<p>I really can't decide these two programs. It is so hard...any advice?</p>
<p>One vote for Hass.... even thou I am planning on going Stern.</p>
<p>Depends on what you want to do. NYU has strong connections with Wall Street and is ranked 2nd in finance.</p>
<p>Stern > Haas</p>
<p>STERN definetely</p>
<p>Write down on a piece of paper what each college will cost you, and how much debt you will have at the end. </p>
<p>Anyone who has been admitted to both ought to be able to do the math.</p>
<p>That assumes that money is a major factor in this decision and also ignores the comparative job placement factors for both programs.</p>
<p>If you're indecisive about which major you're going to be doing at Berkeley/NYU, then you probably pick Berkeley which is a better school academically with more general prestige across the board.</p>
<p>If you're uncertain about which specific business major you're going to do, then it's a more difficult choice but considering that you have to apply to Haas as a sophomore and it's a pretty difficult program to get into, Stern might be the better choice.</p>
<p>That and you really can't beat NYC as a location. Berkeley is in the ghetto as they say. If it helps you any, I personally picked Stern over Berkeley because of the factor that I mentioned, better rankings in international business (which I will be co-majoring in), and the location but I've also been in California for most of high school and middle school so that was certainly a factor that influenced my decision. </p>
<p>Oh, and I was told NYU girls were hotter too. But more seriously, NYU does have more of a reputation as a "party school" than Cal but that's probably not that hard to do.</p>
<p>One last thing, Stern will screw you over if you have >4-5 AP test scores because of their credit transfer policy. Cal has a much more liberal policy if that matters to you.</p>
<p>Actually, I wasn't even making an assumption that NYU costs more than Berkeley. It is possible that a non-California resident with a merit award from Stern would end up paying more to go to Berkeley. The same would be true if the student were the offspring of a NYU faculty member -- NYU is not cost-prohibitive for everyone, and I doubt that Berkeley gives much in the way of financial aid to most nonresident students. </p>
<p>However, anyone who wants to major in business ought to be able to do some comparison and cost/benefit analysis, because it just doesn't make a whole lot of sense to commit substantial assets and incur a large debt in pursuit of an intangible benefit. A little bit extra - yes; a lot extra - no. </p>
<p>If a student cannot objectify the determination and express it in economic terms, then maybe that student isn't well suited for a business major - because that's what business is all about: being able to make sound financial judgments without being swayed unduly by emotion.</p>
<p>A simple comparison of the difference between the cost of the two schools is very difficult given that there is little data about Stern job placement as compared to Haas job placement or internship opportunities at both schools, which will be a difference between a two year undergraduate business program and a four year one. Availability of jobs and internships will vary quite a bit given that San Francisco and New York City have different economic dynamics. You could do a full cost analysis of every category in which NYU and Berkeley differ and you would still not have a very accurate comparison because of the lack of sufficient data.</p>
<p>You also assume that the OP has not attempted this cost/benefit analysis or something of the sort. Even if one has, it's still an excellent idea to get a second opinion. I'm sure anyone with even an infinitesimal amount of business acumen would agree that more "data" is usually a good thing and that individuals are not perfectly rational beings. Being that group think is being scientifically described as a very likely more accurate than an individual's sole analysis, I think it would do more to post an alternative analysis based on your opinion than to make condescending remarks about "doing the math."</p>
<p>I would also question your statement that business is all about making judgments without being swayed unduly by emotion. It's all about exploiting the often very irrational nature of humanity to maximize profit. While the definition is cynical, such is the nature of business and it says nothing about whether maximizing profit is an end or means. But this is mostly irrelevant to the OP's question/</p>
<p>Either way, to trivialize someone's very valid question in your manner is very flawed as well. Choosing a college cannot be done by sitting down and calculating marginal differences and the potential marginal utility gained by increased income and job opportunities. You cannot quantify location, happiness, general environment, proximity to certain services, etc. unless you feel that life boils down to the artificial construct we have given so much value to is the ultimate purpose in life.</p>
<p>But if he has no financial concerns like I didn't (such as if his parents were wealthy and would finance his entire education), then your cost/benefit quantitative analysis breaks down because then it comes down mostly to the very emotional and subjective factors rather than the more objective ones.</p>
<p>"Actually, I wasn't even making an assumption that NYU costs more than Berkeley. It is possible that a non-California resident with a merit award from Stern would end up paying more to go to Berkeley. The same would be true if the student were the offspring of a NYU faculty member -- NYU is not cost-prohibitive for everyone, and I doubt that Berkeley gives much in the way of financial aid to most nonresident students. "</p>
<p>OMG YES.</p>
<p>I live in Maryland and was accepted to both schools.</p>
<p>Stern Scholars Program w/10k scholarship = 37k/yr for Stern
Berkeley - 42k/yr (although I'm a finalist for a 2k scholarship)</p>
<p>Being financially ineligible for aid sucks. Especially when you're RIGHT at that line between needy and not-needy.</p>
<p>Stern 2010 =]</p>
<p>Lucky you...Stern gave you a $10k scholarship. I only got $7k/yr :(</p>
<p>I hate how it is merit AND need based. Damnit. Why can't it just be merit based. I know of so many people with stats worse than mine who got a lot more >_<</p>
<p>Meh, I personally think it's mostly merit based.</p>
<p>I didn't bother applying for financial aid (no point after I "estimated" my EFC) and they gave me 10k.</p>
<p>And stats aren't the end-all of this kind of thing.</p>
<p>ambition, I had the same problem with my EFC.</p>