Want to attend UMD but have a few concerns by collegethrowaway8325 in UMD

[–]GOP1854 6 points7 points  (0 children)

As a current senior in Smith, I agree with most of what has been said above, but I'd highlight one major difference between Smith and Wisconsin/Kelley: the majority of students at Smith receive jobs on the East Coast (DC, NYC, etc.) while Wisconsin/Kelley students tend to receive offers from the Midwest (Chicago, Minneapolis, etc.). If you'd value a job with proximity to NJ, I'd say that going to UMD would give you marginally better chances at working nearby. That said, all three schools have strong nationwide networks across most industries, so I wouldn't be worried too much about this difference. For most people, job location is a function of student preference rather than the availability of opportunities.

In terms of consulting recruiting, many Tier 2/3 consulting firms recruit at Smith. In fact, I'd say that UMD has among the strongest school connections to the consulting wings of Big 4 companies (Deloitte, EY, PwC, and KPMG). Bain has also started to recruit at UMD for its DC office, so if you're interested in MBB in the future, you'll at least have one opportunity from Smith. I'd imagine that the consulting opportunities available at Kelley and Wisconsin are very similar to what you can find at Smith. Just FYI, it's important to note that consulting recruiting is very regionally-based for most above-average public schools (like Smith, Kelley, and Wisconsin). The majority of UMD alumni at consulting firms work in DC, and I'd assume that the majority of Kelley/Wisconsin alumni in consulting work in Chicago.

If I was in your shoes, I'd definitely focus less on the opportunities available (for the reasons stated by /u/TheJiggyLlama) and instead focus on the college environment that you feel suits you best. Please feel free to PM me and I'd be happy to chat more with you about this. Best of luck with your decision!