Hey everyone! I’m an international senior that is being recruited by these schools. All of them gave me an offer, and I’m currently deciding where I will go. I want to major in economics and work right after getting the Bachelor’s. Help me pls to choose one of these colleges.
location:
Bates: in comparison to S and K, location wise Bates is located in a bigger city with population 40k and a 40 min drive from Portland(70k)
Kenyon: as far as I know it’s located in a town where there is only on major shop and an hour drive from Coilumbus, OH(1 mln)
Skidmore: 30 min away from Albany(100k)
Internship opportunities:
As all of these colleges are located in not big cities, in order to get an internship I would need to travel to cities such as Boston or NYC.
Bates: 40 minutes to Portland International Jetport. Flight to Boston ~1 hour, to NYC ~1.5 hours.
Kenyon: 1 hour to John Glenn Columbus International Airport. Flight to Boston ~2 hours, to NYC ~1.5 hours.
Skidmore: 35 minutes to Albany International Airport. Flight to Boston ~1 hour, to NYC ~1 hour.
could you help me choose a school by providing info regarding the recognition, networking, and ranking in econ. All of these schools are really great in econ afaik, but maybe I miss something. And maybe I forgot to have smth in mind. Thanks!
I don’t think you should be thinking about internships during the school year. Bates may have the strongest alumni network in economics and it has a good department. The short term at the end of the year is nice. That’d be my choice, but no bad options!
You may want look at the academic calendar and your sport’s calendar as well as plotting out a 4 year plan of study, taking into account both distribution requirements and those for a major. It may help you choose.
Most students work in the summers and internships can happen anywhere. Be aware though that it’s very difficult for international students to get work visas and many companies are not hiring international students. I would recommend talking to each school’s office for international students and ask about job supports and how many international students have been placed this past summer. Also make sure you budget for your living costs while doing your internships.
When saying that Bates would be your choice, have you taken into account the cities they are located in? I mean, overall, what’s your opinion on where they are located? And do you think that Bates have the strongest recognition among these three schools?
All of these schools are bit remote, but it’s not hard to get to Portland or Boston from Bates. There are things going on at both. And if you like outdoor sports, Maine is a dream! My family includes several graduates of the Maine schools, and they all loved the location. But that’s a preference you may or may not share.
This analysis will help you compare your choices by faculty scholarship in economics:
Beyond this analysis, however, I’d recommend you consider the general attributes of your three choices in making your decision. Skidmore and Kenyon each offer a creative mix of students that might enliven your college experience, for example. And Bates’ city of Lewiston has had its problems.
I have a kid at Bates who loves it, and who is part of a circle of friends who are very happy there (they’re not athletes, though). So I can endorse it on that front. As to internships, no, you’ll not be limited to Boston or NYC. In fact, if you have an internship during the school year, it definitely won’t be that far away. Internships can happen anywhere, and Bates has a pretty robust career services office and a good reputation for helping students find positions. I know that many students have stuck around in the summer for internships in econ/finance with Maine companies, but of course in the summer you’d have a lot more geographic latitude. However, I don’t know how your student visa would affect your ability to get internships in the US – it would be worth checking that out.
Based on what you say, I’d consider Bates and Skidmore over Kenyon.
Skidmore is located in Saratoga Springs, which is a lively tourist town, so while there may not be company headquarters it’s a good spot to be in, at the only time you’re allowed to have an internship off campus aka Spring/Summer (remember that as of now CPT is deducted from OPT though, so realistically you may only have one off campus over 4 years and the rest on campus over the summer).
Bates does have a very strong presence both in Portland and in New England in addition to Lewiston so it may be stronger for what you’re looking for.
Most importantly look into what SEVIS/USCIS category their Economics major is listed, because of the STEM-OPT list *as of now*. If it’s not clear, ask. As of now because everything is being upended for international students.. OPT may disappear or you may have to return to your home country right after graduation/OPT, etc. Things are extremely unpredictable.
What country are you from? (Some countries are under restrictions or have been announced as being reviewed…)
Was there a coach or teammate you jived best with ? Are costs the same and affordable to you?
Are you European ? You keep noting NYC and Boston. Is that for flights home ? All three will be similar with short flights to hubs
As others noted, you’ll intern in the summers - especially with sports. Most intern then anyway . And as an international, less likely to happen in the U.S. Same with work. And we are heading into a tougher economy.
You might talk to career services and find out how their econ grads do from each plus how internationals fare and what type of support they offer. I put career data below from each but of course the LACs are typically not transparent although Skidmore does provide salary ranges which is nice (if you can tie to major). So ask for more - your situation is unique vs most as an international.
Personally, I think all three are fine. Kenyon seems to have a perception of a humanities paradise.
Yet according to niche, Econ is the second most popular, with other social sciences #: and 4. Skidmore shows the least amount of Econ majors but their business major is tops at the school. Again, all third party.
