Gabelli SB Fordham vs Wisconsin SB UWM

Full disclosure: I am an alumnus of the University of Wisconsin.

  • The B schools are both very good.

  • I think UW is a little stronger overall academically, and probably half (maybe more) of your son’s classes won’t be in his major. UW was an original member of the AAU in 1900 and is among the top public research universities in the US. The faculty is outstanding and the curriculum helps to ensure a broad education, while still allowing the student to drill down into their major. The campus is nice, with some green spaces, lakes… and also urban concrete. The students tend to have a great deal of fun, whether socially at parties, checking out State Street and the capitol, hiking or boating on/around one of the lakes, or cheering on the Badgers. (there is a large sports scene at Wisconsin – football, basketball, and hockey games are a blast). It’s a wonderful place.

  • However, as others have noted, Fordham’s location in NYC means that your son would have more practical internship opportunities in his own back yard. And NYC has many opportunities for fun and cultural enrichment, obviously.

In sum: in terms of overall education, I’d give UW the slight edge. But in terms of internships, it’s hard to beat NYC. The experience itself is the other fit variable that is important: “midwest nice” with lakes and trees and concrete (a real mix), or the more – the ultimate – urban setting of New York City? Are rah-rah sports and campus party scene important? What is the COA per annum for each?

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