Babson [$80k] vs Kelley [$22k]

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1

For better community input, please provide the below details about your college offers:

80.000 babson vs 22.000 Kelley

Babson first semester in London

We are Spanish, son speaks very good English

Maximum parent contribution per year.

Major/division admitted to at each college, if applicable to the college. Also, any special programs like honors programs or combined degree programs (e.g. BA/BS->MD).

If you applied to regular fall term start, specify if you were admitted to start at a different campus, in study abroad, in an online/distance or extension program, or other than in the fall term.

Desired major and post graduation goals (including if pre-med, pre-law, etc.).

If not a frosh admit finishing high school, indicate status (e.g. sophomore level transfer, junior level transfer, frosh after gap year(s)).

International or domestic student (and state of residency if domestic).

Student preferences beyond the above (including weather, class sizes, campus culture, college demographics, fraternities/sororities, distance from home, etc.).

Preliminary assessment of each college based on the above.

Why did you apply to each college you are considering?

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First is Babson affordable without parental loans?

Has you S visited either of these schools?

It sounds like he may be an international student. What are his career goals and where does he want to live after graduation?

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Is one option better known in your home country? The student cannot assume they will stay in the US after graduation?

Are both financially comfortable (no hardship, no loans)? Consider possible grad school as well.

Does the student have a preference? Very different schools.

How does the student feel about the first semester off campus? Is there a program to integrate students to college life mid-year?

4

Two of my very favorite UG business schools!

I know how strong Babson can be overseas. I also know that the majority of the spring scholars are full-pay. As @happy1 asked, how does IU compare in your region? What are you looking to study within business? Likely, if money is factor, you would be best taking IU. Worth unpacking the situation and happy to help you with Babson behind the scenes if there is anything I can do.

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After the $240K four year delta (if you can afford), do you want a traditional, large flagship with sports and greek life and all that - or do you want a smaller, focused school?

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These are both very good schools with very good business programs.

I know a very small number of people who would not care about the difference between $80,000 per year for four years versus $20,000 per year for four years. However, please note the “very small”. For the vast majority of us, this difference would matter.

Is your son (who I am assuming is the student) either a US citizen or a US permanent resident?

If so, then I will note that both of these schools are very good and very well known for their business programs. Either would provide an excellent education. Also, business is an area where some form of graduate degree, specifically an MBA, is at least entirely possible. In this case I would most likely save money for a possible MBA and go with IU Kelley (and plan on buying a very warm winter coat and good boots and mittens – these will be available locally).

If your son is not either a US citizen nor permanent resident, then you should assume that your son will need to return to your home country after graduation. In this case I do not know how well either of these schools are known in your home country, nor how businesses in your home country consider students who get their business degree in the USA. At least in principle I could see some advantage for example for an export-heavy company to have some employees who are familiar with the US, but I am not sure how this will actually work out in any specific case.

Mostly…

Exactly! These are both very good programs.

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For us the delta matters 60k a year is a lot!!! We are thinking if it’s really worth the difference.

Babson hasnt given my son any help!

He plays basketball and Kelley is also too good in basketball for him to join. Babson is tier 3 in basketball so he most probably will be able to join the team

He is an international student yes, he’a studied one year in England.

My questions is more, reputationally and future carrier office, is Babson better that Kelley?

Thanks so much in advance!

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Thabks for your help.

We would not have any doubts if Babson has granted my son some aid, because he’a got help in so many Unis in the US.

It’s difficult to decide

9

Kelley will offer you everything that Babson does. Babson is known for entrepreneurship courses which are also available via Kelley. Commit to Kelley and be happy.

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Do you mean he’s been recruited to the Babson basketball team ? It’s unlikely he could join if not.

I’m curious what scholarship you won as an International to get Kelley at $22k. That’s an unheard of price for a non Indiana resident.

Babson notes only a small amount of internationals get a need scholarship. I don’t know if you have need. Overall only aboot 1/3 get need based data making it a wealthy kids school. Only 27 of 625 got merit.

So you shouldn’t expect help - and shouldn’t have when you applied.

I don’t think there’s a question here.
Best of luck and go Hoosiers.

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If Babson would be a financial burden, I would not hesitate to accept the offer at Kelley.
Agree that the student should not expect they can walk on to a D3 basketball team. IU may have some club/intermural level teams if interested.

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A lot means different things to different people. But, if you have to take out loans and/or it impacts the parents’ ability to save for retirement, then choose Kelley.

About basketball…IU may have club basketball (play other colleges, typically everything paid by the team members…but it’s not clear to me that male club basketball is happening, so he should reach out to the email on that link) and intramural basketball (play vs. other IU student teams.)

If your S hasn’t talked with the Babson basketball coach he needs to do that ASAP. He should send highlight film and basketball stats. The coach doesn’t take many walk-ons, and it is far from a given that anyone can walk on to any of Babson’s varsity teams.

He can likely achieve his goals from either school. In the big picture, it is unlikely he will remain in the US after his OPT time is up post-grad (typically either one or three years, depending on major.) Many US finance companies will not hire international students for internships or entry level roles, so that’s something to think about. He needs work experience during college…where is he going to get that considering the student visa work limitations?

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I agree with this. IU very likely has at least intramural basketball teams. And there are likely pick up games happening as well for fun.

If your son was not a recruited athlete at Babson, it’s not going to be a guarantee that he will be able to play on their D3 team. Plus…I hate to say this…are you willing to pay that much extra so he can play basketball in college.

I would have him contact UI, and ask about options for students NOT Ont he D1 team to play basket ball.

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Reality Check - VERY unlikely OP can walk-on to the 25/26 NEWMAC Champion Basketball Team. That should not be part of consideration, and since I know the coach, when people say he implied that - they are just hearing what they want to hear.

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For people who need to know, such as anyone who hires people with a degree in business, these two business programs are both very well known and they are both very good. You are comparing excellent versus excellent.

However, if you are not from the US, then you should not expect to be allowed to stay in the US after graduation. Immigration is a political issue in the US, and “rational thought” and “politics” are not closely linked here (nor probably anywhere else). International students who graduate from university in the US are required to leave after graduation. In fact, if when applying for a student visa you say “I intend to stay in the US after graduation” that is a reason for the student visa to be rejected.

One thing that might be worth mentioning: In the US there are a huge number (hundreds) of very good universities. In many, many cases the reputation of specific universities varies a lot depending upon what your major is. The most blatant example of this that I personally know about is in veterinary medicine, where the #1 program in North America occurs at a university that is ranked somewhere around about 60 overall (UC Davis), and either the #2 or #3 program in North America occurs at a university that is ranked somewhere in the 130 to 150 range overall (Colorado State). The other of the top 3 programs in the US does occur at a university that is highly ranked overall (Cornell). However, anyone who is going to hire a veterinarian knows how strong all of these schools are for veterinary medicine. Something similar occurs in many other fields, where the top universities for any particular specialty is not necessarily super highly ranked overall. Specifically for business, Babson and IU Kelley are both very highly ranked and respected and excellent specifically for business.

In this case I would save my money, and go to the far less expensive of two excellent programs.

And your son has done something very well to get these two excellent offers and to get the excellent financial offer from IU Kelley.

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I have read only up to this point. Both are very different top flight school’s. But finances matter. With that delta is the difference worth it. No. There I said it. He is very fortunate since he can /will be successful at either school. Unless I am missing something congratulations on his acceptance to Indiana. BTW, if he hasn’t heard. They are now good at sports. Lol. My friends daughter is there the last 3 year’s and thinks this is normal. Lol

It’s also a fantastic campus.

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But can he make his three’s consistently? Lol :basketball:

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Personally I can’t think of any American school worth $80k. That’s why my kids had a $50k budget and never would have considered Babson of business was their interest.

That said, money is very personal.
If you can afford it, then you can choose to spend it.

If you can’t afford it, then you can’t spend it.

You are lucky IU, a top b school, is the alternative - but even if it was Oklahoma or Arizona instead of IU, or you name it, you still shouldn’t spend what you can’t afford.

And college isn’t linear by rank - some kids at lower ranked schools will outperform vs higher rank etc. For example, Alabama marketing grads earn higher salaries out of school than IU grads. Interestingly, Branson doesn’t publish by major but rather by industry. So it’s tricky to compare.

But you are not staying in the U.S. most likely so you’re headed home where salaries are even lower.

And in the end, you note that you can only afford one.

I am interested to learn how you got IU at $22k.

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Your son’s long-term career success is determined 95% by him, and 5% — if that – by the school he attends. Keep the $240k in your own pocket.

My two cents.

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I will put it more plainly (my opinions of course) - Kelley is a more traditional / bigger business school and is better, even at equal cost, for most careers (finance, consulting, accounting etc.)

Babson is a small school uniquely focused on entrepreneurship, but that is the one area that doesn’t really translate tangibly to employment outcomes with existing companies. Kelley has programs like IU Innovates that provides cross-disciplinary resources into STEM or humanities that a specialized school like Babson cannot provide.

I would only take up that 80k if it was Harvard or UPenn Wharton. If not, take Kelley at 22k - that is an amazing deal.