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I'm weighing my options between these two schools. Villanova would be free for me, minus housing. Penn State would cost around $23,000 factoring in housing. I am interested in M&A, and well-acquainted with the G.P.A. I would need to maintain for such a career. I have heard various things concerning the two schools. Villanova is obviously closer to the bigger market, but has to compete with the likes of higher ranked schools, such as Penn, and then peer-ranked schools, such as Temple. I'm unsure of how much the recent rise by Penn State in last year's rankings matters, especially since both Penn State and Villanova are similarly ranked.

SCOTUS40 wrote: Villanova is obviously closer to the bigger market, but has to compete with the likes of higher ranked schools, such as Penn...

Penn grads don't stay in Philly.

tagged as I am in a similar situation. Have you tried negotiating scholarship with Penn State?

I am trying to figure out what your numbers are here. Nova is free, not including housing, but Penn State costs 23k including housing? So Penn State is actually cheaper? For comparison's sake, give us the COA for both, or at least clarify what you mean.

In any case, whichever is cheapest.

hob12 wrote:tagged as I am in a similar situation. Have you tried negotiating scholarship with Penn State?

Negotiated with Penn State, received a little more, but not enough to make it comparable to the Villanova offer.

romothesavior wrote:I am trying to figure out what your numbers are here. Nova is free, not including housing, but Penn State costs 23k including housing? So Penn State is actually cheaper? For comparison's sake, give us the COA for both, or at least clarify what you mean.

In any case, whichever is cheapest.

What I meant by my first comment is that Penn State would be $23,000 a year, approximately, factoring in the cost of housing. I received a full tuition scholarship from Villanova, and a little bit more than a half scholarship from Penn State.

penn state has a rough reputation as of late.

Between the two, Villanova may be the better option since your interest is in M&A, which relates to finance & corporate work, because Villanova places well in Wilmington, Delaware & in Delaware firms.

pugilistjd wrote:

SCOTUS40 wrote: Villanova is obviously closer to the bigger market, but has to compete with the likes of higher ranked schools, such as Penn...

Penn grads don't stay in Philly.

Some of us do, but by and large your competition will be Temple/RUC/Widener/Drexel. And while the Philly legal market is certainly saturated, this degree of saturation does not even begin to make up for the fact that PSU primarily feeds into a tertiary market (how does living in Harrisburg/York/Lancastet sound?) although it isn't bad for state government.

tl;dr go to Villanova if you want Philly.