Ross (UMich) vs. Olin (Wash U)

Colleges and Universities A-Z University of Michigan
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<p>I have received admission as a pre-admit at the University of Michigan Ross School of Business. UMich is my state school.</p>

<p>In addition, with a full tuition scholarship, I have received admission to the Olin School of Business at Washington University in St. Louis.</p>

<p>I would take the offer to attend Wash U. However, I hear people doubting the reputation of Olin in comparison vs Ross. Quality internships and good job placement is important to me and although I am not entirely sure I want to enter Wall Street and the Finance world, I hear that Ross is much more well established than Olin for top jobs.</p>

<p>I'm confused also because I see Olin and Ross ranked higher than each other depending on what source I am looking at. It differs greatly between US News and World Report, Forbes, Businessweek etc.</p>

<p>Any advice or insight into my predicament would be MUCH appreciated. This is a tough decision and I'd love all of the help I can get.</p>

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<p>I don’t know but I’m interested to find out the outcome </p>

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<p>Since Michigan is your state school, the disparity between WUSTL and tuition for here does diminish. Can you afford Ross with the financial package you’ve been given? Or would it be a challenge for you and your family?</p>

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<p>I’m going to UM but this is a no brainer to me: take the full ride from Wash U immediately. Your stats much be Ivy caliber if Wash U is giving you a full ride. I assume rejected from Ivies and Northwestern?</p>

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<p>Freebies to excellent schools should not be easily dismissed. Go to WUSTL. </p>

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<p>Is the money saved for your family at WashU now more important than the greater potential earnings you’ll receive later if you go to Ross?</p>

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<p>tigs17, will you have to pay room and board at WUSTL? If that is the case, since you are a resident of MI, the difference in the CoA between Michigan and WUSTL will be roughly $9k per year ($36k over four years). While that amount is by the no means insignificant, it is manageable to most families. If it is to yours, Ross is a better option than Olin. On the other hand, if your scholarship at WUSTL includes room and board, then I agree with rjk, save $80k and go to Olin.</p>

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<p>My son is a junior at Wash U and I can tell you that it is a fabulous school. Although my son is not in the business school, his freshman roommate was and he told us that at a business school orientation BBQ the head of the business school had memorized every new business student’s name from his picture and called everyone by name at the orientation party. The head of the history department also knew my son’s name at the history orientation; he just walked right up to us and said hello to my son by name. Very impressive and that is the type of faculty attention you get at Wash U. The dorms and other facilities are also fantastic. I am not here just to promote Wash U, however. Turns out my other son is a high school senior (also not a business major) who has been accepted at Wash U and Michigan honors. I think he is going to go to Michigan because he wants that great school spirit and sports (I went to Michigan and my son has been a Michigan fan his whole life). It may or may not have been my choice but my son is passionate about it and that is a very valid reason to pick a school. So if anyone has any thoughts. . . By the way, Wash U gives almost no merit aid so a “full scholarship” is generally need based.</p>

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<p>^WOWWW. Tell me, where on your son’s roommate’s résumé does it say that the head of the business school knows his name? That’s sounds almost as cool as a job.</p>

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<p>Hello all,</p>

<p>Just to clarify. Wash U gives very good merit aid. My full tuition scholarship is merit-based and will come to be about $49,000 per year. I will have to pay around 11,000 for room and board.</p>

<p>If I went to Michigan Ross, I would be paying around $30K per year. </p>

<p>I believe with either option, I would graduate debt free. </p>

<p>I really love Wash U Olin’s personalized attention. Everything is incredibly flexible and customized. I already know the Dean of business school and he has been extremely open to talking with me which is refreshing. Facilities are also fantastic ($90,000,000 spent on the building of two new business buildings) and food/dorms/campus in general are amazing. </p>

<p>Ross on the other hand is, in many people’s opinion, a direct pipeline into incredible internships and job opportunities. However, it is only a three year program (in comparison to Olin’s four). The great thing about Michigan is the entire college experience (this may be lacking at Wash U). From athletics to a vibrant social scene, I don’t know how Wash U can compare. But in a sense, the big state school party scene is not what I am looking for completely. </p>

<p>Any other suggestions or comments? I am extremely confused at this point. I’d love to hear people’s insight. </p>

<p>Thank you!</p>

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<p><em>As a disclaimer, this is purely anecdotal and should not be applied broadly as a generalization. Full disclosure I’m a graduating senior from Ross</em></p>

<p>In my experience interviewing at investment banks and corporate finance jobs, I have only come across one Wash U Olin student at all of my superdays. This was at Capital One, and the kid didn’t get the offer. I will be joining a pretty well-known investment bank (non-GS/MS) after I graduate, and in the class book, there isn’t a single kid from Wash U in my analyst class. </p>

<p>At my previous two internships (both in finance), I haven’t come across any Wash U students. Granted my jobs have been in San Francisco and Chicago, but take that as you will. At the first internship, it was a F200 corp fin job. The only schools where that company took interns from were Ross, UCLA, Claremont Mckenna, Cornell, Berkeley, Duke, Wharton and USC. If finance is your goal, Ross trumps Olin. If marketing is your goal, Ross is probably better than almost any undergrad b-school.</p>

<p>THAT SAID, if consulting is your goal, I just want to say that it seems as if EVERYONE at Ross is gunning for a top consulting job. No joke, I don’t understand the infatuation, but I swear like 40% of the graduating class wants a job at MBB, and they only take 3-5 graduates each. </p>

<p>Also, the one girl I know at Wash U is unbelievably good looking, and she looks like she’s having a blast there, so there’s that.</p>

<p>It looks like you’ll be paying ~$80k extra to go to Ross. That’s a considerable sum of money. The profile of the average pre-admit is pretty damn impressive (comparably to the non HYP Ivies I think?), but I don’t know if the extra $80k is worth it unless you’re gunning for a finance job.</p>

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<p>Eh full pay in state at UM is $26k. Where does $30k a year come from? You’re full pay at UM but Wash U thinks you’re poor enough for $50k a year in grants? Something doesn’t add up. If Wash U thinks you’re that poor then UM should be damn near free for an in state student.</p>

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<p>I can only only add that facilities-wise? Ross is top notch, with 145$ million in the new buildings already, with a large portion of a new 200$ million donation from Steven Ross to go towards further upgrades on the business campus ( and the rest to athletic campus upgrades). </p>

<p>This is going to sound terrible, so take it for what it’s worth, but I had to google Olin. I’d never heard of it. I asked my spouse, a Ross graduate and well connected if he knew what Olin was, and he was unaware, as well. And we do not live beneath rocks, and my spouse has worked for major consulting firms.</p>

<p>I think Washington is an amazing school. I truly do. But I cannot answer whether I would pay that cash premium or not for Ross. You will have to decide what is feasible.</p>

<p>I do need to say, though, that the comment about UM being a big state school party scene made me giggle. Every school almost everywhere has parties. But UM- in my experience- is not a primary party school. There are always a few peeps anywhere that take things too far, but it’s not an animal house type campus. :wink: </p>

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<p>flinstone: The money from Wash U was fully merit based. None of it was need based. And yes Michigan will be around 27 but I just rounded up to 30 for sake of personal expenses etc. </p>

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<p>Wash U is a better school with a higher concentration of gifted students, period. Olin v Ross is a wash. There’s not a chance I’d pay more to go to UM over Wash U. The OP’s aid has to be wrong. The only thing that makes this compelling is if UM/Ross is more or less free and Wash U will cost him the $40k in loans. I’d consider Wash U for $40k. In fact, $40k is probably my threshold with a UM full ride on the table. People who know Wash U are people in higher circles. It doesn’t have a football team or basketball team on ESPN so commoners haven’t heard of it. It’s a tremendous school.</p>

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<p>Higher circles. :wink: </p>

<p>I can promise you- I know about Washington. So does my spouse. But their business school is not as commonly known or recruited from, and which was the OP’s concern.</p>

<p>It is an amazing university. For sure. But there are practical realities, as well, and the OP is wise to consider life after college. Colleges can be amazing and still have different strengths in different areas.</p>

<p>As my spouse says, he knows when he would walk into the interview room, as arrogant as it may sound, he was from Ross, he had Michigan on his diploma, and he was overwhelmingly likely to be the one walking out of the room with the job. The OP needs to find people from Olin who can relate their experiences, and then make decisions. Checking rosters at places of potential employment or likely job matches is also a great idea. </p>

<p>Best of luck to you. </p>

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<p>If this helps…</p>

<p>Last year, Olin had a 98% career placement rating on the day of graduation and around 60 days after, all 100% of graduating seniors had jobs. The average salary of a graduating student was around $63,000. </p>

<p>How are these numbers? I myself don’t know if these are good or bad numbers in terms of starting salary etc. Here’s a link I was sent regarding their career placement statistics. Anyone care to look and tell me what they think? It would be much appreciated. </p>

<p>Note: The report also has information about MBA, MS in Finance etc. Check out the BSBA numbers because thats what I am looking to do specifically. </p>

<p><a href=“http://olincareers.wustl.edu/SiteCollectionDocuments/PDFs/WCC/WCC_EmploymentReport2013.pdf”>Error; </p>

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<p>Flintstone eh? New poster to this site and says he is going to Michigan but would pay 40K more to attend WUSTL. I smell a â– â– â– â– â– .</p>

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<p>tigs17, your math is off. WUSTL will not be $20k cheaper than Michigan. Attending WUSTL will easily cost $65k per year. If you get $49k from them, it will cost you $16k to attend. Michigan costs $27k to attend. The difference is not that significant ($11k at most), but it really depends on your own needs. </p>

<p>I am not sure which “higher circles” flinstone is referring to. University presidents of peer universities are as high a circle as they come, and they seem to think much higher of Michigan than they do of WUSTL. </p>

<p>I also disagree with flinstone’s comment about WUSTL having a higher concentration of gifted students. If that were the case, it would have a much higher percentage of grads enrolling in top graduate schools, but that is not the case. </p>

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<p>Well then I’d say 44K is a reasonable premium to pay to attend one of the nations most prestigious business schools.</p>