CSUN, Portland State, or U. Dayton?

College Search & Selection
1

<p>Screenwriting</p>

<p>Systems Science</p>

<p>MBA</p>

<p>I'm wait-listed to CSUN, so I don't have high hopes for that. But I got into U. Dayton and it looks like Portland State is a sure thing, even though decisions aren't for another few weeks. Portland has better weather. Dayton has better buildings. Portland has a larger pool of single hot chicks. Dayton is a big Mecca for aviation management and government work. Portland has computing, shoe companies, etc. Yes I'm white and a nontheist, so some locals are saying I'd fit in more up in Portland and at a secular state school. I've been in plenty of diverse places, so I don't think that's entirely relevant and I'm not a hippy Birkenstock-wearing type, either, though. But Dayton almost sounds like the Catholic equivalent of BYU. Crosses in almost every classroom. Marionists walking around. A cathedral. Students trying to find out better ways to re-enforce the advertising of the "Catholicism" of the school. Notre Dame, Duke, and Georgetown might be Catholic, but theirs seems downplayed by comparison.</p>

<p>For government jobs, MBA and MS have about the same worth. For private jobs, the MBA will hold more weight. I have passion in all these fields, so it's literally a toss up on that area. However, Dayton is just barely something I can afford and possibly only if I'm limiting the number of credit-per-semester so that my year total costs come under the $20,500 wire. Unless I secure long-term financing though additional work or assistantship, I may have to stretch the degree out to 3 or 4 years. That would exhaust all my student loans just for the MBA. Portland State is less expensive enough that credit-limiting would not be necessary even without something else on the side other than the loans and would definitely allow the ability for a PhD or second masters later. Now, I hope to secure work, work-study, or an assistantship, but I'm worried about being somewhere that I might suddenly be broke and unable to just barely pay for all of the next semester. And I'm also worried about the cost-benefit of spending potentially 3-4 years just to get one grad degree.</p>

<p>It also might be worth noting that my relatives are in Oregon.</p>

<p>So, what do you think in terms of school cred, school/city culture, job opportunities, weather, secular v. religious, etc, etc. Or anything else you think is worth mentioning.</p>

2

<p>Well I applied to PSU basically for the weather, city life, people, green living etc I’ve heard good and bad about PSU also. Pos: there’s a mix of older/younger students, smaller classes within a large uni, lots of international students and great urban studies major. On the neg I’ve heard: Its hard to transfer credits, it’s largely commuter, better for grad students [which is good for you bad for me] also its kind of forgotten among OR other colleges: Uof Portland OSHU etc I don’t anything about the other schools you’ve listed</p>

3

<p>PSU apparently costs about $25,000/yr with a full grad load, resident status, and including living expenses. So that’s not too far off from the cost of a credit-limited Dayton experience. PSU could be finished in 2-2.5 years, maybe even quicker. Dayton could be finished in 3 years using just student loans. More financing on-site might make Dayton quicker with higher credit loads affordable. So it doesn’t look like expense should be too much of an issue. Dayton seems to also have a massive number of campus work and assistantships available, even non-academic ones. But boy is it a different city and climate. Much more extreme cold and heat… and humidity. </p>

<p>Anyone else know anything about these schools? I also would be better able to, frankly, <em>get</em> to Portland. It’s just 4 hours north. Better capability to move there. Visit home. Take stuff up. Ohio will be pretty much by train, bus, or plane flight with just one bag and leave everything back in Oregon. I’m willing to do that if the MBA program is well-known and high quality. Is it? Looking at the class options for this summer, I’m disturbed by the sheer number of classes online at Dayton… not to mention the pressure (or lack of alternate options?) by the department to enroll in them. If I do it, my first semester there will be 75% online. Might as well be doing National University or that Phoenix for-profit nonsense.</p>

<p>I think I need to call both Dayton and PSU to find out exactly how common these online courses are in their departments.</p>

4

<p>Nobody has an opinion about Dayton?</p>

5

<p>Dayton is a very good school for undergrad and law, as well as some other masters level work. IMO they’re MBA is pretty good but not great. If you want to work for the Air Force then UD is a great choice.</p>