<p>So I've been accepted to both but don't know which one to go to...
For the purposes of this evaluation, please ignore financial costs.</p>
<p>which is better in terms of academics and job placement/salary?</p>
<p>Some rankings place Olin higher and some place McCombs higher. Both are very good. I think that job placement is better at McCombs and academics is better at Olin.</p>
<p>Assuming “Olin” = Olin at WUSTL, you should definitely choose WUSTL. Here’s why:</p>
<ol>
<li>Olin is generally considered more prestigious than UT because WUSTL is private while UT is public. The prestige of your school is very important because determines how much recruitment occurs on its campus. UT McCombs is an excellent school, but it doesn’t draw the same attention from recruiters that Olin does. When I applied to colleges, I spoke to a few students at Olin and UT. In comparison to the UT students, the Olin students seemed to have more job fairs, corporate info sessions, and other recruitment activities on-campus.</li>
<li>You’re just an incoming freshman so your interests might change while you’re in college. Its very easy to switch between different schools in WUSTL and hard to switch between colleges at UT Austin.</li>
<li>Most of the rankings for undergrad b-schools are BS. For example, Business Week has ranked the Mendoza School of Business (at Notre Dame) higher than Wharton for the past three years. Everyone in business will tell you that Wharton is better than Mendoza any day of the week. Thus, you shouldn’t choose UT because it is marginally higher on some ranked list.</li>
<li>WUSTL has better placements than UT. In 2012, Olin grads earned $60k on avg. out of college while McCombs grads earned $55k. Since the official b-school rankings are useless, avg. starting salary is the best ranking system for b-schools. </li>
<li>WUSTL is probably better in terms of “academics” (which is an extremely broad term btw). A public school just can’t beat the individual attention and small class sizes available at a top private college.</li>
</ol>
<p>I agree with what shree said. I’d go with McCombs because it will probably get you a better job (unless you don’t want to live in Texas). Btw, private schools aren’t considered more prestigious than public schools. UC Berkeley (Haas) and UMich (Ross) are both public schools but are definitely top 5 undergrad business programs and way more prestigious than Olin. I’d say McCombs is more prestigious than Olin as well.</p>
<p>If you plan to stay in Texas for your first job, then UT makes sense. If you want to live in Midwest, go to WUSTL. If you might change your major, I think WUSTL would be better because it is a smaller school with more mentoring vs a public.</p>
<p>My DS goes to UIUC Business and it has been an amazing experience. I am sure UT is similar or better. Although UIUC is huge, the College of Business has a small enrollment and they are focused on his success. </p>
<p>Good luck. You have great choices. You should visit both and determine your best fit.</p>
<p>
Generally speaking (emphasis on “generally”), top 25 private college > top 10 public in the eyes of recruiters. I have friends at Wharton and Stern who told me this when I applied to colleges. Ross and Haas are excellent undergrad b-schools, but they are the exception, rather than the norm, among public universities. Furthermore, I wouldn’t say that Ross and Haas are “way more prestigious than Olin.” All three colleges have excellent undergrad business schools and generous, dedicated alumni networks. </p>
<p>The OP’s decision would be much harder if he/she were choosing between Olin and Ross, Haas, or the UT Business Honors Program. Its Olin vs. UT Business (non-BHP) however, and Olin probably wins. To the OP, make sure you learn the culture of both school before you visit them. WUSTL and UT are very different so it shouldn’t be too hard to determine which college is a better “fit.”</p>
<p>Both are great schools, though McCombs holds more weight than Olin IMO. I’d say I’m half-knowledgable about biz schools in the US, and Olin was foreign to me before I even read this thread. A degree from McCombs holds national rep, especially in accounting.</p>