Looking for guidance on a transfer decision that’s been keeping me up at night. I’m currently a freshman finishing up my first year at Indiana University Kelley School of Business, and I just got my acceptance letter from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
My background: First-year student at IU Kelley, want to work in investment banking and eventually private equity
UNC Chapel Hill path:
- Would study Economics and Physics in Arts & Sciences
- Plan to apply for Kenan-Flagler business school as a sophomore
- Annual tuition would be $25,000
- Biggest worry: Will business school students have an advantage over me during finance recruiting?
Indiana Kelley path:
- Already admitted to business program
- Must get accepted into their Investment Banking Workshop program next term
- Active in finance clubs and Greek life here
- Annual tuition is $45,000
What I’m trying to figure out:
- Is UNC’s reputation worth potentially not getting into Kenan-Flagler business school?
- Do students from Arts & Sciences at UNC struggle compared to business majors during finance recruiting?
- Should I value being already in business school at IU plus their finance programs over saving $20k per year?
- Which option actually gives me a better shot at landing investment banking jobs in New York?
Any insights would be incredibly helpful as I need to decide soon.
I’ve been through similar recruiting cycles, and I’d pick UNC Chapel Hill even with the Kenan-Flagler uncertainty. Saving $80K over four years beats guaranteed business school admission at Kelley. UNC’s brand and alumni network in finance—especially on the East Coast—opens way more doors than Indiana’s regional pull.
Don’t stress about Arts & Sciences. Top investment banks recruit economics majors from target schools all the time, and UNC’s becoming one. The physics piece actually helps you stand out in quant finance roles. Even without Kenan-Flagler, UNC econ grads still land solid spots at major banks.
Kelley’s Investment Banking Workshop is great, but you can get similar networking through UNC’s finance clubs and career services. Being closer to NYC plus Carolina’s growing Wall Street presence creates better recruiting pipelines than Indiana’s Midwest network. The extra cash from lower costs also gives you flexibility for unpaid internships.
I’ve recruited at both schools - stay at Kelley. You’re underestimating what you already have versus gambling on Kenan-Flagler admission. UNC’s Arts & Sciences acceptance rate into business is only 60-70%, so there’s real risk. Kelley’s Investment Banking Workshop has solid Wall Street connections. Their placement stats show consistent BB and MM bank recruiting. The alumni network targets finance roles specifically - not like general econ programs. You’ve already got momentum with finance clubs and Greek life. Why throw that away? Sure, UNC has better overall prestige, but Kelley’s finance reputation is legit. Major banks recruit there actively. That $80K savings argument ignores what you’d lose if you don’t get into Kenan-Flagler. Being established in a proven finance pipeline beats chasing prestige with no guarantees.
This is tough, but I’d go with UNC despite the risks. I transferred sophomore year and while it was disruptive at first, it paid off long-term. Finance recruiting is all about target school status, and UNC’s trajectory crushes Kelley’s. Even if you don’t get into Kenan-Flagler (though you probably will with decent grades), UNC economics still beats Kelley business on Wall Street. I’ve seen tons of econ majors from solid schools kill it in recruiting. The $80k savings is huge too - that’s real money for NYC networking trips or unpaid internships. Hate to say it, but prestige matters in this industry.