<p>Trying to decide between ND - Mendoza and IU Kelley for undergrad. Seeking input or advice. Direct admit to Kelley for 2011. Still not in ND for sure, but good chance of RD Apr 1, and trying to think this thru in advance. Both are good, so hard decision. Live in Chicagoland, male, social but dont drink.</p>
<p>Data points/impressions:
Cost: Kelley OOS with scholarships is about half price of Mendoza.
Classes/learning: probably similar at both? IU broader?
Instructors: probably similar, with ND having better at lower level classes?
Jobs available at graduation: similar - both good?
Long term network: IU bigger, but ND stronger?
Fellow students: IU-diverse academically, ND - all good students?
Location: IU better town, warmer, but campus on the large size.
School spirit: both good, ND better?
Campus Atmosphere - IU large, diverse, stronger party element, ND less diverse, little more serious, more religious?</p>
<p>This may relate to others who are facing public vs private decisions.</p>
<p>I have many friends already in at Mendoza making this same decision. I would definitely say that Mendoza is stronger academically, but don’t count Kelley out. The cost is much less at Kelley, the classes are a bit broader, jobs will be available, there is more diversity in students, Btown is amazing, and IU’s school spirit is just as good as NDs (stronger, even, during bball season…and IU has an amazing recruit class so they’ll be back within the next few years).</p>
<p>That being said, in Chicago the networking is stronger for ND (or so I’ve heard from my neighbor who is a ND grad from Chicago). ND is definitely very religious, and the fellow students are going to be smart for the most part. That isn’t to say, however, that there aren’t religious or smart kids at IU, or that every student at ND fits that description.</p>
<p>Both are great schools; I would visit to see which one feels the best for you. Good luck!</p>
<p>I hate myself for this answer, but ND all the way. I currently hate the admissions dept at ND for refusing my kids, however, the campus is like no other and more importantly, it is much harder to get into than Kelley. You would be paying for, not necessarily a better education, but the following:
A more connected student body
A network of ND grads that stick together–nothing else compares in the midwest
Cache
That is something that money actually can buy and it obviously cost $100K more–unfortunately, I’d say it’s worth it.</p>
<p>You will get an excellent education/college experience at both schools. As an OOS student, you will already be paying a lot for Kelley. But one hundred thousand more for ND? Most people would find that extravagant, unless they and everybody in their family had dreamed their whole lives of sending a family member to Notre Dame, which applies to enough people around the country to keep ND tuition very high. Unless you have wanted ND your whole life and are willing to make that huge financial sacrifice, Kelley makes more sense. Kelley sends at least 400 new finance and accounting graduates to Chicago every year, so it’s not like nobody in Chicago ever heard of Kelley.</p>
<p>There is no way anyone can justify an extra $100k over four years for Notre Dame over IU. Both programs are pretty similar academically for business.</p>
<p>Think about it. The average return for the S&P 500 is 10%. At the end of four years (when you graduate), if you put in 25k/year you would have ~128,000. Let this grow and 5 years later you are earning an extra $19,000/year on top of your salary. Let it grow for another eight years and that is $40,000 a year on top of your salary.</p>
<p>Do you think Notre Dame is worth $533,000 fifteen years after you graduate? IMO Indiana has a better business program as well, the 100k is just an extra incentive.</p>
<p>No, Mendoza is definitely a better program overall. It’s currently ranked even above Wharton (although, the ranking system is obviously flawed - they take unrelated things like matriculation into account even though they have nothing to do with academics). Even so, Mendoza runs at a higher level than Kelley.</p>
<p>If, however, you believe you are an exceptionally strong student, you will be able to get into some of the competitive programs at Kelley. If you can get into workshops like the I-banking one, then Kelley will be at about the same level as Mendoza. There are a lot of other options that Kelley offers for the accelerated student; if you can fully utilize these, then there is no way Mendoza is worth $100k more.</p>