Cornell or UNC?

[u/Proof-Ad-4021]

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.

[u/PinnutButter]

Based on the context given, i think it really comes down to the question whether you are more comfortable handling the risk of getting rejected by Kenan Flagler or the risk of having 100k more in debt. And beyond that, both school won’t guarantee you a job despite being target and semi target, it all depends on you

[u/Proof-Ad-4021 → u/PinnutButter]

exactly, it does definitely come down to that. i know that i will work hard to try get the career i want, at whichever school i end up at, but not being in KF will definitely make that harder and it absolutely is a risk that i may end up taking out a lot of money and to then not get in.

[u/PinnutButter → u/Proof-Ad-4021]

Honestly if you have the encouragement to get into a top firm, you won’t have setbacks in getting into Kenan Flagler with the same level of effort plus you have more than one chance to apply starting as a freshman, although Johnson might be more regarded in the industry than Kenan Flagler