I’m a second-year transferring student from the UC system. Rejected by a few ivy schools, I now have the choices of UMichigan, Vanderbilt and NYU, all of which are econ programs. While still waiting for Cornell and Duke, I have to make up my mind before Michigan’s deadline. Any suggestions or debates?
I know a few people from UM and most of them seem to love their school a lot. UM attracts me by its opportunities, academics and school spirits, and I also kinda like Ann Arbor’s atmosphere in general. Ross is definitely considered better than Vanderbilt’s Econ program according to some posts in the forum. Does UM’s Econ program still win out in terms of curriculum and opportunities? My impression towards UM’s academics does not rate it one of the top-tiers because a transfer student I know from UM can’t even write a college-level essay on her own. Moreover, UM’s name is probably not as big as Vanderbilt’s since I’m looking forward to attending graduate school.
I got super excited when I got accepted by Vanderbilt. I’m kinda scared and excited at the same time to have the opportunity to go to the South for the first time. I know Vanderbilt has a super prestigious name in the South, great classroom size and attention to individuals, well-rounded curriculum and nice weather. What keeps me from deciding on it immediately is its lack of an established business school (which means fewer recruitment opportunities compared to others), rumors of the GPA deflation (since I’m aiming for graduate school), less diversity and international name weight compared to others, and the requirement to live on-campus.
Idk much about NYU though. I’d go for its opportunities and name, but the curriculum is still unclear to me. I tend to avoid big cities like New York since I enjoy suburban atmosphere more.
Some personal intro and feelings:
- Planning to attend top MBA programs (Harvard, Wharton etc.). Probably gonna intern for one or two years while at college or right after, so internship opportunity and graduate school admission possibility make up a big part of my decision.
- Not a big fan of sports or greek life, so these factors don’t really matter.
- Financial aid doesn’t really matter either. Although my parents would prefer less college cost, they’re willing to go with whatever fits me and benefits my future.
Vanderbilt - full ride (yay!)
UMich - $16,000 per school year
NYU - $12,000 per school year
- Pretty into study abroad. Been studying in Paris for a month. Plan to go to China, UK, or Japan along with my study of Japanese. Not a crucial factor though.
- Study pressure matters
- As for career, I do not have a specific target yet (e.g. Wall Street etc.). I'd be willing to try consulting, marketing, tech finance, or international trade. Finance/banking is not that important to me as to other business students.
Thanks for reading all above!