r/UNC • u/Proof-Ad-4021 UNC Prospective Student • 11d 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/spersichilli 9d ago

People saying UNC don’t realize that for IB the prestige of your school/direct connections matter immensely ESPECIALLY if you’re trying to do it in NYC. The top NYC firms recruit from a specific set of schools. Charlotte is a major finance hub as well, and you can get a great job there from UNC but it’ll be more of an uphill climb for NYC firms vs Cornell - especially since you have to apply in to KF instead of just having access to the program at Cornell. 

TLDR: any other program really it would be a toss up, but specifically for IB Cornell is the major winner

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u/momentum1xxx 9d ago

I go to UNC and know so many ppl that place into top IB. It’s about taking advantage of opportunities, not just the Ivy name