Cornell MSRED vs. Columbia MSRED or a mid tier MBA?
Hello everyone, I come from a legal background and I'm looking to get into real estate development and applied to a number of MBA programs and MS programs. I got accepted to both the Columbia MSRED and the Cornell MSRED. Also got accepted to the UC San Diego Rady MBA and the UC Irvine Paul Merage School of Business. Not sure which to pick.
These are my thoughts on each program:
Columbia MSRED: Pros: Fantastic brand name, great alumni network, one year program, networking opportunities, campus location. Cons: Very expensive, $88,000 for a one year program, no student housing available, living expenses in Manhattan, I fear the program might not be too serious and I may be just buying into a brand name. Also, no financial aid.
Cornell MSRED: Pros: Curriculum seems fantastic, two year program with an internship, possible financial aid also a good brand name and cost of living should be reasonable. Cons: Campus is in the middle of nowhere, not many networking opportunities off campus, harsh winter and a lesser brand than Columbia.
Rady MBA (UC San Diego): Pros: Full scholarship (a free ride), incredible location (La Jolla), great weather, an MBA. Cons: Not a big brand name and no focus on real estate.
UC Irvine: Pros: real estate focused MBA. Cons: No aid.