So I’m wondering if it is worth it to go to Tulane for my undergrad (marketing) or if I should just go to LSU Honors College and then go to Tulane for graduate school. I’m from Louisiana so LSU is much cheaper but I’m also worried that going to LSU would hurt my chances of getting into Tulane for grad school. Will a graduate degree help me all that much? What should I do?
Grad school for what?
Whoa buddy, slow down a bit. You are certainly right and smart to be thinking this through as completely as you are, but no one can answer questions about a grad degree that you will complete 5-6 years from now. But let’s deal with what can be at least considered, if not definitively answered.
The question of LSU vs. Tulane seems largely financial in your case, based on your phrasing of “worth it” and of course that LSU is cheaper. I am going to assume you are right about that last one, and that you think you are not likely to get a large scholarship from Tulane. In that case, I usually advise people that they are in fact better off saving the money and attending their state school to follow the path you exactly lay out, going to a school like Tulane for grad school. But that is not an absolute. How much debt would you in fact be taking on to attend Tulane? Because to me, if the amount is small enough, say $20,000 or less for all 4 years in your case, the amazing programs in Tulane’s business school, plus the access New Orleans might give you to internship opportunities, could be worth it. I say $20K rather than my usual $30K or so because your MBA will certainly cost you some bucks.
But going to LSU will absolutely NOT hurt you in getting into Tulane’s program, or any other top program. Now to be clear, Harvard and a few other of the really top programs won’t even take you right out of undergrad. They require that you work for a few years first and show promise as someone on “the way up”. But even for those programs LSU wouldn’t hurt you, as long as your grades were very strong and you showed other qualifications, like great GMAT scores and good recs from internships and, again in those top school cases, your current employer. So no worries there.
So if I were you I would apply to Tulane anyway (it is free after all) and go through the financial aid process. See what it will really cost you to attend in the end. I realize debt isn’t the only factor, there is the outlay of savings and cash flow as well, money that could later support you for your MBA. You just have to see how it all shakes out when you are staring at two acceptances, hopefully, along with FA packages (and any merit aid Tulane might provide). But hard as it is to pass up a private school education sometimes, if the finances are just that different then you have to do the smart, fiscally responsible thing. I mean it isn’t like you won’t get a good education at LSU, as much as it pains me to admit it. If you commit yourself to doing the work and excelling, what happens after undergrad has a whole lot more options for you than otherwise, and all without some onerous debt staring back at you.
Management
Read through what Fallen Chemist has said. I work at a University as an Academic Adviser. We strongly discourage students to go straight into graduate programs in the business field right after they receive their BA/BS/BBA. you need to work a few years and gain experience. I’ve also worked with employers seeking to hire MBA’s and a lot will depend on the industry you are going into. Some employers prefer you have your undergrad degree in a different area. They love to see Engineers, Psychology, Biology and many other areas go on to get an MBA as those people bring such a variety of skills to the table. You should work a few years before getting a graduate degree (there are exceptions- the 5 year Accounting/MBA type programs come to mind). As FC has stated, concentrate on getting accepted to your undergrad program, be successful in the program, keeping up your GPA, doing a few internships, etc. Grad school will still be there and you may change your mind about what you want to do after you do some internships and work for a year or two.
Great advice from @dolphnlvr6. FWIW, after getting my chemistry degree, I worked for a few years and then got my MBA. It was a great combination for my career.
Also, you say Management now. I could go into a lecture about how little that word means at this stage of your life, but I won’t. Suffice it to say as you get exposed to different aspects of both the business world and life in general, your ideas and goals will change. Not might change, but will change. I know I sound like a parental jerk saying it that way, but 40 years of experience teaches a person a lot. And it is a good thing, not a bad one at all.
In any case, I reiterate that the more flexibility you have coming out of undergrad, the better off you are. There certainly are advantages to a Tulane undergrad education, but not at the expense of being burdened with heavy debt. So see what it looks like in March or whenever you have all the info you need, and make the decision best for you and your family.
Apply to both LSU and Tulane - I am sure you are aware of the Legislative Scholarships to Tulane that are specific to Louisiana residents. Once you apply to Tulane (which is free like FC mentions above) they will usually offer you a merit package with your acceptance. Tulane is very generous in offering scholarship money (too many ways to name here) so visit the website. Also you still get to use TOPS and any supplemental money for ACT performances - usually either $400 or $800 per year. You need to look at both universities after all financial information is considered.
More importantly you need to visit both programs and universities because there are huge differences between the schools. Class sizes, sports, fraternity life, and the social life are different (some vastly) and may also play into your choice.
Good luck and just concentrate on undergraduate for now as many things can change before you pursue a masters degree.