2 answers
Lindsey
Student
Burlingame, California
2
Questions
Asked
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How to Make College Decision Between 2 Good Schools?
Hi!
I'm a current high school senior interested in business, and I'm currently deciding between 2 schools that I've recently received acceptances to: UC Berkeley Haas School of Business and Cornell Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management! They are both very good business schools, but I'm honestly unsure how to make the decision. Obviously, financially, Berkeley is the better choice due to it being half the price, but I also think as a person, I'd grow more at Cornell because it is a much different experience than being in the Bay. What factors would you look into when making the decision?
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2 answers
C Venkat
39
Answers
Tampa, Florida
Updated
C’s Answer
Hi Lindsey,
What a great problem to have! Congratulations on getting accepted at 2 of the most selective undergrad business programs in the country! They are both excellent schools with a strong reputation, so regardless of which one you end up choosing, you will be fine.
That said, be sure to take into consideration the following:
1. Distance from home - though many high schoolers want to experience a school far away from home, keep in mind that it may not be practical to visit home when you want or during long weekends if your school is hundreds of miles away.
2. Financial considerations beyond just tuition, boarding & meals (e.g. flight tickets etc.)
3. Is the Ivy League status important to you? If so Cornell would be the choice.
4. Workload and culture - maybe very different between the schools. It would be good to check in with a current student (you could check if they allow a shadow day where you could to shadow a current student).
5. What are their recent graduates up to? Are they employed/pursuing graduate education/self-employed etc. Do some research & see what resonates with you.
6. Besides academics, what else are you interested in being involved in at college? Which of the schools have clubs, extracurriculars that align with your interests?
Ultimately, you will be perfectly fine wherever you go, so don't be over-stressed about this. Good luck & Congratulations again!
What a great problem to have! Congratulations on getting accepted at 2 of the most selective undergrad business programs in the country! They are both excellent schools with a strong reputation, so regardless of which one you end up choosing, you will be fine.
That said, be sure to take into consideration the following:
1. Distance from home - though many high schoolers want to experience a school far away from home, keep in mind that it may not be practical to visit home when you want or during long weekends if your school is hundreds of miles away.
2. Financial considerations beyond just tuition, boarding & meals (e.g. flight tickets etc.)
3. Is the Ivy League status important to you? If so Cornell would be the choice.
4. Workload and culture - maybe very different between the schools. It would be good to check in with a current student (you could check if they allow a shadow day where you could to shadow a current student).
5. What are their recent graduates up to? Are they employed/pursuing graduate education/self-employed etc. Do some research & see what resonates with you.
6. Besides academics, what else are you interested in being involved in at college? Which of the schools have clubs, extracurriculars that align with your interests?
Ultimately, you will be perfectly fine wherever you go, so don't be over-stressed about this. Good luck & Congratulations again!
Maggie Weglarz
Electrical Engineer
17
Answers
Schaumburg, Illinois
Updated
Maggie’s Answer
Hi Lindsey -
This is definitely a difficult decision! You are correct that financials are important to consider in terms of which school you want to attend. I would also consider:
- Location, do you want to be in California or on the east coast?
- Have you visited both campuses? Did you like the vibe/feeling of one more than the other?
- Student population (full disclosure, I don't know the size of either business school) - do you want larger or smaller class sizes?
- Financials in terms of travel
- Additional programs (study abroad, internships) that the schools might offer
- Electives or minors you might want to pursue
It might be good to reach out to advisors at both schools to see if you could talk to them and discuss what your experiences would look like at each school, or see if you could talk to recent alumni from each school. That might give you a better feel for what each experience would be like.
Best of luck!! Enjoy the rest of senior year.
Maggie
This is definitely a difficult decision! You are correct that financials are important to consider in terms of which school you want to attend. I would also consider:
- Location, do you want to be in California or on the east coast?
- Have you visited both campuses? Did you like the vibe/feeling of one more than the other?
- Student population (full disclosure, I don't know the size of either business school) - do you want larger or smaller class sizes?
- Financials in terms of travel
- Additional programs (study abroad, internships) that the schools might offer
- Electives or minors you might want to pursue
It might be good to reach out to advisors at both schools to see if you could talk to them and discuss what your experiences would look like at each school, or see if you could talk to recent alumni from each school. That might give you a better feel for what each experience would be like.
Best of luck!! Enjoy the rest of senior year.
Maggie