Siena vs St. Lawrence University

Hello I am currently deciding between Saint Lawrence University and Siena College. I love both colleges and everyone that I know from SLU loves it, but Siena right now is a little cheaper and closer to home. I would major in business and econ at SLU and would major in Finance and Economics at Siena in the 3+1 MBA program. I know that SLU is considered better academically but my main question is the academic Rigor of SLU worth the extra cost or is doing the 3+1 program at Siena the better option? Any additional information would be helpful.

SLU offers a range of traditional academic programs and a fantastic setting, which should appeal to a student interested in an immersive college experience.

Siena appears to emphasize career oriented programs in the context of a modestly rigorous curriculum.

With respect to comparing costs, SLU seems sufficiently different from Siena to justify a premium should you be interested in taking advantage of its opportunities.

How big is the $ difference? And how would you pay for it?

SLU is reputed to have a very loyal and active alumni community, which helps a lot when you are looking for internships and first jobs. That could justify some extra expense, but whether it is enough to tilt the balance depends on your financial situation.

SLU would clearly be worth a premium over Siena, but how much are we talking about and where would the difference come from?