<p>There have been a lot of threads discussing this but none of those really works for my case so I have to post another thread. </p>
<p>I'm an international student and I've got admitted to the Business school of UIUC and to the College of Letters and Sciences in UW-Madison (because I will have to transfer to Business school when I become a sophomore). I'm still undecided but I might major in Finance.</p>
<p>UIUC is more expensive than UW-Madison for an international student like me and I don't think it would be easy to get a scholarship from either schools. </p>
<p>What do you guys think? All advices are highly appreciated...
Thanks... ^^</p>
<p>I have to say that both UIUC and UWM are top-notch university in America. They are very similiar in many ways. But there are discrepancies that you should also take into account .
As you know, UIUC is a engineering-oriented school while UWM is a more comprehensive university where no particular major dominates academic landscape. So, considering the fact that you are not much sure about your potential major, I highly recommand UWM. You can try different majors you like and if you lose passion for that major, you can switch it. In UWM, you wil have more choices and time to think what major is suitable for you. Also,as you said previously, the tuition of UWM is much cheaper than that of UIUC. Bear in mind that no matter what university you go, you should choose one suitable for you. BEST WISHES!!! By the way, can I ask you a personal question? which country do you come from?</p>
<p>Um, the guy may be undecided on whether to major in finance but he’s not undecided on going to business school. And last I checked UW doesn’t let every sophomore into its business school. So the fact that he’s already been admitted into UI’s business school and would be taking a chance at UW is something he ought to consider.</p>
<p>you’re asking this… in late june?</p>
<p>@Cqbzgjx: Thank you so much for taking time giving me advice.</p>
<p>I don’t think I will have more time to decide my major because I’ve already attended university for one year. I’m transferring, not entering as a Freshman. I’m from Vietnam but why do you ask?.. ^^</p>
<p>And do you think I should visit the school? I can manage a trip to UIUC…^^… What should I look for when I visit it?</p>
<p>@novaparent: That’s true I’m not undecided about going to business school. (I can’t do any other majors because my mom wouldn’t let me anyway) And I do consider that fact but I don’t think it will be impossible… They still let a bulk of student into the Business school if I’m not mistaken. </p>
<p>P/S: I’m not a guy btw…^^</p>
<p>@pkmntrainerharry: Yeah I know it’s pretty late but again, I’m transferring, not entering as a Freshman so I get notified by the schools pretty late.</p>
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<p>You are grossly underestimating UIUC’s business program–it’s very strong for undergrads, arguably holistically better than UWM even. </p>
<p>I’m also not sure what you mean by UIUC being more expensive? I think they’re both about 24k tuition for out-of-state, but I just looked it up online so I may be incorrect; are internationals treated differently than OOS?
([University</a> of Illinois Financial Aid: Undergraduate Non-Resident 2010-2011 Cost](<a href=“http://www.osfa.uiuc.edu/cost/undergrad/nonres_1011.html]University”>http://www.osfa.uiuc.edu/cost/undergrad/nonres_1011.html) vs [Costs</a> and Aid - Office of Admissions at the University of Wisconsin-Madison](<a href=“http://www.admissions.wisc.edu/costs.php]Costs”>http://www.admissions.wisc.edu/costs.php))</p>
<p>I think if you’re already accepted into the business school at UIUC and you KNOW you’re going to major in business, go to UIUC. It’s a better bus school and apparently you already have guaranteed admissions. Admissions to the business school here at Madison is fairly competitive–it can range anywhere from 30-80% acceptance every semester (the 80% was a one-time thing when they opened up the business school to sophomores).</p>
<p>Not only that, but I would say UIUC’s business program is too strong to pass up. It’s their forte–Madison is only better if you are undecided or majoring in something outside of business, IMO.</p>
<p>EDIT: I just noticed the UIUC program is 29k for business. Not surprising that their top program costs 5k more.
I think it does make your choice tougher–that’s 20k more. But considering you’re talking a total cost between (140k, 180k) at either school, it’s a tough choice. Just be aware that a business degree at UWM is not guaranteed if you go. Whatever you choose, be informed.</p>
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<p>You are mostly right, but UW does accept sophomores into the business school. Fall 2008 update.</p>
<p>To be fair to the OP, I should add that–as you might guess–most of us are biased in favor of UWM. But you might now know that nova is biased AGAINST UWM. So our info might overly favor UWM, and hers will undoubtedly try to discredit UWM.</p>
<p>@justtotalk: see that’s something I don’t really get… I got my tuition information from this (which is a form that I had to fill out upon applying):<a href=“http://admissions.illinois.edu/pdf/transfer/intl_finance.pdf[/url]”>http://admissions.illinois.edu/pdf/transfer/intl_finance.pdf</a>
It states that the tuition is 34,200 for international transfer student… and I have checked out the website you posted and I was a little bit confused…>"<. I think OOS and International student are the same…</p>
<p>That will be a difference of about 10k per year, which is 30k for 3 years… (I’m transferring).</p>
<p>Oh, right, I didn’t see that you’d only be in college for 3 years. </p>
<p>There’s a big discrepancy between the numbers I posted and the numbers you found. I think you should call the office of student financial aid at UIUC and straighten that out.</p>
<p>If it costs 34,200, I would personally choose UWM. A $30,000 differential is a lot of debt (or parent financing) especially for only 3 years of tuition–that’s almost the cost of my entire undergrad education. I think UIUC is a slightly better business school and UWM is not a guaranteed admissions process, but if you’re a good student I don’t think it’s worth paying 30k for the security of knowing you’ll get in. </p>
<p>A good UWM student most likely gets into the business school anyways. There are also alternatives if you don’t get in: the school of human ecology has consumer science, retailing, and other majors. Economics is an option at the college of letters and science. You’ll be fine as a prospective finance major; only prospective accounting majors would be severely limited if they didn’t get into the business school.</p>
<p>It’s hard to justify paying $30,000 more when two schools are very similar. In fact, if you don’t end up in business by some chance, you’d actually regret being at UI. </p>
<p>That said, I would start by calling the financial aid office at UIUC.</p>
<p>yeah… hopefully 3 years… ^^… Since lots of my credits don’t transfer… It might extend to 4 years…</p>
<p>But somebody told me that UW-Madison might raise their tuition and UIUC tuition is fixed for 4 years…
I’m not really worried about not getting into the Business school at UW-Madison.</p>
<p>But you said UIUC Business school is slightly better? how do u know?</p>
<p>Oh my gosh I got it… the one that I have includes relevant fees(which are health insurance and other services)…and the one you posted lists fees separately…^^</p>
<p>Thanks so much for showing me the second one… And I always thought UIUC would be so much more expensive than UW that way…</p>
<p>I never said UW doesn’t accept sophomores into the business school – I said they don’t accept “every” sophomore. Am I wrong about that? Is it “biased” to suggest that an applicant who knows she wants to go business school might want to take into account in reaching her decision that she’s already been guaranteed admission to one very good business school but not guaranteed to the other?</p>
<p>^^^I’ve reiterated the above point to the OP many times–everyone in this thread is aware that not all sophomores gain admission to the business school, including you, which means your post was made sarcastically.</p>
<p>Let’s not make this about you, nova. We’re trying to help the OP.</p>
<p>OP, you asked how I “know” that UIUC is slighly better at business (for undergraduate exclusively!). It’s a subjective opinion. But one fallback is rankings:
[Top</a> Undergraduate Business Programs 2010 - BusinessWeek](<a href=“Bloomberg - Are you a robot?”>Bloomberg - Are you a robot?)
[Undergraduate</a> Business School Rankings - BBA Rankings](<a href=“http://www.eduers.com/Business/Undergraduate_Business_School_Rankings.html]Undergraduate”>http://www.eduers.com/Business/Undergraduate_Business_School_Rankings.html)</p>
<p>Both have UIUC slightly above UWM. You can’t go wrong either way–the Midwest is loaded with good b-schools. I think the main reason to choose UIUC is the guaranteed b-school admission, because the difference in quality is mild. </p>
<p>I’m not sure if any GPA gets you guaranteed admissions here at Madison (the official answer is no), but I got in with a 4.0 and very few EC’s. This is just one case, though, and I’m not sure if almost all students with high GPA’s are admits.</p>
<p>When I asked “am I wrong about that?” I truly meant it. If you “reiterated the above point to the OP many times” you must have done it somewhere else and not on this thread. I am merely reading THIS thread, and on THIS thread you were wrong. I don’t care where the OP goes to business school and think both schools are fine; I just think it’s worth reminding the OP that he’s already IN at UIUC’s business school and is TAKING A CHANCE at UW. This is a FACT, and probably one that’s at least as helpful as pointing the OP to rankings that have one school slightly higher than the other. It’s something that the OP clearly will want to consider, whether I’m “biased” or not. After all, isn’t it you who said:</p>
<p>“I think if you’re already accepted into the business school at UIUC and you KNOW you’re going to major in business, go to UIUC. It’s a better bus school and apparently you already have guaranteed admissions. Admissions to the business school here at Madison is fairly competitive–it can range anywhere from 30-80% acceptance every semester (the 80% was a one-time thing when they opened up the business school to sophomores).”</p>
<p>Don’t you think your very quote of my post shows that I’ve mentioned the competitive admissions process at UW to the OP?</p>
<p>Your statement of fact that UW is not guaranteed admissions is true and the OP knows it. That doesn’t make you any less biased against UW; when a person exclusively searches for facts against a certain institution, the facts she presents no longer portray the entire story. </p>
<p>The facts you present aren’t necessarily false. They’re one dimensional.</p>
<p>Justtotalk - UWM is UW-Milwaukee, I assume you are talking about UW-Madison.</p>
<p>Yes, sorry, I don’t know the formal acronyms, but I meant UW Madison</p>
<p>In Businessweek, teaching quality grade of UW-Madison is B and of UIUC is C… How come UIUC is better?</p>
<p>Sorry if this question is silly… </p>
<p>What is OP?</p>