Yale SOM ($) vs. Vanderbilt ($$)

Question

Hey everyone,

I'd love to get anyone's thoughts on these choices. To provide a little background, I would like to work in endowment management post-MBA, and I don't have a strong preference on region, though I currently live in the Southeast.

Yale
- pros: biggest name, strong placement in endowment management, brand new facilities
- cons: cost, New Haven

Fuqua
- pros: location and reputation are both good, have opportunity to work with endowment during school
- cons: relatively weak placement, cost

Vanderbilt
- pros: free tuition, opportunity to work with endowment during school, Nashville
- cons: weakest reputation, relatively weak job placement

I've got a few weeks to decide and am in ongoing conversations with all of these schools, but I'm assuming that these are my offers for now. For what it's worth with regard to career placement, I have strong experience in asset allocation and have the CFA designation.

aerien · Answer

I think SOM would be great for you. There are a lot of people going into investment management -- and finance in general. The school was actually just ranked highly for MBAs going into investment banking; that's different from IM, yes, but the name recognition and branding on the street is certainly there. Happy to connect you with folks going into IM for the summer and for full-time.

Cost seems to be an issue for you (isn't it for all of us?). I'd let SOM know about your other offers and see if they can do anything to match that. And give New Haven a chance; it's actually a nice place to go to graduate school IMO. It's big enough where there are a ton of restaurants and fun things to do at night (bars if that's your scene or things to do at Yale like theater or the orchestra), and it's close enough to NYC which helps a ton with recruiting -- especially for finance interviews.

bernie88 · Answer

I appreciate the feedback! A couple other cons for SOM that I didn't mention: 1. I don't want to place in NYC and 2. It's relatively hard to get to (which means harder to visit friends and vice versa). SOM does seem to be the strongest fit for my specific interests, but I'm wondering if that offsets the geographic issues and the cost. I did let SOM know about the other offers, however, so time will tell if there's any flexibility.

teesmartgirl · Answer

Seems like you want to stay in the south, so it's either Duke or Vandy. If money is a huge concerned go to Vandy, but Duke seems more fun. IMO. If you're into college basketball and partying it's a no Brainer. Plus Duke is more diverse if that's important to you. Also Durham is cheaper than Nashville.

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thisisatestonlyatest · Answer

Owen Student:

I would say that Owen may be a great fit. The school as the max Adler fund which is a student managed fund. The faculty in that area is amazing... Hons Stohl (created put call parity) and Bob Whaley (created the VIX). I know a few people going in to the fund space and they hsave had pretty good success. I know that Tennessee state fund recruits here and is one of the only state run pensions.

The person that said Duke is more fun than Vandy is crazy.... Durham is a the armpit of NC. Nashville has the second highest rate of bachelorette parties .... people usually refer to those as fun. I like the student body much better here. (I picked Vandy over Duke) I came to Vanderbilt for the culture and location and I couldn't be happier. A lot of people told me to go to Duke but I don't regret my decision ever.

Same as you I wanted to stay in the south. So, I threw out Cornell and Carnegie Mellon and focused on Vandy and Duke.

I think for consulting I would go to Duke but the reputation of the University at the two is very similar in finance. I am doing IB and the name in that field definitely competes with most other names on the street.

bernie88 · Answer

A slight update - Fuqua offered a little bit more money, and Yale has essentially told me no for additional scholarship funds. Assuming these are final results, I think I'm down to Duke vs. Vanderbilt. My other thought is to pursue a couple recent job openings, with the idea of pursuing an MBA (perhaps the one year at Kellogg) a few years down the line. Any thoughts on this would be appreciated!

Additionally, does anyone have much insight into how Vanderbilt places in Chicago? I used to live there and would like to move back at some point.

Additionally, does anyone have much insight into how Vanderbilt places in Chicago? I used to live there and would like to move back at some point.

asimov · Answer

There are a few Fuqua alums managing the Vanderbilt University Endowment. Just saying...

https://news.vanderbilt.edu/2014/03/inve ... sin-shore/

Anders Hall, vice chancellor for investments and chief investment officer, announced the hiring of Shawn Goodman, Hunter McCrossin and Travis Shore. All three have the title of managing director, investments.

Goodman will be responsible for public equities, natural resources and commodities. A graduate of Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business, Goodman earned his bachelor’s degree at California Polytechnic State University. Most recently, he was a senior analyst at Bocage Capital in San Francisco. He worked previously with Hall at Duke Management Company.

McCrossin will oversee private investments, but he will work across all public and private investments. He graduated from the Fuqua School of Business at Duke University after receiving his undergraduate degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He comes to Vanderbilt from the Arlon Group in New York City. He and Hall also worked together at Duke Management Company.

bernie88 · Answer

Yep, I've been in touch with both endowments for the past several months. Was your vote for Fuqua?

bernie88 · Answer

I'm updating this as the decision comes down to the wire. I've got two days to decide between Yale SOM and Vanderbilt. Yale came back today and offered ~25% tuition scholarship vs. Vanderbilt at full tuition.

Any final advice or thoughts?

Any final advice or thoughts?

drivechipputt · Answer

It sounds like asimov is attesting to what everyone already knows: even Dukies are flocking to live in Nashville

In all seriousness, I think that your pro/con list is well-informed and carefully thought out. At the end of the day, I hope that money alone (and I say the same for fluctuations in rankings) won't make your decision for you. I would contest one thing you said, though. Job placement is an enormous strength of Vanderbilt--the career management center (CMC) is perennially ranked in the top 10 (9 this year). Here's the most recent ranking from the economist, but I encourage you to do any outside research as well: https://www.economist.com/whichmba/mba-r ... er-service. Because Owen doesn't have the sheer size of peer institutions, the CMC works on overdrive to place students in their dream jobs, and with just about a week until graduation ~90% of us have our full-time jobs. I've also gotten to know a number of Fuqua alumni here in town and they enjoyed their experience in Durham, but admit in a heartbeat that you can't compare it to Nashville, which has been topping every single "Top 10 Hottest Cities" list over the past decade. That's probably the only part of your decision that's a no-brainer. Pro: Duke basketball Pro: Vanderbilt's SEC football games, championship baseball team, THE music city, #1 health care market, downtown Broadway (teesmartgirl's comment about the more fun place to go out still has me scratching my head), nearby Kentucky bourbon trail... Those are a few of the extra curriculars that swayed me over other top-20 programs and I haven't regretted a moment. Best of luck in the decision!

DCTech87 · Answer

Reasons to pick a school:
(1) it will put you on the career path you want (this involves both your immediate career post bschool and your network, which appreciates in value significantly through time)
(2) which school you enjoy the most (getting along with people is key, follow your passion and know your limitations when it comes to what you need)
(3) $$

Before school I didn't mind the go-at-it alone concept and almost chased a significantly cheaper MBA option. Being in NYC now I'd plug for SOM, but both schools will do you just fine. Take the one in the region you want to try your hand in next if you get along with people at both schools well so far.

bernie88 · Answer

Just wanted to provide an update - I ended up choosing Vanderbilt! While it was a very difficult decision, Vandy just seemed like the right choice. Thanks to everyone for their advice!

thisisatestonlyatest · Answer

Super stoked. Hope to see you next year. Were you at the welcome weekend?

thisisatestonlyatest · Answer

PS everyone i met in your class is super strong. It may be the best class yet on a all around basis. Although i know drivchipputt will disagree.

bernie88 · Answer

I was! That was a huge step in the decision-making process. And agree that the class seems very strong.

Yale SOM ($) vs. Vanderbilt ($$)

Which school for investment management?

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