OSU($) v. PITT (Full Ride) Forum

[F_S_U]

Hi all,

I am currently deciding between OSU in state with an $8000 scholarship vs. PITT with a full ride $114,000 over 3 years. I will be covering all expenses on my own with student loans. OSU COA= $110,000, PITT COA=$45,000. I am a corporate finance major form OSU and wish to stay in a related field, ideally with a corporation, not a firm. I plan on staying in the Western PA or Ohio area after graduation. The money is important to me but I would like to know how you would view it in comparison to the drop in ranking.

Thanks

[chuckbass]

The rankings are insignificant, and there's no way OSU is worth that much more than Pitt. However, it looks like OSU's employment is quite a bit more solid, so I'd see if they'd negotiate at all with the Pitt offer. Personally even with the full-ride I wouldn't take Pitt given the fact that only ~50% of the c/o 2014 got full time jobs as lawyers, so you're basically flipping a coin. While OSU will do a better job of getting you employed as a lawyer, you most likely will only be making $40-50k, so personally I wouldn't spend $110,000k for that outcome.

[Mack.Hambleton]

Don't go

Get an MBA if you have to get a degree

[AReasonableMan]

The benefit of going to OSU isn't enough to offset the costs. The job stats are better, but the jobs that will allow you to comfortably repay that kind of debt are a longshot out of OSU. Further, the kind of job you seem to want is competitive, and only likely to pay between 80k and 100k, which will take a long time to pay off. Pitt is a much better option.

[PoopNpants]

retake

[Dr. Review]

2013 Pitt grad here - if you are interested in working corporate instead of a law firm, just go to Katz or Tepper for B school. Most of the JD/MBA folks I know had better opportunities through the B school than through the law school. Just skip the JD and go for the MBA.

[trebekismyhero]

Sounds like you don't really want to be a lawyer. Get the MBA