College decision. SMU vs. UH

Hi, I’m now looking forward to these two schools. I know they’re not really on the same level, but I’m considering UH because I’ve lived in Houston for past three years and it’s like ten times cheaper. With scholarship, I’ll be end up paying 5k in UH and around 50k in SMU (with room and board). My family will pay for my tuition so I won’t have any debts when I get out, but I’m thinking if I can do something else with this money. I’m an international student and will be major in business, I know Cox has top reputation, but I need to have a 3.5 GPA in order to get in in my sophomore year ( is it very hard?). People have been told me that Bauer in UH is pretty good, too, and it has lots of resources because it’s close to downtown Houston.
So can I get some advice on the decision I’m about to make? Thank you.

Any advice please?

I really don’t see a reason to go to SMU. Houston is a fine school and SMU is not in any way worth 10x more. If you’re saying you can do something else with the money as in spend on grad school, buy a car, purchase a small home then do that.

Just because something costs 10x more doesn’t mean the value of the education is 10x more. In state schools are great value because your parents have been paying with their property tax to fund the school.

Thanks! That’s what people are telling me, and my parents are saying they would be very pleased to pay like 50k if I can make to the Ivy league, which I did not. But I did find myself enjoying the SMU campus, and I’m thinking about the connection I can have in there. And because of their small class size, I can visit the professor anytime instead of waiting for like 2 weeks to get an appointment.

SMU offered me a scholarship of 20k/year as long as I maintain a 3.0 GPA, and I like Dallas. But I’m considering grad school, too. Will I have the same opportunity in UH and SMU when I try to apply for grad school?

UH’s business school is very good and I agree that SMU is not worth the difference in net cost for you. Bauer has local support.

Thank you. Did you attend Bauer, TQfromtheU?

And is it very hard to have a 3.5 GPA in a top 50 University?

@LeeNono - Yes, for my MBA. I worked full time and went at night with my then employer paying for it. It has served me well.

@TQfromtheU Would those big company in Houston downtown be on the Bauer’s career fair? I mean, will UH students be their top choices, especially undergrad?

I would say that Bauer is a definite recruiting stop. (I asked about two weeks ago.) I don’t know if a particular Texas school is tops, other than if someone in management wants more people from their school.

I know my company recruits from Bauer right along with the other Texas schools. Bauer is easy for them since there is no question of relocation or retention since there are usually already ties to the community. For us, a Bauer accounting or finance major is going to meet the basic requirements for a trainee, the rest is based on the interviews, etc. No special sparkle for SMU.