Recently, I got accepted to UC Davis MPAc program and Boston College MSA program. As I am an international student who is not an undergraduate in the US, I really don’t know which one is a better choice:
Seems BC is much higher ranked and I don't know why the ranking of UC Davis is getting worse and worse every year.
Is the accounting major in BC better than the one in UC Davis?
I am not accounting major when I was an undergraduate. The msa program in BC is near one year while the MPAc program in UCD is near two year. The choice is getting a job earlier or prepare more in school?
Boston College is definitely thought of as more prestigious, however, the UC system is good. Keep in mind that Boston College is significantly smaller than UC Davis (population wise).
I don’t know too much about Boston College, but I am familiar with UC Davis since I am from California. UC Davis is higher-up in the UC system- still under UCB, UCLA, and UCSD but it’s a good school nevertheless. Also, UC schools are cheaper than privates so if you want to save money I’d say UC Davis.
I think there are pluses and minuses to both schools, but for an international student, I’d recommend Boston College
It's older and architecturally more interesting
It's closer to a major city (Boston) and you'd be in one of the most academically exciting cities in the world: with Harvard, MIT, Boston University etc. it's a city that's teaming with students, cultural activities, big-time sports, concerts/restaurants/cafes etc.
The East Coast has this thing called public transportation. You can take buses and trains to NYC, Philadelphia, Washington DC and exciting destinations along the coast. It's much easier to explore; in California you pretty much have to have a car.
BC, being private and more focused on undergraduates, is likely to offer more services and a more supportive atmosphere because it's smaller.
Boston College for sure. Take the private education in a great city versus a resource stretched public UC in middle of nowhere. Close to the Bay Area, but around the school, nothing but a cute little town, but not much of one.
It’s easier to find a job in California if you’re going to school at Davis… But remember, there will be a lot of luck involved in getting a work visa. It’s basically a big lottery.
US immigration rules are tough. It is expected that you will return to your country after graduation from a US school. You cannot come to the US with the expectation that you will be given a work visa.
Employers have to seek out US citizens first, for any open positions. They have to declare that there are no US candidates for any open position before offering a position to a non-resident. That’s hard enough in itself. Even then, many employers don’t want the hassle of sponsoring non residents because of the time and money involved in sponsoring a non-resident.