VISIT VISIT VISIT VISIT VISIT VISIT VISIT VISIT VISIT VISIT VISIT VISIT VISIT VISIT VISIT VISIT VISIT VISIT VISIT VISIT VISIT VISIT VISIT VISIT VISIT VISIT VISIT VISIT VISIT VISIT VISIT VISIT VISIT VISIT VISIT VISIT VISIT VISIT VISIT VISIT VISIT VISIT VISIT VISIT VISIT VISIT VISIT VISIT VISIT. Let me make this super-duper clear. You must visit each school. If money is no concern to you this will be the only way you can be fair to yourself when you decide. Are you a native Texan? Where are you right now? Would both schools require you to leave home?
In 1996 I was in your same boat. Deciding b/t Texas and Michigan. Chose Texas and couldn't be happier with my decision. (My dad went to Michigan and still tried to steer me to Texas, so that was a big consideration for me)
You actually don't go straight into the business program at Michigan- you take your core courses and a few of the intro business courses then, and then you apply for their BBA program. I'll put BHP up against Michigan Business...I may have a little bias, though. I was in a similar boat last year (not with Michigan, too dreary for me). For me, I chose to pocket the extra ~$35K a year (vs. Northwestern, Yale, Tufts/NEC dual program) because I believe I can get to the same places upon graduation with a UT BHP BBA that I could with any other degree. In 3 years, I suppose I'll find out, but that extra $140K (actually more, since it's currently being well invested) will make any short term hardships rather easy. It's basic opportunity cost...whether or not you can afford to pay, by paying the higher price of Michigan, you (or your parents) are forgoing ~$80K over the next 4 years. If you think your college experience plus return on investment (in the form of a post-grad job) at Michigan is worth that $80K, there's your answer.
Comparing nearly comparable schools...schools soooo close to each other academically, just seems silly to me. Look...life is as much, if not more, about who you know than what you know...than about what degree you hang on your wall. MOST jobs are not obtained through monster.com...or through head-hunters. MOST jobs are obtained because you know someone who knows someone. And then, once you get the job, many times its your contacts outside of the company/firm that bolster your value. Wanna work in Texas? Wanna live in Texas after school? If so...go to the University of Texas. You'll likely meet people who will prove to be helpful to your career IN TEXAS. Much more likely to meet those people at the University of Texas than the University of Michigan. Of course..if you wish to live elsewhere after school, this analysis changes.
