<p><em>I posted this in the Tulane section, so I thought it would only be fair to post it here also and see what LSU students have to say.</em></p>
<p>I got into a number of colleges this year, but have narrowed things down to two choices. I plan on majoring in business (with an international concentration), and cost is the main issue for my family, but my parents also want me to get the best education possible. Here are my options:</p>
<p>a) Go to the honors college at my state flagship, Louisiana State University, and pay $6,500 a year. My parents can cover this cost and there are a number of classes I can test out of and get credit for. LSU's business school is ranked 62 by the USNWR. Average starting salary for graduates is $47,000.</p>
<p>b) Go to Tulane. I was admitted to the honors program, and received a good financial aid package considering the size of the school. I like New Orleans much more than Baton Rouge, but attending would involve me taking out $22,000 in Stafford loans over four years plus my parents would have to pay $10,000 a year. Tulane's business program ranks 54 in the USNWR, and there is no doubt a degree from there would hold more weight than one from LSU. Average starting salary for business graduates is $52,000, but as someone pointed out to me, the $5,000 difference from LSU means nothing because Tulane has more graduates taking jobs on the east coast where the cost of living is higher, so the difference isn't because of the better degree.</p>
<p>Which should I pick? Is Tulane worth the extra cost over LSU? Are there other factors I am missing that I should consider in my decision?</p>
<p>I personally think you have to be insane, illogical, and a prestige whore to conclude that Tulane is the better option for undergrad when money is a factor.</p>
<p>It’s not my money and I could not care less where you end up going, but I think it’s insane to go to Tulane for 4 times the price.</p>
<p>“there is no doubt a degree from there would hold more weight than one from LSU”</p>
<p>I would say there is some doubt. Most businesses don’t care. Some might view the far lower graduation rates at LSU as a sign that a graduate had to earn their way and didn’t just buy their degree.</p>
<p>As for whether a smaller, closer feel is better, it depends. There is a lot less diversity at Tulane, and some might say the student body is fairly “snobby.” I went to a quiz bowl tournament representing LSU and quite honestly the Tulane team members were very arrogant and talking amongst each other said they could not believe they lost to “public school trash.” </p>
<p>At LSU you will meet people of all sorts of socioeconomic backgrounds. It prepares you a lot more for the real world. </p>
<p>If you could outline your values, what you’re looking for out of life, I can address it a bit more specifically, but I truly believe 9 out of 10 cases, LSU will make more sense.</p>
<p>A lot of people choose Tulane over LSU because they are insecure and feel people will judge them immediately based on what college they attend. </p>
<p>A lot of college perception is branding. Nothing more than marketing, like a soft drink or an athletic shoe.</p>
<p>If you are considering business, you should get an MBA as well. Where you go to get your MBA matters, but as far as your bachelor’s degree is concerned…it doesn’t carry as much weight.</p>
<p>Some people at Tulane are snobby. There was this one civil engineering girl from Tulane who interned at DOTD; she acted rather arrogant despite just starting her internship.</p>
<p>As a Tulane Alum, I think there are a few things to consider. First, your major. If you know that you want to go into finance, pick Tulane hands down. There are simply too many unique programs at TU to pass up on (Burkenroads, Darwin Fenner, Energy Trading Coursework.) If you want to study any other business discipline, I’m not sure Tulane would be any better than LSU, for the most part. Second, where do you want to work? If you want to work in the North East (Boston, NYC), pick Tulane. 75% of the university comes from more than 500 miles away and Tulane has a great reputation in that area. If you want to work in the South, they are the same due to a couple of factors. Tulane has a better reputation for academics in general. But, LSU is going to have much more alumni. NEVER discount the effect that alum can have in the job market. It tends to matter much more than prestige in some fields. Third, $62k vs $26k is a big difference. I think it would be worth it IF you know you want to major in finance and move to NY ultimately. If not, you could try LSU initially, see how you like it and you can always transfer to Tulane’s A.B. Freeman School of Business after a year or two (and your core classes are completed). I know a few people that did this. It could save you a lot of money for grad school. Finally, I would pick Tulane if you LOVED it versus LSU, if not, why take on more debt? TU will still be there for grad school. I think the reason people tend to have this problem in Louisiana is because the state has a flagship public and a flagship private university. In Alabama, no one questions why someone went to Bama honors or Auburn in the honors program. In Louisiana, some people think Tulane is always the best option because it is private, I would disagree. Tulane is a great school, but you need to figure out where you really want to go, what you might want to study, where you want to work, and mostly importantly, where are you going to be able to have fun while still having a strong commitment to your studies. You can do both at TU and LSU, but they are completely different schools. Good luck.</p>
<p>LSU2012 you sound very bitter. You bash Tulane so much. To be honest, Tulane IS the better school. And I’m not biased because I was accepted to both and am probably not going to either.</p>
<p>“I personally think you have to be insane, illogical, and a prestige whore to conclude that Tulane is the better option for undergrad when money is a factor.”</p>
<p>“Most businesses don’t care. Some might view the far lower graduation rates at LSU as a sign that a graduate had to earn their way and didn’t just buy their degree.”</p>
<p>No offense, but statements like those make it quite obvious that you are young and have never been anywhere near a real job field. I work in an investment related field, as do most of my friends that I keep in contact with from Tulane, and what you said is just about exactly opposite of the truth. Try getting an interview with any I-bank or decent asset management company from a school that isn’t well respected. I’ve actually seen job listings that require applicants to have attended a top 50 school as defined by US News. It isn’t fair and it’s a bad policy in my opinion, but the “prestige” bias does exist and is huge in some industries.</p>
<p>Even large, non-investment related companies have charts that they use to rank potential applicants based on where they went to school. I have a relative that worked for the Southern Company, one of the largest electric companies in the country, for years. They, along with many other Fortune 500 companies, utilize a ranking chart that measures universities based on academic rigor and alumni quality. Tulane was top-30 on their list.</p>
<p>“If you are considering business, you should get an MBA as well. Where you go to get your MBA matters, but as far as your bachelor’s degree is concerned…it doesn’t carry as much weight.”</p>
<p>This is only true to a certain extent. In most business fields the typical career path is to work for 2-3 years then return to school for an MBA. That work experience is essential for getting into the top MBA programs. It is also pivotal to landing a good job after completing an MBA. Most companies recruiting an MBA are looking for someone with at least two years of prior work experience. Once you have an MBA your degree granting institution at that level does carry more weight, but the process of getting to that point is highly dependent on a combination of how well you performed in undergrad, where you went, and what type of job you landed.</p>
<p>Take back what I said. LSU is mediocre and only go there if money is an issue. Otherwise go somewhere else. Tulane is overrated, but if that’s it then go ahead.</p>