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So I am a high school senior and I need to pick a college before May 1st...and as usual I am taking things down to the wire.
I got into a few nice schools and was waitlisted at Georgetown (my number 1) but I would have to take on substantial debt if I went to school there. So I kind of ruled them out, maybe grad school/MBA.
So I kind of narrowed my choices down to South Carolina and Ohio State. I plan on majoring in finance and accounting and I was accepted into USC's international business program so I guess I will try to triple major. I know that is kind of ambitious, but on the website they mentioned someone was triple majoring with IB being one of the majors. I will be coming in with enough AP credit to being very close to being a first semester sophomore when I enroll.
Cost is not really an issue. I am in-state for OSU and they gave me a small scholarship. USC gave me in-state tuition rates plus $2k, so I that that was generous and I think USC will end up being slightly cheaper than OSU.
I am in the honors college at both schools but it seems like it is a bigger deal at USC (In fact I don't think its a college at OSU, just a program. ehh not sure if it really matters).
And here is the crux of the situation.
I think I will like USC. I have not visited, but I am planning to go next week (if not then the week after. Point is, in the immediate future, I am going).
I also like OSU. A lot. The only thing that is holding me back is the fact that it is in Ohio. I'm not from Ohio, but I've been living here for a while now and wouldn't mind a change. I don't hate it, hence why I'm still considering OSU, but I would probably welcome change.
And then career opportunities. OSU's sound pretty decent, especially if you can get into one of their specialty programs. For example they had 3 people get hired by Goldman Sachs for front office jobs in one of their selective ibanking clubs.
I'd love to be in that program, but it is selective so I can't really hinge on it. But the b-school also places very well with the Big 4 accounting firms, something I am also interested in.
And then it appears that South Carolina really has a niche in the international business area and is decent everywhere else. I've heard stories of people that were able to land great jobs through the IB major, but not a lot of specific placement stats to back things up.
Triple majoring would probably be a bear at times, but Moore makes you at least double major if you are majoring in Intl business and I am very interested in finance but love the stability and reliability of accounting.
Seems like USC Moore also has decent ties to Charlotte and I noticed that Deloitte had an office in Columbia. How strong are ties to Atlanta? Would not mind living there either.
So any advice or tips? I guess I am asking for you to sell me USC and Columbia. I will be visiting next week and that will be the most important decision making piece, but I'd like to know as much as a I can.
waccamatt, I've been reading your posts and you went to USC and have worked in banking, I guess you are my guy haha.
@Dangerzone; I am in banking - vp of lending and a graduate of the USC School of Business with an emphasis in finance. The International Business program is outstanding and while I don't have stats, I know most graduates of that program land very good jobs without a lot of trouble. You didn't mention where you lived before Ohio. I think you should visit Columbia - it isn't as big as Columbus, but it isn't a small town either. Likewise, USC is a large school (around 29,000), but not as large as OSU. As far as the USC Honors College is concerned, they just built a gorgeous new Honors Dorm in a very good location. There is plenty to do in Columbia and you're a short drive to the beach, mountains and Atlanta (I'm really not a fan of Charlotte). Feel free to pm me if you have any specific questions.
I know this may sound like a dumb reason to choose a school but where would you like to live after college? If you're planning on staying in the Mid-West, I would think the networking contacts would be better at OSU. If you plan to be in the southeast, USC would be more beneficial. I know you're trying to focus on your future (and it's wonderful that you're serious!!) but there is also a social/cultural aspect to college. I don't know anything about OSU but at Carolina, Greek life and football are very big -- and lifelong.
I strongly encourage you to visit USC asap -- while the students are still on campus -- to get a "feel" for the school and city.
if you're involved in the international business program you need to speak a foreign language, or at least have some aptitude for learning new languages.
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I guess I am asking for you to sell me USC and Columbia. I will be visiting next week and that will be the most important decision making piece, but I'd like to know as much as a I can.
USC is very big, and Ohio State is huge. Make sure that gigantic "state bureaucracy" feel is what you want out of a college.
I don't know anything about you, I don't know what would appeal to you, or if you're cut out for living in the south or not. I grew up around here, attended USC, and it never even crossed my mind to head north (of Charlottesville VA) for school.
So I'm asking, what do you want out of a place to live? Columbia is much smaller than Columbus, which is much smaller than DC. All of them are decent sized cities, but you sound like you'd want to be square in the middle of a major northeast city like Washington, DC, on foot. If I'd had unlimited options I would've picked a school in NC like UNC-CH or Duke, or gone somewhere out west like Stanford, Colorado-Boulder, or UCLA, because they all seemed like cool places to live after graduation. The "Georgetown" name goes a long way pretty much everywhere, but Ohio State and South Carolina degrees are going to have regional appeal to employers in the midwest and southeast.
I just thought of one more point. You said you've been accepted into the International Business program and that's wonderful. And, not trying to burst your bubble, but you still have to apply and get into it after (or during, not sure which) sophomore year. It's not an automatic because you've been accepted freshman year.
The IB program is truly outstanding but it is also extremely difficult to get into and remain in. You'll have your work cut out for you.
As for the Honors College question, it does make a difference at USC. In addition to their nice new digs in a prime location, Honors students also have access to some really special and individualized courses. Now, there may be some variation by major, and it's mostly social sciences and humanities students that I've had experiences with, but they all sing the praises of the Honors college at USC. The top students there are on par with students anywhere.
First of all, congratulations on the scholarships and other incentives both schools are offering you. You have obviously done really well. The training you will receive at Ohio State and South Carolina will be solid, and your opportunities after graduation will largely be dictated by your own willingness to work hard and make connections. The difference in academic stature between the two schools is much less important IMO.
It's great that you are putting your education and career goals first. That should be a huge factor in your decision on where to attend. College will also be a very special and memorable time in your life, not only for your educational accomplishments but also for the experiences you have outside the classroom. You will have some fun times wherever you go. Where can you see yourself having the most well-rounded experiences - Columbia or Columbus? You will view life much differently at 21 or 22 than you do at 17 or 18, and much of that is due to where and how you spend the years in between.
As a side note, I am a Georgetown alum and absolutely loved my time in DC. Going there was one of the best decisions I ever made, and some of my fondest memories thus far in live occurred while I was there. I made lifelong friends there who I am still in regular contact with. I realize that you would be paying a lot more in tuition at Georgetown, but if you get accepted off of the waiting list there I would strongly urge you to go. Even if you accrue a lot of student debt in the process, it is worth it for the Georgetown name, the opportunities you'll have after graduation, the chance to live in a great city like DC, and the experiences you'll have there.
One thing I have learned in business and living around the country is that locals think highly of the local school graduates (like those in SC about USC and those in Ohio about OSU) so the graduates are quickly welcomed into the local business/social communities.
If one moves away from that local area to start their career, they might find they are better served by being a graduate of a nationally recognized school like Georgetown.
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The training you will receive at Ohio State and South Carolina will be solid, and your opportunities after graduation will largely be dictated by your own willingness to work hard and make connections. The difference in academic stature between the two schools is much less important IMO.
