scollette wrote:
I am always a believer of going to the better school and better brand name. Although Duke is a good program/brand name, Booth is undoubtedly superior in almost any business related career path, even if you are set on the South. Go to Booth and dont look back.
Ayz, I'd caution you not to take this advice too seriously. As students from both Booth and Duke will tell you, it depends. If the companies you're interested in recruit at both schools (for the job you're interested in), I think it's a pretty reasonable decision to go to Duke and enjoy the savings. There are definitely some doors that will be open at Booth that won't be as easily opened at Duke, but that's only significant if A) you're interested in the job and B) you're qualified enough for the job to stand above your peers.
Given that you're still undecided on the exact career path you're interested in, you should try to identify the true differences between the schools. Just because someone says "Booth is undoubtedly superior in almost any business related career path," doesn't mean it's true.
I'd choose Booth over Duke if they were equally priced, but I'd have a hard time spending an extra $50-60k if I didn't know exactly how I was going to benefit from it. Keep in mind, cost of living is significantly higher in Chicago as well.