Individual Program vs Overall University?

[Anonymous]

If you were to chose a school, should you chose just the individual program ranking or the overall ranking for the school? For example, my S wants to major in business, and got into IU Kelley and Wisconsin. Kelley is ranked higher, but Wisconsin is overall considered a better school. Furthermore, my S has expressed interest in economics, which Wisconsin is better in, and in going to law school. I feel that Wisconsin having a better overall brand will be more valuable to him in the future and allow him to switch his interests. Is this right?

[Anonymous]

Unless certain programs have exceptional reputation, ex: Univ of Del for Chem Eng, MSU Broad for SCM, overall Univ reputation can have more weight. In your example, IU Kelley and Wisc Bus are both solid B-schools. Your decision should be based on other factors like fit and cost.

[Anonymous]

It shouldn’t be rank. What school fits their personality best ? What do they want out of their four years?

[Anonymous]

The majority of students change their major at least once. I would choose the school that is the best fit overall (prestige may be a part of best fit, but it isn't everything).

[Anonymous]

In my opinion, go for overall university. Most colleges teach content that is very very different from the skills required for real world jobs.

For example, even in a highly practical major like computer science, only a few courses tend to be directly relevant to what a real software engineer does in their day to day. Trust me I was a CS major at a top engineering school and now work in tech.

To a large extent, even more than the education itself, the value a college provides is twofold: (1) branding/stamp of approval, and (2) professional network. In an ideal world also (3) a positive experience for 4 years and pleasant memories shared with friends.

I doubt a CS major at Harvard is learning more useful engineering skills than a CS major at a decent state university (if you believe reports surrounding rampant grade inflation, its possible they're learning less haha).

However, and this is a big however, the Harvard name will open doors everywhere in a way that most other college names can't. Also, the CS major from Harvard will have spent 4 years networking with other ambitious overachievers who will likely be in a position to help them professionally later in life.

I'm giving an extreme example to demonstrate the point but I think the argument still stands. Unless they want to pursue a PhD after undergrad, my opinion is that the overall brand and network are probably more important simply because academia tends to focus on content very divorced from real world careers.

[Anonymous]

Speaking from an employer point of view, Wisconsin isn’t THAT much better than Indiana, OP
Its not like you’re comparing Mich and Indiana which would be a way different and no brainer comparison.

[Anonymous]

If you were talking about an Ivy vs. someplace like Towson, I’d say go for the bigger overall name, but this is Wisconsin and Indiana, which are probably more alike than they are different. If he’s leaning towards the business major, I’d go to Indiana. If he’s leaning more econ, I’d choose Wisconsin. If he changes his mind, both schools are strong enough in both areas that it shouldn’t make a difference.

[Anonymous]

Unless it’s an extremely good department that is way ahead of its university (Syracuse journalism, Pitt philosophy, etc), go with th overall college.

[Anonymous]

For business, Indiana will have more cachet than Wisconsin’s overall brand.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:In my opinion, go for overall university. Most colleges teach content that is very very different from the skills required for real world jobs.

For example, even in a highly practical major like computer science, only a few courses tend to be directly relevant to what a real software engineer does in their day to day. Trust me I was a CS major at a top engineering school and now work in tech.

To a large extent, even more than the education itself, the value a college provides is twofold: (1) branding/stamp of approval, and (2) professional network. In an ideal world also (3) a positive experience for 4 years and pleasant memories shared with friends.

I doubt a CS major at Harvard is learning more useful engineering skills than a CS major at a decent state university (if you believe reports surrounding rampant grade inflation, its possible they're learning less haha).

However, and this is a big however, the Harvard name will open doors everywhere in a way that most other college names can't. Also, the CS major from Harvard will have spent 4 years networking with other ambitious overachievers who will likely be in a position to help them professionally later in life.

I'm giving an extreme example to demonstrate the point but I think the argument still stands. Unless they want to pursue a PhD after undergrad, my opinion is that the overall brand and network are probably more important simply because academia tends to focus on content very divorced from real world careers.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you were talking about an Ivy vs. someplace like Towson, I’d say go for the bigger overall name, but this is Wisconsin and Indiana, which are probably more alike than they are different. If he’s leaning towards the business major, I’d go to Indiana. If he’s leaning more econ, I’d choose Wisconsin. If he changes his mind, both schools are strong enough in both areas that it shouldn’t make a difference.

Wisconsin is ranked 11th for economics with a very distinguished history. Indiana is in the 50s.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you were talking about an Ivy vs. someplace like Towson, I’d say go for the bigger overall name, but this is Wisconsin and Indiana, which are probably more alike than they are different. If he’s leaning towards the business major, I’d go to Indiana. If he’s leaning more econ, I’d choose Wisconsin. If he changes his mind, both schools are strong enough in both areas that it shouldn’t make a difference.

Wisconsin is ranked 11th for economics with a very distinguished history. Indiana is in the 50s.

This is practically true for every program at Wisconsin vs Indiana. Rich people on here don't like that Wisconsin has good departments, while also having a lot of middle class students. So they resort to claiming the schools are the same.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The majority of students change their major at least once. I would choose the school that is the best fit overall (prestige may be a part of best fit, but it isn't everything).

Also consider the ability to actually change your major to something else, and actually get a space in that major. If one has more flexibility, it might be the right choice

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you were talking about an Ivy vs. someplace like Towson, I’d say go for the bigger overall name, but this is Wisconsin and Indiana, which are probably more alike than they are different. If he’s leaning towards the business major, I’d go to Indiana. If he’s leaning more econ, I’d choose Wisconsin. If he changes his mind, both schools are strong enough in both areas that it shouldn’t make a difference.

Wisconsin is ranked 11th for economics with a very distinguished history. Indiana is in the 50s.

This is practically true for every program at Wisconsin vs Indiana. Rich people on here don't like that Wisconsin has good departments, while also having a lot of middle class students. So they resort to claiming the schools are the same.

What in the world are you talking about, lol? Do you actually think Indiana doesn’t have middle class students??

Wisconsin is a great school and strong in many areas. Indiana is also a very good school—not as highly ranked overall, but still stronger in some areas than Wisconsin. Both are big Midwestern universities in terrific college towns, with a lot of school spirit. It’s hard to go wrong either way. I would say the much same thing if we were talking about schools like Ohio State or Purdue.

—signed, a former middle class Midwesterner who would be happy to send their kid to any of the above

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you were talking about an Ivy vs. someplace like Towson, I’d say go for the bigger overall name, but this is Wisconsin and Indiana, which are probably more alike than they are different. If he’s leaning towards the business major, I’d go to Indiana. If he’s leaning more econ, I’d choose Wisconsin. If he changes his mind, both schools are strong enough in both areas that it shouldn’t make a difference.

Wisconsin is ranked 11th for economics with a very distinguished history. Indiana is in the 50s.

This is practically true for every program at Wisconsin vs Indiana. Rich people on here don't like that Wisconsin has good departments, while also having a lot of middle class students. So they resort to claiming the schools are the same.

What in the world are you talking about, lol? Do you actually think Indiana doesn’t have middle class students??

Wisconsin is a great school and strong in many areas. Indiana is also a very good school—not as highly ranked overall, but still stronger in some areas than Wisconsin. Both are big Midwestern universities in terrific college towns, with a lot of school spirit. It’s hard to go wrong either way. I would say the much same thing if we were talking about schools like Ohio State or Purdue.

—signed, a former middle class Midwesterner who would be happy to send their kid to any of the above

+1 These schools are both excellent and far more similar than different with large business schools. Choose what you like better for a variety of reasons.

To me the school vs program consideration is a bigger factor if you are looking for a smaller major. I'd want to probe how the resources for each program differ, how many students and faculty in that major, what kinds of capstone projects are students doing, etc.