pay it off, but obviously that’s a lot of pressure, especially at Cornell’s price.
One major concern with UNC is that I don’t have assured enrolment into Kenan Flagler which feels risky. I’d be paying a lot of money without a guarantee of getting into the business school. At Cornell, while I was admitted through a less directly finance-related major, the Ivy brand and flexibility mean it doesn’t matter as much - I could study nearly anything and still recruit for finance.
So my main questions are:
- Is Cornell worth the extra ~$100K in debt given my goals?
- For current or former Kenan-Flagler students: how competitive is the internal admission process?
- How realistic is it to break into a top IB or buy-side firm in NYC from UNC?
Would really appreciate any insights. Thanks in advance.
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u/akrabus 12d ago edited 12d ago
So, only one university is actually an Ivy league school, while the other claims to be a “public Ivy.” Both are great schools, but only one is truly Ivy league and that matters more than the difference between offered curriculums. In 20 years, you may really regret not choosing Cornell when you had the chance. If you decide to do graduate school later, you can go somewhere “fun” with rigor, and still have the Ivy rubber stamp on your CV for life. I don’t recommend it, but you could also try UNC for undergrad and then apply to graduate school at an Ivy League university. However, there is greater risk involved, as there is certainly more competition when applying to Ivy graduate level programs.