Ross V. Fuqua Assessment

Can't go wrong with either. I applied to Duke over Michigan because of location and the fact that my spouse will have no trouble finding jobs in RTP. Moreover, I will be able to work with RTP VC firms/startups during the second year. I know people at both schools who don't regret their decision in choosing one over the other.

???

Wouldn't he pick Duke over Michigan if he hated cold weather?

Yeah, I was wondering that as well. It's super cold in Michigan. Other than that, I would say that they are very similar in many many ways. This is a decision that should probably just come down to personal preference.

Sorry sorry. Reverse that.

I remember thinking back then, I would prefer Michigan b/c I prefer their basketball program (I was a fan of the fab five!). Now, it's a mess. Tommy Amaker finally got what was due. Sorry to digress

I had this discussion with a Ross 2nd year last week. He was facing the same decision and one factor that helped him decide was the interest rate on the loans. His reasoning was: well, this guys (the lenders) do this for a living, so they must know which school poses a lower risk. Now when I made my decision, I was getting prime rate +0% for Ross and prime rate + x for Duke (and a reduced amount - only covering tuition but not living expenses- for Darden). So he went with Ross.

I don't know what the situation is right now, but his reasoning could be some indication, although of average outcome and not specific careers. Additionally, I don't know if the rate being low is a result of the school backing the students or just a fair risk assessment.

Hope it helps. L.

Can you please elaborate a little on the construction taking place at Fuqua?

I can. They're adding an edition onto the existing buildings. This new "wing" faces Science Drive and has everything a great big mess. I believe -- but don't quote me -- that the new edition will mostly be for classroom space. I saw someone how many square feet it's going to add, and it's freaking huge. I don't remember where i saw that, though.

First, thank you to everyone who has responded. It appears that the difference is in details and that I am looking at a toss-up (or more specifically by personal preference). There was a comment concerning an edge in MC, which caught my attention as I am looking at that route. However, I do think that the elite schools are relatively even in this regard except for a select few ultra elites.
If I am off in this regard (Ross/Fuqua) competing for MC and Strat roles, please correct me.

As to the construction, I believe that (similar to Ross) the construction will also be completed for the 2008 class year. Unlike Ross, this is an addition so they have not moved the existing facilites to another facility.

alexanrl

Since they are so close, my advice is to quit worrying about which is better for management consulting, alumni network, etc.. Worry about where you're going to be happier and have a better experience. As everyone has said, you can't go wrong, so make sure you have a good time.

People worry too much over the optimal decision for academics and career implications.

That is really weird, the difference in loans between the schools. Was this an international candidate? I thought that all of the top schools guaranteed the loans for tuition and expenses for domestic students.

Also, shouldn't the rate be based on the credit worthiness of the individual? I think that if the rate is affected at all by a school in question, it would relate more to the payment records of past students and less on the perceived (however they do it) quality of each school.

pelihu, he was an international student without a US co-signer. No credit history in the Us whatsoever. So basically it seems the rates comes down to the deal the schools get with the lenders (in this case Citi). The caveat could be that one school may guarantee to a greater extent the student loans while the other may just engage the bank to make sure some sort of finance is available for internationals, without actually guaranteeing anything.

Additionally, what we discussed was from when he made his decision, i.e. about 2 years ago.

Cheers. L.