<p>Our daughter in trying to decide between attending UConn in their Honors program or going to UNC - Chapel Hill. She wants to major in some form of business. We know that the school of business at UNC is more highly rated than UConn's, but that ranking doesn't take honors courses into account. Also, she would have to apply to UNC's business program after her second year, and it is not guaranteed that she would get in. It seems likely to us that she would get in, given that her high school GPA, test scores and class ranking are very good. Also, she would have to apply for honors courses at UNC.</p>
<p>She doesn't like cold weather, so we know that UNC has an edge there.</p>
<p>Lastly, we would be paying in-state tuition at UConn, with a half-tuition grant, making the net cost $18K a year, versus out of state tuition at UNC, with no aid, for $37K a year.</p>
<p>Up until the COA was posted I was thinking UNC. But not at that price difference. I would push her toward UConn. But I have no direct experience with either school.</p>
<p>Poor logic. You could say that about nearly every student that goes to Chapel Hill, so why is your daughter going to succeed their over the others? Virtually 100 percent of Chapel Hill’s students will be in the top 25 percent of their high school class and 50 percent of the class of 2014 is going to be in the bottom half of the graduating class at Chapel Hill and nothing is going to change that. </p>
<p>UCONN has a beautiful new b-school and a very competitive group that gets accepted into that program. Beyond that I can think of 72,000 reasons to prefer UCONN.</p>
<p>UNC has a top 10 b-school and has a superior academic reputation. You’ll just have to decide if the prestige is worth the extra money. </p>
<p>As far as the B-school goes, I think the acceptance rate for sophomores hovers around 60%, but I could be wrong. It isn’t too difficult if you work hard and don’t party away your first couple of semesters.</p>
<p>That sophomore acceptance rate is helpful to know and certainly would be worth a phone call. As is, it’s little better than a coin flip. And all those that weren’t already admitted under the Assured Admissions Plan (as entering Freshman) realize the pressure is on their grades too. What’s going to be your daughter’s plan if the coin goes against her?</p>
<p>I would go with UNC-Chapel Hill if cost is not a concern (please don’t go too much into debt!). Just be sure she works really hard so she will be guaranteed admission to the business school!</p>
<p>Sorry Pierre, but there have just been too many posts here on CC that cast a blind eye to the opportunity costs involved. That $72K could be used for her grad school, helping pay for her first home, helping to fund a new business or fund a retirement plan. UNC is a fine school, but they teach what every other b-school in the country teaches (and using many of the same textbooks). There is no secret sauce. The hope is that going to college X someone’s daughter might get a job, get a great job and that the alumni network provides more opportunities over time than college Y. What is that worth and how does one assess the reality of that worth given uncertainty? </p>
<p>Yet, still the most important thing is not where you go but what you do there. </p>
<p>I know this post is a bit ‘heavy-handed’ but as I just received a call from a newly minted Harvard M.B.A. grad with substantial work experience looking for some networking help to land a job, I would be remiss not to offer my perspective.</p>
<p>That’s true, that’s why I said if cost is not a concern. If graduate school or something else significant financially is in the plans for the future, there is nothing wrong with going to UConn (have a really good friend going there and it’s a great school). However, out of these two schools (assuming they are on even ground cost-wise), UNC would be the better pick.</p>
<p>One thing I forgot to mention is that the UNC admissions counselor told us that their business program stresses entrepreneurship, which does not appeal to my daughter (or her parents) as much as a traditional business focus such as accounting, management or international business.</p>
<p>On that I’d take an opposite viewpoint. UNC will cover core business focus/majors quite well with perhaps the only potential downside is the kids getting their feet wet one year later than other programs. </p>
<p>There is nothing traditional about ‘international business’ as a focus other than core classes with a language component. ‘Management’ is simply an outdated concept leaving only accounting as the only core business focus you mentioned. </p>
<p>Entrepreneurship/Small Business Management requires all core aspects:</p>
<p>Putting together a business plan (Accounting, Finance and Marketing)</p>
<p>Putting together a balance sheet and cash flow projections (Accounting)</p>
<p>Developing a brand and brand strategy (Marketing)</p>
<p>Outsourcing Plan (Marketing, Finance and Supply Chain)</p>
<p>Determining procurement, production, inventory and logistic plan and projections (Supply Chain Management)</p>
<p>So, I’m a big fan of that approach. That said, if someone wants to be a Finance, Marketing or Accounting major … UNC will have that in spades. </p>
<p>UNC’s a great university and a beautiful corner of the world, with a spirit all its own. But $72,000? That buys a car after graduation, pays a lot of grad school expense, perhaps even puts a down payment on a house that your D could buy, live in, and rent to fellow students in order to pay the mortgage. That’s a lot of future to have to forfeit for the perceived difference between UNC and UConn!</p>
<p>The UConn Honors Program is (increasingly) quite selective and well-regarded. Consider, also, where your daughter would like to intern and work (if she has any ideas, yet), and factor in travel costs both to home and to such locales from the respective universities. UNC is, indeed, a terrific school, but unless you are talking about the Morehead-Cain program, I would find it hard to justify over the UConn Honors program, particularly if the business school option (or other preferred course of study) is more likely attainable at UConn. If graduate school is a realistic future possibility, it is even more clear-cut in UConn’s favor given the money issues.</p>
<p>*But $72,000? That buys a car after graduation, pays a lot of grad school expense, perhaps even puts a down payment on a house that your D could buy, live in, and rent to fellow students in order to pay the mortgage. That’s a lot of future to have to forfeit for the perceived difference between UNC and UConn! *</p>
<p>So true. There’s no way that UNC is worth that much more money, unless money is no object in your family.</p>
<p>I would also consider the “other costs” associated with college. Many kids like to do a study abroad and other costly activities (such as joining a sorority or other things). If you’re paying an extra $72k, you may not be too willing to pay for any of these other things.</p>
<p>Correct me if I’m wrong, but there is probably a noticeable difference in prospective salaries between graduates of a top 10 business school (UNC) and graduates of a school that falls somewhere between 50-100, depending on the ranking. But, like I said, I could be wrong.</p>
<p>According to Business Week 2010 undergraduate business school rankings, $55K median starting salary for UNC (#14 ranked) vs. $50K for UConn (#73 ranked).</p>