I was admitted to both Indiana University Bloomington, and Syracuse and these are my final two. I am from Los Angeles and I have visited both and I still cannot decide.
At Syracuse, I got into the iSchool with the major Information Technology Management. However, at IU I didn’t get into a specific program but I would like to try to get into the Kelley School and major in finance with a co-major in technology management.
I really want a school with a lot of spirit and things to do on and off campus. For example, I want to go to all the football and basketball games at both schools. Since I am from LA, I am not bringing a car so I would like to be able to walk or take a bus almost everywhere to make it super easy. I love the town of Bloomington but I also love how Syracuse is close to both Boston and NYC. I also want to choose a school based on the experience because the undergrad experience only happens once.
Any opinions or advice would be much appreciated. Thanks!!
How would you feel at IU if you didn’t get into Kelley? I grew up not to far from Syracuse and now live in Indiana. As far as the campuses go, I don’t think you can go wrong with IU and the Midwest is a lot different then Upstate NY as far as the climate goes. Syracuse can get some pretty nasty snow storms.
My best advice to anyone who is torn between two schools is to sit down and do a pro and con’s list of both schools. When the answers tell you one school over the other, ask your self if you were happy with the answer or disappointed. If you were happy with the outcome then go to that school. If however you were disappointed in the winner then go to the one that lost because that is where you heart really is. The mind can trick you but the heart doesn’t lie.
@lley124 Go with Syracuse. You’ve gotten into the iSchool there with Information Technology Managememt major. If you want finance you can seek a major or minor in the Syracuse Whitman business school. Both the iSchool and Whitman are strong programs at Syracuse (along with Newhouse and Maxwell School of Citizen & Public Affairs and Sports Management (Falk) and School of Visual and Performing Arts). Indiana’s strength is the Kelley School and Jacobs School of Music. However, you are not a direct admit to Kelley and there is no guarantee of getting in there.
Syracuse has field trips to NYC for students in the business school and Syracuse has a strong alumni network in NYC. So if you want to work there that’s an edge for Syracuse over IU (without Kelley). Syracuse is far from NYC and Boston so I wouldn’t plan on any weekend trips there. But over the breaks you would be about a 6 hour car ride away from both. Syracuse Orange Football and Basketball (with legendary Coach Boeheim at the helm) are winning teams and fun spirited spectator sports. But so are IU football and basketball, so that’s a wash. IU Bloomington is a nicer college town than Syracuse but Syracuse has one of the largest Malls (Destiny USA) —a six story shopping and entertainment complex —in the country that is just a fifteen minute ride from campus.
Finally, how did you feel upon visiting both campuses? Also how is the cost difference between both schools? Are they both affordable without having to take out more than $30,000 in loans? Add fit and cost considerations to the above and then go with your gut, as usually one’s instincts are the best choice. Best of luck!
Where did you end up going? Are you happy with your choice?
Son still waiting t hear from Syracuse (Falk for Sports Management), but it is he first choice. He is direct admit into IU Kelley and in Honors College. There are others in the mix, but these along with UMich (still waiting) are his top 3.