<p>I am a Dutch Master student planning to study half a year at an exchange partner of my university. My main field of interest is Finance, but since the exchange would only concern 1 semester, and since I have already followed quite some Finance courses here in Holland, I do not bother following other 'Business' (related) courses. Now I have to make my final decision and choose between these two options: (Note that in both cases I have to pay the same (namely the general Dutch) tuition fees)</p>
<p><a href="1">U</a> University of Washington
What I understand is that this is a great university, with quite some academic prestige, with a beautiful campus (the dormitories are said to be dungeons though ;)), situated next to a fantastic city (Seattle), and with nice mountains and ski resorts in the direct surroundings. HOWEVER, choosing this university would mean that I am obliged to follow undergraduate level courses (in Dutch; 'Bachelor level'). My University namely only has an exchange with UW on this 'Bachelor level'.</p>
<p><a href="2">U</a> Moore School of Business (University of South Carolina)
Choosing this option would mean that I would have to follow graduate level courses (known as 'Master level' here in the Netherlands). I have not yet been able to really get familiar with the University of South Carolina though. What I understand is that the Moore School of Business ranks #1 on the field of International Business, but that that accounts for about all of USC's academic prestige. Finally, I guess the surroundings of this environment are not as exciting as those of UW.</p>
<p>A short background; I recently applied for an exchange with the University of Washington (not knowing I wouldn't be able to follow Master level courses). My university's coordinator for outgoing exchange students then told me that she believes that the Moore School of Business would be a much better choice for me, because I would then be able to follow Master level courses and moreover because the "Moore School of Business" would look much nicer on my Curriculum Vitae. She also called it a great chance because my university has only got 5 exchange places for Master level students (worldwide).</p>
<p>So now my question for you: Which option should I choose?</p>
<p>Thanks a lot for your advice and insights!!</p>
<p>Yes, U Washington is a great university in a nice setting, but if you can only take undergraduate level courses, these are the finance courses you could be limited to (Courses in the 300 and 400 level):</p>
<p>If you go to USC Moore School of Business, you’ll have access to MBA-level graduate courses. If you’re an older student (mid-late 20s), you may appreciate associating with more mature, wiser graduate students in higher-caliber classes.</p>
<p>I have never heard of the Moore College of Business and UW is a much better overall school than USC–by FAR. Also Seattle>>>>>>>>>Columbia SC. Most schools will make exceptions on courses.</p>
If that’s the case, I too would choose UW. You can put Foster School of Business on your resume.</p>
<p>I would check out which courses you can take for the semester you plan to attend. Not all courses are offered all the time. Compare the two and see which courses would be more interesting/valuable to you.</p>
<p>So if my coordinator for outgoing exchange students says that the Moore school of Business will look much better on my CV (resume), that’s just not true?</p>
<p>@ UCBChemEGrad;
That list of courses I had already seen, and I then also noticed those 300-499 level courses are actually defined as “Upper-division courses primarily for juniors, seniors, and postbaccalaureate (fifth-year) students. Graduate students may enroll in 300- and 400-level courses.” So I understand that even if I would go there as a “Bachelor” exchange student, if I then would choose those 300-499 level courses, I would actually still be following ‘graduate level’ courses in a way?</p>
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<p>What do you exactly mean here? That I would probably be able to follow graduate (‘Master’) level courses at the UW anyway once I get there?</p>
<p>Overall question; Would following undergraduate courses at the business school of UW be better, be more advised (and look better on my resume) than following graduate level courses at the Moore School of Business?</p>
<p>You go talk to the professor in charge of the class and maybe the Dean and present your background and make a case. Not all rules are cast in stone–especially things like this. Many state business schools mix undergrads and grads in upper level classes. Sometimes the class will have an undergrad number and a grad number for the same class. Also a little secret–most undergrad classes have tougher grading than grad classes. A C in undergrad is a B in grad school.</p>
<p>You see the list of undergrad courses at UW…Do the descriptions sound interesting and challenging to you? Do you think those courses would complement the education you’ve received in Holland? If so, I would go ahead and go to UW.</p>
<p>If not, and you desire more challenging, graduate level courses, USC might be a better choice.</p>
<p>However, universities are flexible…especially with foreign exchange students attending for one semester. UW is in a much more cosmopolitan city, and I think you would have a better experience there. If UW’s undergrad courses don’t seem advanced enough, I would suggest talking to UW’s exchange student counselor and see if they can make an exception to get you in more advanced, graduate courses.</p>
<p>Go to South Carolina. I love Seattle and Columbia, SC is not a place I’d like to spend more than .00005 seconds, but USC is at the very tip top in international business (about its only top program) and you’ll be able to take grad courses there. The UW is NOT known for administrative flexibility. Just the opposite. My wife’s experience there is that they are hidebound by rules and regulations, and don’t make exceptions even when the rules are ridiculous.</p>
<p>I think you’d like Seattle and LOT more than South Carolina. But the education issue seems pretty obvious to me. Go to the University of South Carolina.</p>
<p>I seriously doubt that anyone on this board has the slightest idea which course of action would carry more prestige in the Netherlands. Neither school is very prestigious, overall, in the US. UW is well-thought-of in research circles and carries some prestige in the Pacific Northwest and, perhaps, with some on the West Coast. They have some well-known grad programs. Other than that, attending the UW in the US is not going to raise a lot of eyebrows or get you a lot of “ooohs” and “ahhhhs,” if, in fact, that’s what you’re looking for.</p>
<p>Having said that, USC is even less prestigious, overall, than UW. But it’s not like the difference between Harvard and USC, if you catch my drift. The slight bump in prestige you get from attending UW would hardly be noticeable outside the Pacific Northwest.</p>
<p>Hey, I’m one of the ones who pushed Seattle when you posted on this, earlier. If the courses of study were the same, I’d choose Seattle in haff a heartbeat. Hands down. But if you can take grad courses in a top international business school, or undergrad courses in a school not known for international business (to the best of my knowledge), I can’t imagine why you’d turn down the grad courses at the top-ranked international business school.</p>
<p>Rent a car in South Carolina. Go to the beach. See Charleston (much, much better than Columbia).</p>
<p>The prestige part seems clear. I should note however that I am not particularly interested in International Business; Finance is my main interest, but since I have already followed quite some Finance courses and since the exchange only concerns 1 semester, I’d feel perfectly fine taking those International Business courses. It’s thus more like ‘Undergraduate Finance at Foster’ vs. ‘Graduate International Business at Moore’.</p>
<p>But apart from that, my concern also is the totally different settings of these schools. Clearly, UW seems to have the edge on this point.</p>
<p>Whatever I choose, I am afraid that I will feel that I should have chosen the other one. USC because of its superior program, UW because of the great overall characteristics.</p>
<p>Is there such a thing as international finance? I’m not sure how things are in Nederland, but in the US, the study of finance is a subset of attending business school. Can you not take grad level finance courses in international finance from USC?</p>
<p>South Carolina is not the wasteland that people on this forum make it out to be. Things are relatively close on the East Coast compared to the West Coast so if you have a weekend or a week off there are lots of things you can see nearby. Columbia is halfway between the Smoky Mountains and the beach. Atlanta is a 3 hour drive and even Washington, DC is within a day’s drive. I love Seattle, but it can be pretty dreary in the winter (although gorgeous in the summer), and while it is cosmopolitan there isn’t much in the way of history like there is on the East Coast. The south can be an interesting experience for six months.</p>
<p>Go to the school that has the courses you want to take. Go out to the web sites and look at the actual courses that will be available to you. The difference in prestige between the two schools isn’t enough to influence your decision.</p>
<p>USC is decent, though, er, football is king, as is with many state universities. . .Folks in SC are friendly, and the weather is great. . .I live 2 hours away from USC btw.</p>
<p>Thanks guys for your reactions! USC definitely isn’t the wasteland I (indeed :$) supposed it was. I ended up choosing Moore and am really excited about going there now!</p>