Hello! I was graciously accepted into both UIUC’s gies college of business and USC marshall, and I would like advice on choosing which to attend. In regards to major, I applied as business undeclared to UIUC and accounting to USC, and I am leaning towards a career in financial technology, like Financial data science or similar. In regards to cost, my parents are willing to pay up to 10k per year, and I will undoubtedly work a job in order to minimize debt (approximating making about 10k a year to put towards nothing but college, in addition to my summer earnings and prior savings). I am unsure if I will even need to attend grad school or not because I am undecided on a career as of now. UIUC pros
MUCH closer to home (45 min drive) + in-state tuition
minimal to no debt
half off tuition (that is already subtracted from the 20k in the title)
I’d disagree that USC has a better alumni network than UIUC. And UIUC is cheaper so no need based aid can’t really be a con for UIUC. Where is the half off tuition at UIUC coming from?
Both great choices though. If it were my kid, I’d advise attending UIUC. Good luck with your decision.
You plan to drive 29 hours to get to USC?
Why would you do that? If you are on such a restricted budget that you have to drive to USC then it’s not worth it.
Our son was accepted into USC and he received half off of tuition, but we would’ve had to pay the other half of tuition (At that time we would pay about $37,000) plus another $25k (?) for room and board. Which was almost like paying another tuition at one of the other schools.
If you have to take out loans to attend USC, then there’s your answer. You can only take out loans that total $27,000 over four years.
California is very expensive. At one point you’re gonna have to get off campus housing and it’s not cheap.
My sister attended USC and she had to take an off-campus apartment because housing was limited. She was very good about sticking to the her budget, but there were times when we had to pony up money to help her out. She was on a scholarship and her part-time job didn’t cover some of her expenses there. My parents were low income so they tried to help as much as they could. We all worked and would send money to her.
What you might want to do in business may change over time. The difference ($15k per year) is not insignificant but not so significant and I do think there are some recruiters that may target USC that would be harder to break through at UIUC. For instance i-banking and consulting firms likely have USC on their target lists but may not for UIUC. It depends on what you want to do ultimately and for things like engineering or cs, I’d say it matters less. But for business, I would look at recruiters and companies hiring and go where they go (given the choice).
If you’re going to lean “tech” (programming, business analysis, etc) UIUC has the upper hand.
On the other hand, if you lean “business” (product management, analysis, etc), USC has an edge.
I agree that UIUC makes the most sense. I also believe you can have a much better experience there due to the USC cons you listed. They are not insignificant.
With UIUC you probably will be less stressed, allowing you to focus on what’s important. Ask yourself where you hope to be when you eventually receive your diploma.
I’m biased because both my kids are Gies grads. They had a great experience at U of I and I would say it exceeded their expectations.
Things to consider:
you don’t have to “go home” frequently yet you can if the need arises. We dropped our kids off in Aug and they didn’t come home until Thanksgiving. However on the bright side they were close enough where my husband and I could drive down, grab lunch with them, take them shopping if they needed anything (they didn’t have a car on campus right away) and then leave.
Talk with your parents before making your decision. Be sure to express any possible concerns you might have.
There’s a strong pipeline to Chicago jobs because of the strength of the UIUC brand instate. Does that mean you are limited post-graduation to Chicago? Of course not. But think about summer internships where you get to experience a large metropolitan city. If you’re in CA will you be more likely to stay out west? Maybe that appeals to you, maybe not. Just think about it.
Look at your incoming credits. Gies is selective. I know smart kids who didn’t get accepted. So I assume you have a strong academic record and will place out of a lot of classes. This was so helpful for my kids…especially when it came to studying abroad for a semester…which I highly recommend.
There are many opportunities available at the university for those who have the drive and determination. Don’t procrastinate wherever you go. I know at Gies a lot happens as students arrive on campus.
As stated your Ap credits will go much further. It’s affordable and has a great reputation. Forget about Alumni networks which both are strong. It’s only there if you take advantage of it. Be active on campus and do things to set yourself apart. Internships and job offers like that. Yes, it’s a pipeline to Chicago and their tech sector is growing. Look up 1871 in Chicago.