Ask mbaMission

Hi there,

Thanks for the updates, and CONGRATS on all of your acceptances! That is excellent, very excited for you. First of all, you are in a great position where you can't go wrong, so keep that in mind.

Secondly, I think knowing full details about the financial aid scenarios is likely important to your decision, so I would get in touch with admissions and/or financial aid at Notre Dame asap and just explain your situation. Let them know you are thrilled, they are your first choice, but you do have a half scholarship at WF and you would like to know what financial aid opportunities you will be eligible for there so you can compare accurately. If you are still abroad then you can mention that too, that you are trying to figure things out from afar and just see if you can get some info and answers if possible.

Keep in mind that a large number of b-school students do finance their degree through low-interest-rate educational loans, paid off by their post MBA salaries over 5-15 years or so. It is a very personal choice and decision of course, and you have to assess all of the possible implications of either school, and the financial decisions, etc.

As for the two schools, again it is a personal choice, and you know generally Notre Dame is higher ranked and a bit more well-known. But that may or may not make an impact in your choice, and some of it depends on where you see yourself after the degree and which program will best help you to get there. Here are some differences to consider, which you probably have researched yourself....

-class size: WF class is 120-ish; ND just over 300. That experience will be different. There are pros and cons... smaller class can mean getting to know everyone that much better; larger can mean you get to know MORE people and potentially could be exposed to more perspectives/backgrounds. Have a look at the class profiles at each to get a feel for who tends to apply/attend the schools, as a lot of learning at b-school does come from your classmates, not just professors.

-leading areas grads go into: both have strong financial services grads; ND is also strong in technology; WF is also strong for consumer products.

-average starting salaries: ND is higher, but that can vary a lot depending upon the job/industry

-city/experience: the university itself at Notre Dame is larger overall than WF; though the city of South Bend's population is smaller than Winston Salem. But I encourage you to get in touch with current students and alum (admissions will put you in touch via email if needed!!) and ask them not only all about their experiences!! but also about life in those two cities, pros and cons, etc.

Let me know if you have other questions or would like to bounce ideas off further. I definitely think getting in touch with several students/alum can be very useful for these types of decisions! Good luck again!

I hear ya, it's a tough decision. But sounds like you know what your heart and head are telling you, so I think that makes sense. And if you feel you'll have more opportunities etc, and that is where you see yourself as a lifelong alum... then that says a lot. On a personal note I financed the degree fully with loans, and know many friends who did the same, and we have felt it was a worthwhile investment (8 years out now).

Thank you, and appreciate that, will keep in mind! Wishing you all the best for an amazing b-school experience!