Notre Dame vs Boston University for finance careers: which is better for recruiting and alumni network?

For finance, Notre Dame usually has the edge in alumni loyalty and on-campus recruiting reach, especially if you are coming in without family or industry connections. Boston University can absolutely get you there too, but its biggest advantage is being in Boston, which helps students who are proactive about networking during the school year.

Notre Dame tends to fit the student who wants a more built-in pipeline. It has a strong undergraduate business identity, a very engaged alumni base, and a campus culture where school pride often translates into alumni picking up calls, answering emails, and helping students break in. For finance recruiting, that matters a lot when you do not already have contacts.

Boston University makes more sense for the student who wants to use a major city as part of their strategy. Being in Boston gives easier access to internships during the academic year, more opportunities for informational interviews in person, and exposure to finance beyond just formal recruiting cycles. That said, BU is a larger and more decentralized environment, so students often need to create more of their own momentum.

If your main question is recruiting plus alumni support for someone starting from scratch, Notre Dame is the safer bet. BU is appealing for an independent student who will fully exploit the Boston location, but Notre Dame is more likely to give you a tighter finance community and a more reliable help structure.