Quick Question: Please give me some advice about school selection. I know that UNC’s rank and location is better, but Olin provided me with a full scholarship (UNC no scholarship). I saw that the employment data of these 2 schools are at the same level. Which one should I choose?

Quick Answer: Congrats on your offers! UNC is consistently in the top 20 (while Olin is consistently in the 20-30 range) & that can make a difference when it comes to how strong your candidacy is among employers & also on your lifetime earning potential. The average starting salaries for UNC grads are around $116K, while it’s more like $107K for Olin. There is not a huge gap in percent of graduates employed at graduation, but UNC is a bit higher at 80% vs. Olin’s 77%.

All that said, a full scholarship is a big deal. My advice would be to try reaching out to UNC to see if there is any possibility at all of receiving funding. You can write a letter letting them know that you received a full scholarship at another school but your first choice is UNC (if, in fact, it is your first choice). They might say no, and you’re probably unlikely to get a full scholarship, but it can be worth a shot and you might get some funding. If you can point to any financial constraints that make it critical that you receive a scholarship (e.g. needing to support parents, etc) that can also help your case.

If you’re unable to secure a scholarship, it’s going to be a tough decision. Generally speaking, you do want to go to the highest ranked school possible since that typically means access to more prestigious employment opportunities as well as an alumni network employed by more prestigious firms, and the idea is that a higher ranked school will also translate to higher lifetime salary potential. But if you’re in a financial situation where you really need that scholarship then Olin is an excellent school & would be a great choice.

Good luck!