mable wrote:
I'm new to gmatclub and not sure if this is the best place to post this but I'm hoping to get some advice. I received a full-tuition scholarship to Rice and also a fellowship to Texas A&M (covers entire estimated cost of education plus an extra $4k so not just tuition). Does anyone have an opinion on which would be the better option? I'm interested in concentrating in finance. Do I take the Rice offer (I know they have a slightly higher starting salary) and incur about $40k in debt for living expenses/fees/insurance/etc over the 2 years or do I go to Texas A&M (Mays) and not pay a dime? Any feedback would be greatly appreciated. Also if this post would be more appropriately placed elsewhere, let me know. Thanks!
I would highly challenge the notion that you would incur $40k of non-educational debt at Rice. You say you won't "pay a dime" with a $4,000 stipend (at TAMU), but without such a stipend you will need $40k to live...in Houston? Not sure how that works.
Putting that issue aside, I would go with Rice over Mays. I am not sure why it is but Mays is just....weird. It is obviously well regarded from a rankings perspective but just does not get nearly the pub that Rice, SMU, and UT each receive. I think its location causes it to suffer. Houston recruiters have Rice in their own backyard, and the bigger names also go to UT (and I guess UH is in there somewhere as well). The same is true for Dallas but substitute SMU for Rice, and TCU/UTD et al for UH. No one has to go to College Station.
A&M's strength should be in the all-powerful Aggie network (which should not be underestimated, it is unparalleled), but they keep the program so small that the network power is greatly diminished. I'm sure there is also the perception by real aggie (those who went there for undergrad) hiring manager's that the MBA's don't share the same bond with those who got the full experience as undergrads.
That's just my impression of course. The advice is probably worth what you paid.