RBS vs. IU

Hey, I’m a high school senior interested in finance and management who is currently enrolled at Indiana University at Bloomington (not Kelley). However, some recent reconsiderations have led me to lean towards Rutgers Business School at Newark, an instate school to which I was also accepted. 

The main argument that seems to revolve around IU is that I can transfer into Kelley at a more successful and fluid rate than if I were to from any other school. While this point may be valid, I am not sure if focusing all of my efforts into Kelley during my first year at IU is more advantageous than simply attending RBS at a cheaper cost (in-state) and then transferring out during my junior year. Another thing to note is that while I appreciate its prestige and academic proficiency, Kelley’s location does not feel like a right fit for me, and I was also not offered a scholarship by the school. Therefore, I am wondering if the financial benefits of attending RBS and transferring out in my junior year to a potentially preferable school outweighs the existing opportunity of attending Kelley through an expedited yet costly process. 

I am interested in a finance-related career, and I recognize that school reputation is somewhat vital towards a stable entry into the field. However, at the same time I would like to optimize my education while being mindful of the costs. If someone with experience could give some insight on my situation between IU and RBS, it would be very helpful towards making my final decision. Thanks!

2 Comments
 
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As a current rising senior, I'd say stick with Rutgers. RU is perfectly fine -- we send ~30 kids to FO positions every year. Here's a deck about it: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1vyq3nPwDmSc6vTmHW8pkWKBXYSo6NgFW/view?usp=sharing.

That said, you're choosing between RU-Newark and IU Kelley. From what I've seen, Newark is materially worse than NB; their organizations are weaker and the same can be said about their placement. So, if the decision for you is in-state Newark vs out-of-state IU Kelley, I'd take Kelley or commit to NB instead if that option is also open to you.

Edit: saw the comment below, realized you weren't focused exclusively on WS. My bad lol, assumed since you were on WSO. Yeah RU is fine for general finance, we place well into Big 4, great for supply chain, etc (and for those careers, it doesn't matter if you're NB or Newark). Definitely way better value than out-of-state + no scholarship at IU.

 

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