My son is considering these two schools; he wants to study economics and to eventually get an MBA. At U of R, he is thinking of majoring in financial economics. I realize we are comparing apples and oranges. Here are the issues we are grappling with:
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How much less accessible are professors at U of R given that they have PhD students and ambitious research programs (more so than at Vassar, presumably)
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Looking at the schedule of classes for U of R, it looks like the core Econ courses for the first two years are taught in large sections of 70-100+ students, while upper-level courses are smaller but generally in the 20-70 range. To what extent does this imply that there is not much in the way of questions from students during lectures?
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Is there really scope for economics students to do research with professors at U of R?
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How good are the undergraduate course offerings in business at U of R? He might take a few of these courses.
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How helpful is the career center at U of R?
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The weather is cold in both places (we are in Maryland) but is the winter “gloom” much worse in Rochester? I see that it snows more in Rochester than in Poughkeepsie.
Thanks in advance for your input.
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Well done to your son.
I am a Vassar alum with an MBA so I might be able to help with some information about VC. You get a huge amount of attention from excellent professors at Vassar due to the smaller class sizes and that was instrumental for me to get through econometrics. Several of my fellow Econ majors went to some of the top business schools and now hold impressive jobs (for example Mitchell Truitt, co-CEO of Apax Partners and Lisa Wardell - the only Black female CEO in the S&P 400). Vassar also has a truly global network that I have benefited from in both Cairo and Copenhagen.
Closer to home, Poughkeepsie lies well outside NY’s snow belt and Vassar has one of the most beautiful campuses in the United States.
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@nidoite, do either you or your son already have a favorite? if so, do they align? I notice that all of your questions are about UofR, not about UofR vs V, which makes me wonder if there is a ‘right’ answer already?!
Good question! I realized that my questions were very lopsided. I think my son and I appreciate the pros and cons of each institution. I am very familiar with the SLAC environment since I attended one and am biased in favor of small colleges because of the faculty emphasis on undergraduate teaching and mentoring. I feel like I already have a good sense of what the Vassar experience would be like (though I might be wrong!). I have much less of a feel for what the educational experience is like at Rochester. What I did miss at the SLAC I attended was the breadth of course offerings available at a mid-size university like U of R; that is a big plus in its favor.
are visits possible? Vassar is 1/2 the size of UofR, and imo has a strong ‘campus culture’ that suits some students, but not others. Fit can trump all of the more ‘objective’ variables!
Are finances not at issue? If so, what are the comparable costs.
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btw - the MBA - it doesn’t matter where you go - it matters what you do afterward because no real school will take you without two years of work experience.
You can look at the top schools and where students come from and you’ll see Boise State and South Dakota State and Alaska Anchorage.
Find the right school for you, get work experience, and then a great GMAT and then worry about grad school.
But also remember, many students start with one interest and then change to another when they realize their initial thought turned out incorrect.
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@collegemom3717 Vassar is allowing driving tours through campus but visitors are not allowed to leave their cars. We plan to drive up for a day trip during the week to try to get a sense of the campus culture. My son has also been contacting current students to talk to them. Fit is a concern.
@tsbna44 The financial aid packages are very similar and both are affordable, fortunately.
@tsbna44 Good points, thanks. He could well change direction. Given his interests and aptitudes, it’s very unlikely that engineering would appeal to him. If that were a possibility, U of R would be the clear choice. (I know that Vassar has a dual degree program with Dartmouth for engineering but that’s a “complicated” path to an engineering degree.)
Business is like law - any path works. Chem major? Go get an MBA. Econ? Get an MBA. Theatre? Get an MBA.
There may be pre-reqs to get - but I will tell you, you have a better chance, after two years work experience, of getting into a top school without a business related undergrad. Why? Diversity - they have plenty of business majors.
It’s like law school - everyone goes for poli sci. Think they’d like something different? hmmmmm. yeah.
Let him study what he enjoys; don’t force him into a box. Example - if he decided earth science was for him - great. Go get a job doing whatever that’s earth science related…get an MBA.
In other words, if he wants to study econ, it’s great. But if he’s only doing so for planning out the next ten years, it’s totally unnecessary.
@tsbna44 Agree entirely. He is calling the shots on what to study. Have pointed out that an undergrad business degree is not necessary or desirable to get an MBA down the road.