lscannond wrote:
I was fortunate enough to be accepted at Northwestern, Dartmouth, and Duke a couple of weeks ago.
My background consists of serving in the Air Force for eight years in operations. I am seeking to transition into services management in the Health Sector. I will be eligible for the GI Bill and Yellow Ribbon Program. This will ensure that cost does not factor into the decision being made since all three schools offer packages totaling upwards of $45K per year. As such, I am torn between which school to select.
Northwestern:
- Pros: Most recognized school on the list, excellent proximity to industry, large alumni network and veterans network, numerous opportunities for spouse's career, best options for change of focus should I choose to pursue health consulting rather than management.
- Cons: Chicago can be quite cold and dreary, older facilities that aren't as conducive to learning, fear of getting "lost in the crowd" with such a large student body.
Dartmouth:
- Pros: Loved the visit there with my spouse, excellent community and extra-curriculars to augment course of study, MBA/MPP program should I choose to pursue non-profit healthcare, small class size, smaller but passionate alumni network, excellent outdoor activities.
- Cons: Remote location makes recruiting more difficult for a career changer, spouse could struggle to find position as Physician Assistant (PA), can be as dreary as Evanston in the winter, apprehensiveness to location in general having never lived in a rural setting.
Duke:
Pros: Health Sector Management program is the largest in the country, coming from Texas weather the atmosphere and city size are both comfortable for me, cheaper cost of living than other locations, excellent employment opportunities for spouse throughout research triangle, Duke athletics (basketball, football, etc), found everyone to be incredibly sincere and friendly during visit.
Cons: Lacks the prestige of Kellogg/Tuck concerning other areas of study if I change my career path, geographically separated from family making the adjustment more difficult on spouse.
I think I already know what direction I will choose, but I thought I would see what others would recommend prior to finalizing my decision. Thanks for your time.
All three are great schools, and the fact that cost is not in the equation is a great starting point after your MBA.
You already did great research on the perceived differences between the schools. I would recommend that you take time to list YOUR priorities. Rank and weight YOUR priorities -- the important things to YOU. I can see you are the type of person who listen to other’s opinions, but make the ultimate choice based on your own thoughts. School choice is very personal decision; no one has the same priorities. No matter which school you choose, you are in the great position that all of these schools will get you where you want to be post-MBA.
After you have a prioritization list, follow bb’s advice and go to the admit weekends with your spouse. Make sure to get in touch with the organizations that can answer lingering questions on your prioritization list, be it career, veteran support, partner support, or student life. After the conversations, stack the schools up based on your priority list. Then make the decision, and don’t look back.
Enjoy your next 2 years!