My son is looking to revise his shortlist of undergraduate business schools to consider based on his stats and interests.
He has visited small, medium and large schools in the Midwest and feels comfortable with any size, but he strongly prefers schools with a collaborative environment where even larger schools feel “smaller” through the ability to form meaningful personal connections via clubs, business orgs / frats, and/or direct relationships with professors or advisors. Looking for programs / departments with abundant hands-on learning and work experiences and strong ties to industry for networking, internships and recruitment.
Demographics
Residence: Chicago, IL
High School: College Prep (rated 2nd best HS in the state; all honors classes, 5 APs)
Gender / Race / Ethnicity: Male / White
Intended Major: Business, with focus in finance, marketing, and/or analytics
GPA, Rank, and Test Scores
Unweighted HS GPA: 3.6
Weighted HS GPA: 4.5
Class Rank: not ranked
ACT / SAT Scores: 33 / 1410
Extracurriculars / Relevant Experience
President of high school media team (member all 4 years, president for 2)
President of high school aquarium club (member all 4 years, president for 2)
Tech Crew analyst for high school technology department (all 4 years)
Business-focused summer camp at Miami University (this summer)
Volunteer work with high school community service club, Feed My Starving Children, local food pantry
Cost Constraints / Budget
Will likely not qualify for financial aid
Prefer school where COA with merit will commensurate with state school options (~35K), but open to paying more if fit and experience / opportunities warrant consideration
Schools
Size: No preference.
Location: Preference for midwest (currently wanting to work in Chicago after graduation), but open to eastern if opportunity and fit is right.
Planning to apply EA to all schools that make his final list to maximize any chance of merit and/or honors opportunities.
Initial Shortlist:
Safety
Miami University - Farmer
Match
Indiana University - Kelley
University of Illinois - Gies
University of Minnesota - Carlson
Reach
University of Michigan - Ross
Washington University - Olin
University of Richmond - Robins
Miami University (Ohio) is currently “the school to beat” in his mind. He likes it, it seems he will easily be accepted and get decent merit-based aid, and despite somewhat lower rankings in recent years it still seems well-regarded in the industry, particularly in the midwest. I just want to be sure he doesn’t overlook other options before he applies this fall.
Dumb question -but maybe it will bump the thread! The names after the schools – are those schools within the college/university? (I thought Miami was in Oxford -so I’m guessing it is schools within the college.)
I’ve heard great things about Miami University - your son is right - it is the school to beat.
For the larger schools are you looking at honors programs?
I think Kelley - if the transcript shows a 4.5, is a safety.
But near zero chance of getting to $35K - which then makes it a reach. And to get to your $$ a high reach.
Same with UM.
WUSTL and U of Richmond you’d need to run the net price calculator.
Ohio State could be another - not sure you could get to $35K. Michigan State too.
What “discipline” - if he knows - and obviously a Miami is different than an IU - which is huge - the B school alone.
You might add the Iowa schools and Kansas Schools. Iowa State and KU for sure - might come in budget. Mizzou too.
In the end, you can apply to an IU, etc. but it’s 99% likely time wasting, etc. But as long as you have the assured school - which for you would be Southern Illinois as UIUC Gies is not a safety and there’s no assurance you get to cost at Miami…so you need that too.
33 ACT is usually listed as concordance to 1460 SAT.
Miami University (Ohio) lists billed costs of $57.5k (not including books, travel, misc.) and maximum GPA-based merit of $15k for out-of-state students, which leaves $42.5k + books, travel, misc. costs as the net price. Is it a school that you are willing to stretch the budget significantly beyond $35k? If not, then it is not a safety.
Indiana and Minnesota are probably reaches for the needed merit scholarships, unless you are willing to pay significantly more than $35k for them.
Yes - we understand merit will be minimal to none at the reaches. I’m curious to hear impressions from others on both chances for the reaches and whether to consider them at all. We are able to pay more if warranted. Questioning whether it makes sense to do so…
You reaches will be much more expensive than a UIUC or Indiana. Just my opinion: not worth the higher cost.
You should also add another safety than is fully within budget. I know several in state kids with better stats that were rejected from UIUC-Gies and are attending UIUC for their second choice majors.
We had heard that there was likely no merit for a Chicagoan with his stats, and we can’t see paying the full amount for UW Madison over Miami with merit (and likely qualifies for Indiana Kelley direct admit as a backup consideration). Thoughts?
Susquehanna has a business school and an honors program, if he shows interest it’s a safety for academics and highly likely in-budget.
What about UCincinnati? Apply by the Honors&Cincinatus deadline, hopefully compete for honors within honors (business). UCincinnati would be a likely but for honors&Cincinatus a match (50-50).
UIowa is another near safety. Calculate your Regents Academic Index and if you hit 265+ it’s a safety. Direct Admit for your stats and you can apply to business merit scholarships.
There are some good scholarships at Miami University (Ohio) (edited to link the right college). Be sure to look at those as they are merit based. As a side note: The school is on my daughter’s list as well – I wouldn’t have thought we would qualify for need-based aid, but we do. Be sure to run the calculators.
