University of Chicago Vs CMU

Colleges and Universities A-Z University of Chicago ✅
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<p>I have been accepted to both Carnegie Mellon and Chicago. After visiting both campuses in Pittsburgh and Chicago , I am still unsure which school to choose. I want to pursue a career in business, perhaps along the track of finance, marketing, management, etc... With that in mind, at CMU I would attend the Tepper School of Business, while at UChicago I would major in economics (which is highly rated among LACs).</p>

<p>My indecision comes from not knowing which school would give me an edge in finding jobs/internships (recruitment out of graduation). I know UChicago is well known for their economics major, but Tepper is an actual business school that allows you to specialize in certain tracks of business and might cover a wider array of business aspects.</p>

<p>I need to make my decision as soon as possible to move on and be happy with my choice. Anyone who reads this, please feel free to give me your insight/opinion--especially if you have first-hand experience with either school!</p>

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<p>Either choice will serve the purpose. A friend’s son was accepted by both CMU and Chicago last year, his son chose to attend UChicago since UChicago has a more or less better reputation. More important, UChicago awarded his son with more grant/financial aid than CMU did.</p>

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<p>Go to UChicago for a broader and <em>richer</em> undergraduate education, which I believe is important for intellectual development that one carries through life. Besides, UChicago has greater reputation and stunning campus!</p>

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<p>Business is different from economics. If business is what you want to study, then Chicago’s undergraduate curriculum probably doesn’t have anything to satisfy you.</p>

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<p>OxalisWombo: Enough already with the anti-praxis nonsense. Chicago has plenty of “business majors” in CCIB already (not to mention the multitude of our graduates who initiate their post-graduation careers in finance and business despite not having gone through CCIB), so your constant claims that Chicago has nothing for people interested in practice rather than theory is absolutely absurd. You’re just trying to further your own aims of turning Chicago into a completely intellectual university by being dishonest to prospective students. Do you really think the admissions committee would have admitted him if they didn’t think he had a place in the University?</p>

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<p>What phuriku said. Almost all of the Econ majors here are ultimately going to seek jobs in the business or financial sector. CCIB, Metcalf internships, guest, etc. all help prepare a student for a job in the business world. Don’t post if you A) don’t know what you’re talking about and/or B) you can’t be objective and non-self-serving. </p>

<p>Ok, Ricky?</p>

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<p>

This is absolutely false. The OP said nothing about business vs. economics in terms of academic interests. He/she is only comparing UChicago econ and CMU business in terms of career placement in this thread. On those grounds, there is nothing lacking at UChicago. Recruitment prospects are probably stronger here, actually, especially for someone who gets involved in CCIB, Blue Chips etc.</p>

<p>

It happens.</p>

<p>

Things just got real. ;)</p>

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<p>Okay, I worded that very poorly. Obviously I’m not passing judgment on this student; he/she’s been accepted to at least two very strong universities, and will likely flourish at either. This, however, struck me (emphasis, naturally, mine):</p>

<p>

</p>

<p>If the appeal of Tepper is that it’s an actual business school, then, to me, that’s the decision. It sounds like this student is focusing on business, and would prefer to go somewhere where that’s the focus. UChicago has great job placement in econ, of course, but a preference for business is what I gleaned from these few paragraphs (in retrospect, an unfair assumption to make). What I said, however, sounded elitist and nasty, and I should have noticed that earlier.</p>

<p>Regardless, the very last thing I’d like to do here is start an incident, so I’ll just stay out of this particular conversation.</p>

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<p>I think some of you posters need to give others a little room. OxalisWombo is correct. Universities that offer an undergraduate business school is going to offer the opportunity to specialize a little more–and that may be appealing to them. For example, if you want to pursue marketing or accounting rather than say fiance or economics that are quite appealing to some of the big banks and consulting firms. U Chicago will limit you just a little bit. I think students who spend a little time on the web sites of the schools they are considering–looking at the details of the coursework and any specializations they might offer that matches career interests in something they can do on their own. And you need to that–I will give another example. At first glance, students may rule out Northwestern for the same reason–no undergraduate business school but a solid economics program–and like U Chicago–a great graduate school. However, if you dig a little at their course offerings in Econ–you will see some more specialized tracks–like one on Economics: Marketing, etc. etc. Whether one things some of the posters have another agenda regarding the reputation of a school for higher learning vs. a pre-professional bent–is a matter of convenience and understanding that many institutions my change a little over time, but many don’t really depart from their missions. Potential students need to do their homework about the schools they want to attend, visit the schools if they can and ask questions. I also find that many schools, department heads, admissions from the so called elite to the state level–are very responsive to questions–even tough questions. I am not on a soap box against the posters here–just be a little more considerate for those who do post–they are giving their time and trying to help. I like to hear from students–past and present. I am a 30 business vetern at the senior managment level–and I can tell you that cultures changes within business and what they look for in new employees right out of college as well. Sometimes it is the well rounded liberal arts educated type, and sometimes it is the very focused professional type with a specific set of skills and educational background. Hiring managers go in cycles and change with the times as well. For this particualar OP question, it obviously depends on what they want to study in business, how flexible a course selection they want–and maybe the type of work they want to someday pursue. Young people tend to change their mind–often. Both schools are highly regarded. Good luck.</p>

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<p>I see the points many of you are making. Thank you for your inputs!</p>

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<p>Wharton MBA chiming in.</p>

<p>It’s strictly my personal opinion. take it with a giant shovel of salt.</p>

<p>I always felt that business education is just vocational training. You really don’t learn anything that can’t be easily learned on the job with an exception of a few “how to” classes that requires more of a sit down time to learn the tricks (like accounting, etc).</p>

<p>Marketing courses you are taking at undergraduate business program and even at the top MBA programs are mostly useless, and if they do have some core stuff, it’s nothing more than what you can learn on the job plus a few well selected “courses” for short term non-degree professionals that business schools offer all over the place. I am saying this as someone who was involved in corporate level marketing at a couple of fortune 100 global behemoths. </p>

<p>By the way, I feel that same way for the MBA program even at places like Wharton. It’s more of a feather on the cap, and a shining line on the resume. It’s worth far more as a “seal of approval” and some networking opportunities than the education itself. As a hiring executive, I looked at the Harvard and Wharton MBA degrees more as “OK. you must be reasonably intelligent and disciplined”, NOT as “whoa, you must be very well educated”. Often, these programs feed so much BS to these young people, we (the hiring managers and executives) had to re-educate them in some ways - a long story and not relevant here. </p>

<p>From employment point of view, I would personally ALWAYS prefer an under graduate degree in something more solid. I am not saying that you should major math instead. If you major in economics (which is more of a REAL intellectual discipline than business major), you will NOT lose any ground in your employment competition vis a vis business majors, while you are getting far better education in terms of your thinking ability and more rigorous training.</p>

<p>Beside, you are 17. Do you REALLY know what you are going to major? My son was set for a certain major when he entered U Chicago. But, two years later, he is majoring something else though the end goal did not change, and he is so grateful that the transition has been so easy and so well accommodated from the admin point of view. </p>

<p>For an undergraduate education, I would always prefer overall quality of education at the school than a particular strength of a department, real or imagined. </p>

<p>That said, CMU is a great school - though I am obviously very please my son is at U Chicago.</p>

<p>So, take a deep breath. If not for the business program specific issues, which school would you choose? Just a food for thought…</p>

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<p>Thank you very much hyeonjlee. Its funny my older brother who got his BS at Wharton said something very similar to that of your comment. I’ve actually seen some of your other posts in other Uchicago threads…they have been very informative and helpful in my decision process…so thanks again for that!</p>

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<p>You are very welcome. You also have a very good attitude. I have always played a role as a mentor to promising young people in work place, and I look at two things when I pick my mentees: basic aptitude and attitude. It’s easy enough to find those with aptitude in prestigious work place. Attitude is another. I am looking at whether the person knows how to appreciate help when it is given. A very important qualification. Without it, you don’t create a network of supporters who can guide and help you. And, you need to know how to create that ecosystem of virtuous cycle. This is something I drilled into my two boys also: I am not going to be there all the time helping them. They need to present themselves as someone who is attractive in the eyes of potential mentors along the way, and the key qualification for that is to know how to show appreciation.</p>

<p>The fact that you stopped by to thank you tells me that you have that attitude. Keep it up. There are people who are in the position to help young people and draw pleasure doing that, but you have to know how to “incentivize” them for doing so.</p>

<p>Good luck with you choice. Both are good schools. My S1 is EXTREMELY happy at U Chicago. I don’t know much about CMU other than the fact that it’s known to be a very good school. I don’t think you will be disappointed either way.</p>