Cheap undergrad + MSF vs Expensive Undergrad

So I'm currently working and going to a cc, my original plan was to transfer into Indiana University's business school and try to get into the investment banking workshop. Recently I've been rethinking it.

Kelley's tuition is 28k per year plus living expenses. I will have to quit my job and take out student loans to go there. I am making 44k per year right now. My employer keeps telling me a raise is in my future. He has followed through on these types of comments in the past, the last one being a 10k per year raise.

If I go to IU's local branch I can work my way through, I'm confident in my ability to work full time and make good grades at this university. http://www.ius.edu/

I could save enough to get a MSF at a decent university while working my way though college. Would this be a smarter choice, than rather dropping 80k on Kelley? Ideally I would get a MSF from Purdue. I would like to work in Louisville after I graduate.

8 Comments
 

If you can get into a target school or an ivy league school. go there and make it your job to get an internship EVERY summer (you could make 10-30k every summer if you get the right internship).

The opportunity cost of spending more time in school is much greater than any "money" you'd be saving by going to a lower quality school.

 

I should have mentioned, I plan to graduate in three years instead of four if I go to the lesser school.

Wherever I see people doing something the way it's always been done, the way it's 'supposed' to be done, following the same old trends, well, that's just a big red flag to me to go look somewhere else. - Mark Cuban
 

Are y'all even reading OP's post? He wants to work in Louisville post-grad, and it sounds like he may be non-traditional/older. He doesn't need a target price tag.

MM IB -> Corporate Development -> Strategic Finance
 
Best Response

I'm 21 and I've already sorta fucked up my undergrad. I started at a state college premed with a full ride scholarship, started a business the side and realized I wanted to do that instead. I made some poor choices and dropped out of college. I have retaken every class I had a poor grade in and have a 4.0 so far. Unfortunately I feel like this record is going to keep me out of most targets and probably IU's IB workshop. That's why I'm wondering if I should just keep my job and go locally then shoot for a decent MSF. If I spend a good year studying for the GMAT I feel like I could do quite well.

Wherever I see people doing something the way it's always been done, the way it's 'supposed' to be done, following the same old trends, well, that's just a big red flag to me to go look somewhere else. - Mark Cuban
 

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Wherever I see people doing something the way it's always been done, the way it's 'supposed' to be done, following the same old trends, well, that's just a big red flag to me to go look somewhere else. - Mark Cuban

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