So I am an incoming senior and will be applying to Carnegie Mellon and Boston College in the fall, to their business programs. I think I have a pretty good shot of getting into both of them, but my question is which one will be better for me. They are my top 2 choices, but I can’t say right now which is higher. I know that Carnegie Mellon is considered a more prestigious school than BC, but my concern is that it is too quant-focused. For me that isn’t a big problem in itself, but I am more concerned that it doesn’t provide as well rounded or as broad an education as BC, with their liberal arts core and Jesuit mission. I really want to be able to learn important business skills (not just math), but speaking skills, presentation skills, writing skills, etc. I feel like BC is a better place to offer me that well-rounded education. I know that CMU sends kids to S&T jobs and more data analysis-driven jobs, while BC is more corporate finance. Right now I want to be in investment banking after graduation, and I feel like CMU’s quant-focused curriculum will be somewhat limiting if I want to explore a wide array of job options. I really just want to have an education that opens as many doors as possible. What is your opinion on this? Thank you.
Go where you like. And you will feel excited to be there!
.CMU is prestigious. Boston College is prestigious. It depends on what you are studying and who you are asking.
CMU does have a higher usnwr ranking and has been Uber select for a longer period of time.
For business schools Carroll and tepper are both really selective and excellent. You also live there for four years. BC campus, sports scene and Boston backdrop is pretty inviting.
CMU has its great traits and BC does as well.
Best of luck and hopefully you do have both to choose from in the end.
I would suggest a few match and safeties that you would love to attend as well. Admissions are incredibly selective unless you are uniquely “hooked” as you surely know already.
CMU and BC both have excellent business programs and are well respected overall, so a small difference in prestige should be ignored when comparing these two schools – choose based on fit.
If you like both, you can apply to both. Maybe the admissions departments will make the decision for you.
That’s debatable. Top statted applicants to both schools have been denied.
Until you have acceptances, this is a theoretical discussion. If you like both programs, then apply and see what your options are next year. You should have more than these 2 schools on your list.
Boston College has amazing school spirit and is a bit more conservative student body. Find a safety school as well.
CMU is well connected to Wall Street if that interests you. Quantitative skills are important, you can get them at either school, by taking the hardest math classes. I do not think quantitative skills limit you at ALL. In fact thats what will make you stand out from either program having the strong math background is the ticket to the most jobs. So the opposite of what you believe right now.
There are thousands of business majors who are weak in mathematics, you don’t want to be in that sea of students.
You want to stand out because you have math skills and all the soft skills that can be developed on the job.