University of Michigan vs. Boston College (CSOM)

College Majors Business Major
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<p>Rejected from my top choice (Georgetown), and waitlisted at my second choice (Stern). I applied preferred admission to Ross but I’ll likely get rejected. UMich and BC were two of the other schools among my top 5, however I’m having a difficult time deciding between them.</p>

<p>A little about myself: Liberal Asian-American male born/raised in Connecticut, aspiring to major in finance and go into corporate finance after graduation. Buddhist faith although not apparent at all. High income bracket (college finances/FA is NOT a concern). Attend a private boarding school (largely Caucasian, ~70% +). Huge pro/college basketball and football fan (although this is FAR from being a primary factor). Generally sociable guy but not huge on the party/greek life/frat scene</p>

<p>Now comparing the schools for personal pro’s and con’s:
Please keep in mind that I am out of state for both, so cost of attendance is essentially the same (50-55K).</p>

<p>University of Michigan:</p>

<p>Personal Pros:
-Ann-Arbor > Chestnut Hill
-Not religiously affiliated
-More diversity (international students, people of color) than BC simply based on sheer size
-Greater sense of ideological/social/political variety
-Recognized as the best school in the state, one of the best public schools in the country/world, and can hold a candle to the other elite Midwestern schools
-Really cannot beat Wolverine football. Basketball program is also solid.</p>

<p>Cons:
-Assuming I don't get into Ross pre-admit, I will have to apply to Ross after freshman year. It’s a competitive process (only ~30% admitted) and there is no guarantee that I’ll be accepted. Being rejected and having to study Econ+Poli Sci in LSA precludes me from exclusive business courses and Ross Career Services. This is probably the biggest factor that may prevent me from attending.
-Much further away from home than BC
-VERY big school, afraid of being lost in the masses
-Mostly in-state kids? Fear of not being able to assimilate
-Completely new/unfamiliar environment</p>

<p>Boston College:</p>

<p>Personal Pros:
-Admitted into Carroll, which I’ve heard is a very solid and well-recognized program with a great reputation in the Northeast (esp. Boston and New York where I want to find work eventually).
→Direct admission into the b-school means I won’t be missing out on opportunities that I wouldn’t enjoy if I were in CAS.
-Close to home, about a 2-hour drive
-Relatively familiar environment, so I know what to expect
-Solid football/basketball programs
-While Ann-Arbor > Chestnut Hill, I’d say Boston definitely beats out Detroit by a long shot
-My parents much rather prefer me going here due to geographical proximity and prospective job-security</p>

<p>Cons:
-Not too pumped about the whole Catholic affiliation
-Student body seems relatively homogenous, has a reputation of being a school for “preppy, wealthy, uniform, Catholic white kids from New England”
-Outshined by Harvard and MIT
-Wolverines > Eagles
-While Carroll is excellent, I think Ross is the superior program for my intended concentration</p>

<p>What do you guys think is the more suitable choice? I'll try to get off the wait-list for Stern, but I'll probably have to make a deposit to one of these two schools before I find out from NYU.</p>

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<p>Yes, Ross is very difficult to get into. I actually came to a crossroads as to whether or not to apply to UM-Ross, and my knowing that direct admit was nearly impossible definitely deterred me from apply there. </p>

<p>Admittedly, I’m biased because I am at BC, but the school is honestly fantastic. There are some downsides. Housing is a fiasco at best, and the bureaucracy overlain on BC is a bit oppressive at times. Those are the only real downsides in my opinion. As for CSOM, the amount of recruiting for pretty much every concentration (minus say HR and organizational studies) is phenomenal. As an accounting major, I have had many opportunities opened for me in the field. The four year program is also very nice, as you don’t have to worry about reapplying for the business school during your sophomore year and can get a great head start on your business studies. </p>

<p>As for the environment, yes, BC is pretty preppy. But, not in an exclusive way. Many people here laugh at the fact that BC is very preppy. It’s a true fact, but people do not attempt to conform to the “lax bro / stuck up” stereotype at BC. BC is big enough where “preppiness” cannot pervade the whole school. As for religion, yes, BC is Catholic. But, you can be as religiously active or inactive as you want to be on campus. On the whole, many people here label themselves as Christian but largely don’t practice their faith actively. </p>

<p>As far as location goes, Chestnut Hill is great. Ann Arbor is great too (I live 45 min from Ann Arbor). Ann Arbor is a true college town for UM. Boston, however, is a true college town for, I would say, close to 15 major colleges. Both are great, and really comes down to whether you prefer a big city college environment or a small city college environment.</p>

<p>Good luck</p>

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<p>Thanks trizz, it’s nice to hear someone assure that most of BC’s stereotypes are a little overblown.</p>

<p>I see that you are doing well with your accounting concentration. How is OCR for finance majors?</p>

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<p>Finance is probably the top program at CSOM with regards to job placement. I know that Barclays and Bank of America actively recruit here, and Goldman Sachs also recruits at BC. Boston and NYC are considered close to being, if not the top, financial services markets in the states, and BC has a firm presence in job placement for this market both because of the strength of the program and its proximity to Boston and NYC. Even in Boston public accounting, the answer to “what markets does your firm serve the most” remains constant: financial services.</p>

<p>On the flip side, Ross would have stellar placement as well. But, given your rejection at Georgetown and waitlist at NYU, Ross seems like a very large reach at this point. Direct admit to Ross is insanely difficult.</p>