Hjort wrote:
It's funny how each time I speak to a Darden alum the words "boot camp" or "Parris Island" or something similar almost always come up. The issue of fit is essentially a matter of taste, some people will find this environment invigorating and others will find it completely unappealing.
What is a bigger concern for me with regard to Darden concerns output and location. Darden is a rather regional program, with limited placement power outside of the eastern seaboard. The location is quite remote, it is roughly 120 miles from Washington DC on state roads and quite a bit further if one takes the Interstates.
Of course, I strongly encourage everyone to visit the school and draw his/her own conclusions.
This message prompted me to get a better understanding of just how remote Charlottesville is. It really doesn't bother me how far it is from the next big city. It does concern me whether a school has access to flights to destinations that are important to me.
What I found is that there are no direct flights between Charlottesville and any of the San Francisco area airports (same with Cornell, Tuck & Duke). It seems that Charlottesville has the fewest number of flights with 1 stop as well.
Chicago seemed to be the best served (no surprise) and cheapest of any of the destinations I'm considering. New York also has a lot of direct flights and reasonable pricing. Philadelphia has good prices, but fewer direct flights. Detroit is also well served, especially from Oakland (my airport of choice).
So, I'm starting to think that Cornell might be a better choice as a school in this range (not as selective as others in the elite cluster) than Darden. How cold could it possibly get in Ithaca?
I'm definitely applying to Duke though - there's a lot less chance of snow there than any of the elite schools outside of California.