NYU vs. Duke

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International Business development:
"Corporate world": you'd be involved in starting up operations or helping them grow in the international arena.
"Consulting": same, but from the consultant point of view, i.e. assisting your customers with such developments.

It can also involve the operational (rather than the financial) side of M&As, etc.

It fits almost every company trying to expand operations.

Hope it helps. L.

Economic Development can also mean grassroots community work. Think Grameen Bank - helping low income communities access economic opportunities and improve financial self-reliance.

This is the stuff I do, but my focus is domestic. Example: we help aspiring small business owners create business plans and access special micro-loans from the SBA (small biz admininstration). For people with disabilities, self-employment can be the best way to make your own accomodations. And in NYS, over 50% of job creation is through small business owners (defined as having fewer than 50 employees). Others use self-employment as a way to make ends meet when their existing jobs don't pay the bills.

EconGirl, what's your take?

And for what it's worth, I was totally psyched about CASE (center for the advancement of social enterprise) when I visited Duke.

Oz, I think that many companies/industries fit this description as lepium and aaudetat pointed out. Personally, I'd like to get at it through consulting, where a client would be a US company looking to do business abroad or vice versa, or a project would be funded by a gov't agency to help establish an industry in a developing country (US AID, for example, sponsors a lot of int'l development projects).

Now that it seems like it will be NYU or Duke for me I am having the hardest time choosing. I loved Duke when I visited, very tight community. NYU has the city though and I would love to live in New York for a couple of years, plus I would be closer to my family and friends from there.

It is not even clear to me which school has an advantage when it comes to rankings ?? BW places Duke above NYU but I think other rankings may place NYU above Duke. I wouldn't make a decision based on rankings alone but I wonder what will my future employers thing of the two schools...

UGH, why is everything so difficult!

Visited Stern and Duke...........R2 applicant yet to hear from them

I just love Duke.....people, Campus, low cost etc...i need the space and the college feeling...for the 2 important years ..

New york-location- Post-mba majority end up in NYC any way...

Two things to consider that might influence your decision:

1) Duke is younger than NYU and will almost certainly become a VERY prestigious program in a few more years, maybe even a top 5.

2) Duke has a better brand name as an institution.

I would opt for Duke because it shows a lot more promise as a program for the future. NYU seems to be stagnant in terms of growth and advancement. However, I am applied to Duke and am waiting a decision, so go to NYU and make sure to call Duke and tell them you will NOT be enrolling!

Just curious on why you think its almost inevitable that Duke will shoot in the top 5 soon. Basically, you think after H/S/W, Duke will be considered among Kellogg, Chicago, MIT, Columbia? Is it just cause they are young?

(I am a R2 applicant btw)

Duke was already ranked as high as #5 about 10 years ago, but fell back in the following rankings. I'm not sure it's a certainty they will shoot back up to #5.

I would not categorize Duke as a H/S/W. However, the program has created a very solid base and continues to rise in the rankings almost every year. They in the middle of expanding the facilities and have in the last 5-10 years have attracted some of the top faculty in nation. Duke (the university) has a large and deep alumni network. Also, the program offers a different platform than the aforementioned schools in your post. The closest you could equate it to is Kellogg, but that still is a stretch. In addition Dukes numbers (GMAT GPA ...etc.) have increased rapidly and are almost (if not already ) at the level of K/C/MIT/C. My assumption of Duke becoming a top solid 10 certainly will happen based on its rapid progression. In comparison to NYU, which is a much older program, I feel that Duke offers a much brighter future. Unless of course you want to go into finance and live in NYC the rest of your life then NYU is a great school. Duke just has a better nationally recognized brand name.

EconGirl,

What are the institutions that you are targeting? I think that NYU has a better known Econ program because it is the home of several Nobel laureates. My Dev Econ professor got his PhD from NYU--the late Leonard Leontief taught in one of his classes.

If you want to join IFC/WB, Asian Devt. Bank, or African Dev't Bank, I believe that a degree from NYU will carry more weight. However, that also depends on how you can get yourself an internship and your past work experience.

I have met several reps from IFC/WB, ADB, and USAID in the course of my work for the government in the Philippines. Be careful with the organization you join. Some of them might support projects that have graft and corruption written all over them. For example, IFC loaned the proponent of the new airport terminal in Manila which is under arbitration in two international courts and a local court.

BTW, Are you sure an MBA is the right degree for you? MPA or MA Econ might do the job as well...

Does anyone know where there are old rankings? Are there rankings available from say, the early 90's? I'd be curious to see how schools have moved around.

I believe BW lists rankings going back to 1990.

Cool I'll have to check those out, for some reason I've been using US News the entire time. Probably because the BW site is annoying the way it loads in multiple windows.

Econgirl, I think you would have a more rewarding time at Duke.

From what I hear, the atmosphere is great and teamwork is mandatory. Is NYU still somewhat of a cutthroat place? I heard that a couple of years ago they graded strictly on the bell curve and this led many of the students to work against each other.

Hopefully someone can backup or disprove my observations.

I heard the same about NYU. Very Cuttthroat. Unless you want to do finance in NYC, i'd choose Duke. Its seems it may be a much more freindly atmosphere at Duke and you'll probably make more friends. Plus it seems like it would be a much more enjoyable collegial experience, and I do believe it is up and coming in the rankings.. Please keep in mind that this is just what I heard from students that attended the respective schools, and not from personal experience.. I could be wrong..

jchip, I think you are right and a degree in econ. would also be applicable for these types of jobs. I opted for an MBA to keep my options open and because while i feel I have a good grip on econ. theory and methodologies, I really do want to learn accounting, finance, marketing etc.

Why do you think that a degree from NYU would carry more weight at these institutions? Is it because people associate it with NYU's better program in econ?

Also, Duke and NYU are similarly ranked programs in national rankings. Does anyone know where I can find regional rankings/is there such a thing? ... I plan on living in north east

Duke might as well be a NYC school. It has a very strong reputation in NYC, NJ, and CT. Obviously NYU is very strong in that area as well.