Which school? Austin Vs.Purdue with tuition waiver

Question

Which school should I attend? Austin or Purdue with tuition waiver? My background is years of accounting work, US CPA, plan to work in corporate finance after school. 
 
I like Austin better. But since Purdue gave me tuition waiver, I may choose Purdue but its ranking drop a lot this year...
 
Which school should I choose? What do you think Purdue's reputation compared with Austin's?
 
Many thanks!!!!!!!

CerealsMBA · Answer

Hi,

I don't know much aout Austin, but I have a few friends who went to Purdue and here is what I know:
+ Purdue is top notch in HR and operations (I believe because of the engineering program that gives it this reputation)
+ The school has a very good reputation in the Midwest (think location, and where you want to work)
+ The facilities are absolutely great
- West Lafayette, unless you are fascinated by corn, can quickly become boring
-+ Not a pure finance school, but two of my friends who went there are working for HSBC and ML, in corp finance

So here is my average Cereals' take. And do not base your choice on the rankings, they do not mean much and change all the time.

If Austin is your choice though, try to leverage Purdue's offer to get at least a scholarship...

Good Luck,
C

Rubashov1 · Answer

I would choose Austin, based on its stronger reputation (and location, I guess). Plus it has a very good accounting program, which kinda helps in your field.

Toploader · Answer

I was in the same boat. I turned down a full ride at another institution to attend Texas. Granted, I'm a Texas resident and I got some additional money, but free vs. not free was a tough decision regardless. In the end, Austin is simply where I wanted to be from a school and living perspective.

I agree with Cereals; contact McCombs and tell them about your situation. They may cough up tons of cash, they may tell you to shove it. Hold off on any decision until you do that.

VeritasPrepMike · Answer

I think the biggest consideration here is what you want to do after business schools. Also, where do you want to live after business school. Purdue is definitely more of a regional school. If you want to be in Chicago, Indianapolis or Detroit you'll have plenty of great connections. However, if you want to go to New York or San Francisco, you will have a tougher path. UT McCombs isn't a national powerhouse necessarily, but you will have better connections and a very strong undergraduate network to tap into.

Which school? Austin Vs.Purdue with tuition waiver

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