<p>I've heard some troubling things regarding UCLA's Economics department. Are any these concerns well-warranted? Would I be better served going to Northwestern if I'm interested in Economics?</p>
<p>^ What troubling things have you heard?</p>
<p>That the professors are pretty bad, and that a UCLA Economics degree isn't necessarily weighted as highly as schools with a comparable reputation.</p>
<p>UCLA econ is good, but you're right its prestige is more regional. Most universities have some bad profs, some good profs, and mostly average profs.</p>
<p>What are your career goals? (considering plans will obviously change)
Is Northwestern your only other option? How much more will it cost you?</p>
<p>I have Northwestern, Claremont McKenna, and USC (where I'd major in Business).</p>
<p>^ Hmmm...all at similar cost?</p>
<p>USC will be about the same as UCLA. Northwestern will be about 5000 more, and I haven't heard any word yet on what sort of aid Claremont McKenna's offering me.</p>
<p>OK. Wait for all financial aid offers.</p>
<p>CMC is a very prestigious liberal arts college and will be a totally different environment from your other choices. If smaller classes and more personal attention appeals to you, you should strongly consider CMC. It has a very good reputation and grad placement.</p>
<p>Are you getting significant scholarships to USC and Northwestern? Or are you OOS for UCLA? It's sort of weird that USC and UCLAs costs are about the same.</p>
<p>I'm in-state for UCLA. I made the mistake of passing up UCLA's major scholarship opportunities, which I regret. </p>
<p>USC offered me some particularly hefty scholarships, and I have one scholarship that's only redeemable at a Catholic school (I went to a Catholic high school), so that's added, too.</p>
<p>I really like the feel of CMC, but I worry about the prestige factor. Do employers look at a CMC graduate with the same interest that they do a Northwestern or UCLA graduate?</p>
<p>^ Do you want to work after graduation or go straight to graduate school? If you want to work, do you want to settle in Southern CA?</p>
<p><em>Sorry for the bajillion questions</em></p>
<p>Lol, no problem. Whatever helps me make a better and more educated decision is welcome.</p>
<p>I suppose that my answer would depend. From what I've gathered, it seems like employers want you to work a couple years before you pursue a graduate degree. If that's the case, then I'd work after school. As to where I live, there's flexibility there, too. Out of college, I'd go where my work takes me.</p>
<p>I would go with Northwestern if it is only $5k more expensive than UCLA. NU has an amazing Economics department.</p>
<p>OK, wait till you get all the financial aid offers on the table. CMC may be the cheapest of all.</p>
<p>At this point, I would narrow it down to USC or Northwestern. I think it's cool that you got those scholarships and it would be too bad to turn them down. USC's Marshall business school is awesome, and it's the only major CA university to offer an undergraduate business degree (besides even more prestigious Berkeley (Haas) ;)) Marshall is widely recruited and USC's strong alumni base cannot be denied...they have a very strong school spirit that seems to stick with 'em.</p>
<p>If you want to get out of California, NU would provide this opportunity for you at not too much premium. Northwestern is arguably better academically and more prestigious than USC and UCLA.</p>
<p>You can see a quite comprehensive 2007 internal review of the entire UCLA econ program, part of an 8-year cycle, at <a href="http://www.senate.ucla.edu/programreview/documents/SelfReview-Economics.pdf%5B/url%5D">http://www.senate.ucla.edu/programreview/documents/SelfReview-Economics.pdf</a></p>
<p>Even though NU has no business undergrad degree, it has a lot of business-related courses/options and they are not necessarily in the econ department either.</p>
<p>Check out the following links:
business institituions program <a href="http://www.wcas.northwestern.edu/bip/%5B/url%5D">http://www.wcas.northwestern.edu/bip/</a>
undergraduate leadership program <a href="http://www.northwestern.edu/ulp/%5B/url%5D">http://www.northwestern.edu/ulp/</a>
kellogg certificate programs <a href="http://www.kellogg.northwestern.edu/certificate/%5B/url%5D">http://www.kellogg.northwestern.edu/certificate/</a><br>
industrial engg/managment sciences <a href="http://www.iems.northwestern.edu/%5B/url%5D">http://www.iems.northwestern.edu/</a>
learning & organizational change <a href="http://www.sesp.northwestern.edu/ugrad/conc/loc/curriculum/%5B/url%5D">http://www.sesp.northwestern.edu/ugrad/conc/loc/curriculum/</a>
integrated marketing certificate <a href="http://www.medill.northwestern.edu/imc/undergraduatecertificate.aspx%5B/url%5D">http://www.medill.northwestern.edu/imc/undergraduatecertificate.aspx</a></p>