<p>hey guys, i am now kinda hesitating on which school to choose, i have just been admitted to the business schools of both USC and UMN as a transfer. i kinda prefer Marshall school of USC over Carlson school of the UMN mainly because of the ranking of these two business schools and the overall university ranking. but there are still a few issues on my mind
1, tho USC is a higher ranked school than UMN, USC is not the best school in the CA at all, u know, Stanford, Berkeley and CA Tech are apparently better than USC. but UMN is almost the dominating school in the whole mid-west area because of the lack of competitions. so i am wondering will it be harder for USC grads to find a job in the west because of stiff competition from grads from other top-ranked schools while easier for UMN grads to find a job in the mid-west?</p>
<p>2, i plan to apply for MBA program of a top-ranked business school like Berkeley after i graduate from college, which school's degree will weigh more? Marshall or Carlson? i think they are both well-recognized schools regardless of their small difference in rankings. so it's just hard for me to decide now.</p>
<p>3, as everyone knows, USC is so expensive and i dont have any scholarship because i am a transfer. do u think a USC degree is really worth the money i pay? </p>
<p>guys my deadline to accept UMN's admission offer is only a week away, which business school do u think is better in terms of academic reputation, job opportunity and degree weight? please please help me by posting comments below and i would really appreciate it!</p>
<ol>
<li><p>Job opportunities for undergraduates are primarily local/regional. Alumni networks are stronger the closer you are to your alma mater; therefore you really need to be asking yourself: Where do I want to work/live after graduation? Minnesota’s networking and recruiting will be strongest in the Mid-West, primarily Minneapolis/St. Paul and Chicago. USC will be strongest in Southern California. That doesn’t mean you can’t find a job in California with a Carlson degree, it just means that the USC grad will have more contacts to access. </p></li>
<li><p>Your logic of USC not being the best school in California and Minnesota dominating its region is flawed. The number of schools available has as much to do with population as any perceived academic differences. The total population of Minnesota (5 million) is approximately half that of Los Angeles (9.9 million), and 1/7 of the California population. More people = more schools = more opportunities.</p></li>
<li><p>MBA. I personally see little value to pursuing an MBA after studying business as an undergrad. You have just spent 4 years studying business now you’re going on to spend two more years studying the same subjects? What’s the point? There are those who disagree with this position so that will be up to you, but know that most of the top MBA programs strongly prefer work-experience in their applicants, so your idea of going on straight to graduate school may be difficult.</p></li>
<li><p>If USC worth it? How much more expensive is USC than Minnesota? Will you be happier more likely working in the mid-west initially after graduation than California? After spending all this money on undergrad, will you have sufficient resources for graduate school? These are questions only you can answer.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>I’m from up north (Wisconsin) and I applied to HYPS+Columbia+UM Carlson, and while I’m headed to Yale, I was really impressed by Carlson. </p>
<p>I actually think these two business schools are a couple of the most underrated in the country, personally, and that you’ll really enjoy either one. You’re absolutely right about the way UM carries prestige in Minnesota when it comes to making connections. Everywhere you go in Minnesota, you’ll meet someone who went/has a close family member/has a close friend who went to the U. But I think you also can’t count out that the prestige of USC’s Marshall is higher, so if you’re looking for a job in, say, New York, Marshall could get you farther than Carlson.</p>
<p>I was really impressed by what UM does with their entrepreneurial programs, but I can’t directly compare that to Marshall. If it were me, it would come down to cost. If you’re paying out of state tuition for Carlson and full price at Marshall, then just choose the one you like better. But if it were me, and I was choosing between IN-state at Carlson and full at Marshall, I’d pick Carlson.</p>
<p>The question is, can you afford USC? If you can afford USC, I would go there. But if not, I would go to Minnesota and spend the extra money on graduate school. There’s no point in going into debt for USC when you want to go on to get an MBA.</p>
<p>I’m trying to figure out how UMN can be the “dominating business school in the mid-west”? Newsweek has UMich ranked #4 (ahead of USC). According to Business Week UMN is ranked 67th. Did they suddenly vault over Notre Dame (#1), UMich (#8) or WashU (#13)? All of those plus Miami U and Indiana are above USC.</p>
<p>I agree with Vinceh that if you’re going to get an MBA anyway, why bother with a business undergrad. And Pierre has hit the most important question. What can you afford???</p>
<p>thanks Vinceh, your second point gave me much more confident on choosing USC, and your third point just gave me a new perspective on when to pursue a MBA degree, thanks!</p>
<p>thanks MSauce, yeah the strong networking power of the U within the mid-west is my main concern on whether to choose USC or UMN, but i guess USC also has a strong connection in the west? i am not sure, do u have any idea? or anyone else can tell me about this?</p>
<p>hey Pierre, thanks for commenting and i think i have the money( or my parents have the money) to pay for the tuition at USC, i am just trying to estimate the cost performance of the two schools. if there is not much difference in weight of degrees from these two schools, i guess i would choose UMN since it’s cheaper for me. and if USc does have a higher valued degree, i would go for USC regardless of the cost. so, what do u think?</p>
<p>hey Erin’s dad(well, interesting name haha), i am saying that UMN is dominating mainly because i live within the twin city and i kinda feel that business firms here prefer grads from the U. u r mainly talking the rankings of schools, and i think it is a different story when it comes to networking power. and more importantly, i am talking about the networking power within the mid-west. but if USC also has a strong connection in the west, it still would be my selection regardless of the expense. but thanks for your thoughts.</p>
<p>In this case, I would go to USC then. USC is definitely a more reputable school overall for business than Minnesota so I think it’s worth the price if you can afford it.</p>
<p>Carlson school is sooo selective over here…it’s really, really nice though. I think you’ll like it. Just pick one that you like better…or a location which seems nicer?</p>