Senior College Decision
As the title suggests, I am a senior in highschool making my final decision on which college I should attend. I have two main options right now, though neither are ideal for consulting. My more expensive option is Indiana University Kelley School which is an out of state school and costs 10x more than my in-state which is University of South Carolina Darla Moore. My in-state is nearly free and won't even require me to take out any loans, but the placements are awful from what I have heard. I already have a preferred option, but I don't want to skew anyone's opinion. For further context, I want to work at a MBB consulting firm, but realistically I am fine with a Big 4 or T2 firm as well. My family is well off and we can afford either without strain, except I don't want to spend an extra 175k for no reason. Finally, I am planning on majoring in Finance at IU Kelley, but if I attend I will try to graduate in 3-3.5 years instead of 4 as a way to save some money. At UofSC, I will double major in International Business and Finance. I understand there may not be a clear winner, but I would like any opinions from the professionals in this forum. Thank you in advance.
Based on the most helpful WSO content, here's what you need to consider:
IU Kelley School of Business:
UofSC Darla Moore:
Key Considerations:
Ultimately, Kelley offers a more direct path to your consulting goals, but UofSC is a financially prudent option if you are willing to hustle and potentially take a longer route (e.g., MBA) to reach MBB or T2.
Sources: What should I do as an undergrad if I want to work for Mckinsey?, UVA or Cornell?, Q&A: 1st year VC analyst (~750M AUM), Deferred Admission Advice for Rising Senior, UNC or Williams College
Kelley has a far stronger brand name and more established pipeline into MBB and Tier 2 firms (consulting workshop) but is by no means a guarantee to a top consulting firm. There is maybe a dozen people from the class of 26' going to MBB, an equal amount going to tier 2 firms or top strategy teams, and a significant amount going to Big 4 consulting, and that's out of ~4,000 students. I know you said your family can afford it, but $175k is still a crazy difference. I would look beyond just consulting job placements and look at which school you would enjoy your time at more. Your career aspirations can change a lot in 4 years.
Thanks. You are right about a potential change in career direction. I may be naive, but consulting sounds quite interesting to me despite the boring and repetive parts. That being said, I want a career in consulting not just for the money and career opportunities, but to also challenge myself and grow alongside a strong set of peers. I think of Kelley as a very conditional school as the top outcomes are not given out to even 20% of the total class. I also don't want to bet on myself getting into the Consulting or Investment Banking workshop because there is still some luck involved past the academics and involvement. At UofSC I would be fine settling for Big 4 consulting (not saying it is bad, but it is a lower tier than MBB). I also do plan on going for an MBA later on down the road and hopefully I go to a school that unlocks more doors.
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