Hey all! I posted this in a general thread, but wanted to seek out school-specific advice.
I have been accepted to Indiana as a Direct Admit to the Kelley School of Business as an intended Economic Consulting major, as well as having qualified for the Hutton Honors College. However, I found out two days ago that I earned a Regents’ invite to UC Berkeley as 1 of 30 incoming students to their brand new Global Management program (4 years at Haas).
I am an Indiana resident, so Kelley would cost about $24K/yr. with the potential to be less after various scholarships from Hutton and Kelley. As an OOS admit to Berkeley, it would cost me and my family about $63K/yr. Since I don’t have significant financial need, I would get a $2,500/yr. amount for the Regents’ and Chancellors’ Scholarship if I were to be selected.
The prospect of going to Berkeley certainly seems intriguing, but I’m not sure if it’s worth the extra ~$40K/yr. Having been selected for Global Management, I know I would have tremendous opportunities at Cal, but the career prospects seem to align with those that I would have at Kelley if I were to get into the IB or Consulting Workshops as an undergrad. I’ve looked at the career reports for both schools, and the top hiring companies for IU Kelley are Ernst & Young, PwC, Oracle, Deloitte, and KPMG. Similarly, the top employers for undergrad Haas students are KPMG, Ernst & Young, Citigroup, Goldman Sachs, and JPMorgan Chase.
Are Kelley and Haas similar in terms of prestige (in your opinion), and/or is Berkeley worth the extra $40K/yr.? My parents have said that they are willing to support whatever I want to pursue, but that they would have to take on quite a bit of debt to make Berkeley happen.
@rrsp23 It’s really hard to say if Cal is worth the extra $40K/year. Kelly is a good school but I think that Global Management program at Cal may provide you with better career opportunities. I have a similar dilemma: got accepted to Kelly and Emory (directly into their business schools with Honors and scholarship) and to Cal with a possibility to get into Haas.
Hey, thanks for sharing your profile earlier.
I am just wondering why did you apply to Berkeley Undeclared - Pre-Haas instead of Global Management Program?
@StevenToCollege - Global Management is a very small program and only enrolls like 30 students. So, the chances to get in are VERY low. At least that was my rationale for not applying.
Oh that changes things - I saw ‘OOS’ in the title. Is Emory affordable without parental loans? How does the cost for Kelley compare to UCB? Did you get Regents?
@MYOS1634 I got invited to Regents interview at Cal, so we’ll see. Tuition fee for Cal instate is about $15K without scholarship. Emory is about $50K/year but I was selected as Emory Goizueta Scholar Finalist, so assuming my interview goes well, the scholarship range from half to full tuition (I really doubt the full tuition will be an option), so the tuition will be somewhere around $20-25K, I assume. If I fail the interview at Emory I may not have to make hard decisions.
Given the high cost difference and that you are already admitted to IU Kelley, you should strongly consider Kelley. UCB Haas is more prestigious and higher ranked than Kelley. However, because Haas does not admit freshman and you would have to apply in your sophomore year for admission in your junior year, there is no guarantee that you will get in. Go to Kelley and maybe consider Haas for a MBA.
@rrsp23, congratulations on two great choices. I am familiar with both schools and programs. Both universities have great school spirit, if that is important. However, housing can be a problem after freshman year at Berkeley. Some have posted on other threads about the high expense and competitiveness for renting apartments near campus. Also, there is a sizable indigent population all around Berkeley and near the freshman dorms which are all off campus. Though not necessarily a reason to rule out Cal Berkeley, it is a reality of attending Berkeley.
Cal Berkeley has a strong national reputation in many fields, whereas outside of Kelley Business school, Indiana has a lower national ranking and may not be strong in other potential areas of interest. If you are certain to stay a business major, it may not be an issue.
I personally do not think it worth absorbing significant debt given the two choices you provided. Kelley has a highly ranked undergraduate business school, but may not get the name recognition it deserves, particularly outside of the Midwest and parts of the East Coast. Recruiters on the East Coast do hire from Kelley, but possibly more opportunities in Chicago. Other factors to consider are whether you are the type of person who would enjoy being closer to home for the holidays or long weekends. You will likely be very successful at either school. It is possible that you might be at the top of the Kelley student body and have a chance to stand out (Big fish in small pond) vs. possibly more competitive situation at Berkeley. The extra funds saved by going to Indiana Kelley could go a long way towards grad school or other endeavors. Good luck!
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