hello all,

I have recently been offered admissions for the MBA programs at both Iowa (Tippie) and American University (Kogod).

Kogod is offering me a pretty nice financial aid package that makes it a pretty stellar value, compared to Tippie.

I know that Tippie is a world-class program, while Kogod, from what I hear, is more of an up-and-comer. I like Kogod's location, because I would like to marry my MBA program with my background in political science, and eventually work in the political consulting/campaign finance realm.

Does anybody have any input for me? It's a big decision, and I want to make sure I make the right choice. Thanks!

I'm not sure if it's stellar value. The fees for the Iowa MBA are less than the premium in lifetime earning over the Kogod MBA. Read The sad facts about scholarships http://www.find-mba.com/board/37055

Ok, that makes sense. So you don't think there's any value in the location, if that's where I want to be long term? Would it make sense to reevaluate and reapply to a school like George Washington for next year with a stronger GMAT score? It's not ideal for me to put off studies for another year, but if the value over the long term is much better, then it would be worth considering.

The value of the location is already shown in the outcomes, such as rankings and salaries. It's a great idea to get into the best MBA you can: the difference in earning in the extra year you take will be much smaller than the additional lift in earnings that results.

Thanks, understood. Seems like I have some soul-searching to do.