<p>I was recently accepted to both Smeal and Gabelli and I was wondering which has a better Finance/International Business program. Additionally, after I graduate I would really like to have a job hahah. School size doesn't matter much and neither does location. I'm looking more at academics and reputation. Any help would be appreciated!</p>
<p>Anybody out there?!?..</p>
<p>You have two good choices…Nobody can answer for you…the two schools are very different… Mid-size Jesuit school v large state school, University Park, PA v Bronx, NYC, Patriot League V Big Ten sports…different things are important to different people…I think USNWR ranking wise Penn State is ahead, but I don’t put stock in that…I think Fordham has a more active NYC presence and its location may give you a better chance to do an internship while you are at school…Fordham also has a sizable liberal arts core curriculum which may or may not be attractive to you…It is also likely that Fordham has smaller classes which I always feel is a plus, but that is only my opinion…If you can, I’d strongly suggest you visit both schools (or visit them again) and hopefully one will feel right. My S has been very happy at Gabelli. Congratulations on having two great options.</p>
<p>Thank you Happy! I live on LI so I know what NYC is all about and I love the fact that they have two campuses for a city and traditional feel. Additionally, Penn is higher but Fordham just got the new school built in Hughes Hall do that is really exciting too! I guess it’ll come down to money because while we’re not by any stretch struggling, 50K/year would be impossible to pay out and then have grad. school too…</p>
<p>Its never wise to incur massive debt as an undergrad if you are certain to be attending graduate school. The national avg for undergrad debt is around 25k over four years total. Fordham is normally within that range. If you need assistance then submit the CSS and FAFSA asap and see what happens. Fordham can be generous with grant money.</p>
<p>I agree with you and should have included financial considerations as a decision factor. And just so you know, if you are in Gabelli you must enroll at the Rose Hill campus, but you can still take classes and go to events etc. at LC. Good luck to you.</p>
<p>I think, for your major, location DOES matter. It will be easier to get internships if you are in the city. Just my .02</p>
<p>Bump. Anybody else?!</p>
<p>They’re both good schools. Fordham’s business school is definitely on the rise with the newly constructed building and surplus of donations. Location wise, Fordham wins IMO. As the previous post mentioned, they’re both very different schools. Large, state school in PA vs a mid-size, private Jesuit school in NYC. The decision may come down to your personality and what you perceive as a better fit. Good luck with your decision!</p>
<p>Also, I’d like to add that since you want to major in Finance/IB, location will likely play a factor. There is no substitute for NYC (and the connections that Fordham has in the city). As far as academics are concerned, it is hard to beat Fordham’s Jesuit identity as well as a focus on a well-rounded and rigorous education, which job recruiters and grad schools do not ignore.</p>
<p>Last year I was faced with a similar choice having to choose between Penn St., Fordham, Villanova and George Washington. I choose Fordham because it is ranked #6 in internships by the US News (you can google it), and #8 in average starting salary by Bloomberg Businessweek out of all the undergraduate business schools. Its recent slip in the rankings was because the last couple years they used horrible facilities because the new business school was being built and will be done in August of this year. Fordham is also a rising school, as the University is midway through its plan to rise, with much more still to be done at Fordham and is at 53 in the national rankings while Penn St. will fall due to the turmoil they are facing, not to say that it is a great school. In my opinion a Fordham degree will retain its value for years to come and many companies actively recruit on campus such as JPMorgan, Goldman Sachs, UBS, KPMG, Ernst & Young, Credit Suisse, Barclays, Pricewaterhouse cooper, among many other prestigious firms.</p>