Acceptance letters are being sent out and future students are making tough decisions. Do I want to live in city X or city Y? How do I compare school X and school Y? These are tough decisions, and you obviously want to consider everything when making a decision about business school — your investment in time and cost is high!

While rankings, job stats, and location matter, I would encourage you to not overlook the campus visit and the admit weekend (Blue Devil Weekend at Fuqua is April 18 – 21) as a deciding factor when choosing schools. It made my choice of Fuqua very easy — from the minute I walked into the halls of Fuqua, I felt at home. I didn’t feel the same way when I visited other schools. This feeling grew even stronger during Blue Devil Weekend, when I met my future classmates and also my roommate. The campus visit also allowed me to get a feel for the city of Durham, and I honestly can say I love Durham. What’s not to love about a town where you have great food, no traffic, low cost of living, and a laid back lifestyle?

During my initial visit, I could envision myself roaming the halls of Fuqua, making a FuquaVision skit, living in Durham, and hitting the bars in downtown. These factors may be subjective, but they mattered a lot more to me than a few magazine rankings or job stats. I won’t remember those stats as an alumnus — but I will remember going to basketball games in Cameron, attending FuquaVision shows, and hitting the theme parties at Fuqua. These subjective experiences matter … don’t forget about them when deciding on which school you should attend!

Don’t believe me? Then I guess you will have to visit Fuqua and figure it out for yourself. I am always available for an “I told ya so” after you send in your acceptance deposit. 🙂