I have a chance to win a very large scholarship and I need help with my decision whether I win or don’t win this scholarship.
Scenario 1 (Don’t win the scholarship):
University of Iowa (Tippie) - $0 per year
University of Minnesota (Carlson) - $10,000 per year
Indiana University (Kelley) - $25,000 per year
Scenario 2 (Win the scholarship):
University of Iowa (Tippie) - $0 per year
University of Minnesota (Carlson) - $1,000 per year
Indiana University (Kelley) - $16,000 per year
Best to wait until you have the final cost of attendance at each school before deciding. What can your family comfortably (zero or minimal debt, no hardship) afford?
Is this just the tuition amount? Or total cost of attendance? Depending on where you live, will there be some costs associated with travel to/from school? Have you visited each and what did you like/dislike about them?
This really is a choice no one can make for you as we don’t really know your situation.
Or your preferences. Or your desired outcome/career choice.
But, if I were choosing, I’d pick IU for the stronger reputation and nicer campus. In my opinion.
I continue to believe Kelley would provide an advantage in certain industries and provide greater national recognition. Given some of your career aspirations it may not be relevant but my assessment remains in terms of Kelley affording you the greatest optionality upon graduation.
None, in my opinion, give you an advantage toward your career goal.
So if there are other factors that make you prefer one over another - then can you afford to get to that school ?
That’s it.
You are concerned with a U.S. News rank. For most roles that people take coming out of any undergrad b school, it doesn’t matter. That includes your goal.
Btw this is how US News ranks - popularity - nothing else. They are not saying who is better. Outcomes. Nope. Selectivity. Nope.
Good luck.
“U.S. News & World Report’s Best Undergraduate Business Programs rankings are based solely on the judgments of deans and senior faculty members at peer institutions who participated in a peer assessment survey.
In the spring and summer of 2024, U.S. News surveyed deans and senior faculty members at each of the 532 undergraduate business programs accredited by AACSB International. All 532 programs were ranked.”
At this point, you don’t have a decision to make. Wait until the scholarship outcome is known. Then look at the colleges, your net costs, and what each college has to offer you as a student.
Btw, peer assessment is not “popularity”. It’s probably more closely linked to reputation. But in the end, the best school (whatever metric used) that’s affordable would be my choice.
That’s popularity - because they’re simply deciding - Wharton is best. They’ve likely not studied anything to come to that assessment. Reputation, popularity - same thing in this regard - IMHO.
The other thing is there are different functional rankings - so for example, Michigan State and Arizona State are tops in Supply Chain, Arizona is near the tops in IS - and yet none of those schools would be high in the overall b school rank.
IMHO no school is going to give a student $25k x 4 yrs = $100k worth advantage in the job market just by name recognition. I suggest setting aside name recognition and ask where the OP would have the most stimulating learning environment.
Is the scholarship for 4 years guaranteed or only year 1 ? remember tuition and fees rise each year - does the scholarship also adjust?
I agree with others that it makes sense to wait until you have all the final numbers - then you can more accurately cost out the options and add in housing, travel, cost of living for each school.
What else needs to be said? Everything is hypothetical and the thread is going in circles. Ask again if and when you get a scholarship offer. Until that time, comments can be made in the OP’s other thread which was linked above. Closing.