Hey guys, I’ve been accepted to both business schools (marketing major) at Rutgers and Penn State at the main campuses, however I can’t make up a decision on which to attend and was wondering if you can help.
Both are good business schools and have good connections, and also have the football/school spirit aspects that I’m looking for. Minor difference is that I like Penn State’s campus more than Rutgers’.
Rutgers Pros: 45 minutes from home, in state tuition, close to NYC and Philly (good for job/internship opportunities), and can still see some family and friends
Penn State Cons: 3 hours from home, out of state tuition, middle of nowhere, can’t see family and friends
Minor factors that I took into consideration is that I don’t like how Rutgers is many campuses, and I don’t like their school color of red. For Penn State, I like their colors and famous ice cream. (Obviously these don’t matter a lot hahah)
Although I feel like I like Penn State more, should I attend Rutgers? Is it the smarter thing to do in this situation?
If you study at Penn State, you could still obtain an internship during the summer in NYC or Philadelphia, unless you plan to get an apartment and stay by campus year-round. The middle-of-nowhere aspect isn’t a huge deal since the campus is really a community of its own and is large enough to have something going on every day of the week.
Have you ever been away from home for an extended time? How easily you adjust to homesickness might be a factor in your quality of life your first year.
How much debt would you be in if you choose Penn State? This is an important factor. Both business schools have a good reputation in their respective states and the northeast in general. If the costs are close, then I would go with your gut. If the costs are substantially different, then the more affordable school would be the smarter decision and would allow you more options upon graduating, such as relocating, taking a lower-paying but highly desirable job, or attending graduate school.
I want to say that Penn State might have a slightly stronger marketing program, but I would suggest doing some research on where grads from both schools end up working. I’m not sure Penn State is that much better to justify taking on more debt, and you will have excellent internship opportunities at either school.