Villanova vs. Ohio State

College Search & Selection
1

<p>I am a senior who has been accepted into both of these schools, and their business schools, and I am having a difficult time making a decision. My ability to pay for school and graduate with the least amount of debt, especially if I want to pursue an MBA later in life, is one of my top concerns since I like both schools. I have a 34 on my ACT, and I am a resident of Ohio, so Ohio State is cheaper. Tuition plus room and board is about 21,000, and I received 6,000 a year for a merit based scholarship. At Villanova, which is a total of 58,000 approximately, I received 32,000 in grant aid. I also could option to live in a triple my freshman year, saving 2,000. I also am eligible for 3,000 of Federal Work Study at Villanova. This would equate to around 6,000 more a year than Ohio State before out of pocket and loans. I am appealing my financial aid package at Villanova, but I doubt I will get much more if any at all. Also, I have been admitted to Ohio State Honors, but I can't apply for Villanova honors until June or July, and I may not be able to get in. Unfortunately, I was wait-listed by my dream school of Notre Dame, and I am not counting on a phone call from them. That being said, I have a few questions. </p>

<p>How much better is Villanova's Business School than the Fisher College of Business?
Both are good schools, but I want to know if Villanova truly has an advantage thanks to its smaller size and smarter students. Also keep in mind that I want to study finance. </p>

<p>Is a Villanova business degree nationally regarded?
Most graduates stay in the Northeast (my least favorite place in the country), and I was wondering if the school could land jobs in the Midwest or the South. It is known for being regional, I just hope it isn't too regional. </p>

<p>Will Villanova suck you in with bloated first year grants?
I understand that I may lose a tiny bit of my grant, especially when my older brother graduates and I'm the only student in the household. I could handle maybe a grand or two, but if I lose a few thousand I may be forced to transfer. </p>

<p>Lastly I want to detail my financial situation. My family is fairly well off, yet my parents are divorced, which as anyone who has been through that knows it strains finances significantly. I'm only expecting 4,000 a year from my parents, although my father is trying to find a way to get a little more. Also, he will be able to give me more money in a couple of years do to certain personal circumstances, yet my grant could then go down. Because my financial package from VU is a grant, I am not planning on more than 4,000 a year, because my parents may have to cover the amount I lose in my grant in future years. I plan to contribute 3,000 a year myself, separate of the 3,000 from FWS. I'm also eligible for 5,500 in federal loans, and an extra 1,000 from a Perkins loan if I choose. Lastly, I have 13,500 in my college account which my parents thankfully started when I was young. So I'll demonstrate an example of what my first year of finances may look like at VU.
58,000-32,000=26,000
-2000=24,000 (triple dorm)
-3000=21,000 (FWS)
-7000=14,000 (Total out of pocket from my parents and myself)
-5,500=8,500 (Federal loans which I will have to pay back, also eligible for 1,000 Perkins)
-8500=0 (out of account, leaving 5000)</p>

<p>So what do you think?</p>

2

<p>Before you mentioned it, I did not realize that Villanova’s business school is more highly regarded than Fisher at Ohio State. Yet, Businessweek rates Villanova at #15 and OSU at #34.</p>

<p>Is it worth the extra cost in student loans to go to Villanova? Probably not, since you are not really interested in living in the NE.</p>

<p>Also, if you truly want to earn an MBA, then that will make your undergraduate education irrelevant. The Fisher College is a very good B-school, and will certainly prepare you well for an MBA almost anywhere.</p>

<p>Nonetheless, you seem to prefer Villanova. So, I would wait until you have to commit. Don’t make a decision until you have to. Perhaps something will change.</p>

<p>This is a tough choice, but I would probably recommend OSU given what you have said.</p>

3

<p>Thank you for the advice. I do really like Villanova’s smaller size and more individual focus, but I have nothing against Ohio State. I just want to ensure that I can get a good enough undergraduate education that I can get into a highly regarded MBA program. </p>

4

<p>Be aware that getting into an MBA will not rely on your undergraduate education. It’ll rely on your grades (and you’d be better off NOT majoring in business if you want a highly regarded MBA since these tend to prefer liberal arts majors or STEM majors) but mostly on your professional experience. The MBA isn’t a continuation of college but rather an opportunity to develop professional skills for which you’ve shown aptitude during your first job. You need a minimu of 2-3 years work before you can apply to an MBA. Of course, that job will be obtained thanks to a high GPA and internships so your undergraduate education works at that level but the name of your school won’t be a primary factor at all.</p>