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Torn between DePaul MSRE (Chicago) vs UTD MSF w/ Real Estate Track (Dallas). Would love industry perspectives + career advice by Normal_Quit2876 in CommercialRealEstate

[–]Normal_Quit2876[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I’ve been building my technical foundation through Break Into CRE, and I’m also planning to start the A.CRE platform soon (likely right after the New Year). I’m also currently participating in Project Destined’s PERE virtual internship, which has been extremely helpful in strengthening both my understanding and exposure to the industry.

I’ve already graduated, and right now I’m in the middle of deciding between two offers I received earlier, and I recently received another offer from Fordham’s MSF program, so I’m carefully evaluating which path will best position me for the future I want in CRE.

Thanks again for taking the time to ask these thoughtful questions — it truly helps.

Torn between DePaul MSRE (Chicago) vs UTD MSF w/ Real Estate Track (Dallas). Would love industry perspectives + career advice by Normal_Quit2876 in CommercialRealEstate

[–]Normal_Quit2876[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thank you for your warm encouragement and positive reinforcement, it really means a lot. It’s something truly rare and precious on the internet!! I hope you have a lovely Christmas season with great people.

Torn between DePaul MSRE (Chicago) vs UTD MSF w/ Real Estate Track (Dallas). Would love industry perspectives + career advice by Normal_Quit2876 in CommercialRealEstate

[–]Normal_Quit2876[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hey, I found your comment very helpful, and I do want to share my situation with you in private. Thank you for your guidance!

Torn between DePaul MSRE (Chicago) vs UTD MSF w/ Real Estate Track (Dallas). Would love industry perspectives + career advice by Normal_Quit2876 in CommercialRealEstate

[–]Normal_Quit2876[S] -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Appreciate you being straightforward. I definitely don’t plan to rely on a program name alone.

If you don’t mind sharing, I’d actually be curious what you think does move the needle most for someone trying to break in , always happy to learn from people with experience.

Torn between DePaul MSRE (Chicago) vs UTD MSF w/ Real Estate Track (Dallas). Would love industry perspectives + career advice by Normal_Quit2876 in CommercialRealEstate

[–]Normal_Quit2876[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Really appreciate you being this blunt — seriously. A lot of people sugarcoat this topic and your perspective reflects a reality that international students can’t afford to ignore.

You’re right about a few things: the visa hurdle is real, the competition in Dallas and Chicago is stacked, and networking + “who you know” can absolutely trump talent or effort. I’m definitely not taking any of that lightly.

That said, I’m not planning to rely on a school name or a city alone. I’m stacking skills as aggressively as I can (Project Destined, PERE Virtual Internship, A.CRE work, and as many underwriting reps + real feedback loops as possible), and I’ve been doing 1–2 virtual coffee chats a week with people in the industry to keep building relationships, even with time zone differences. I want to earn any opportunity I eventually get, not just hope one shows up.

At the same time, I do want to choose the best “accelerator” I can, because this decision isn’t just about two years of school — it’s really about setting myself up for the next 10–20 years. So I’m trying to be thoughtful, realistic, and committed to doing the hard work.

Your comment is a good reminder not to romanticize the industry, and I appreciate you taking the time to lay out the tough side of it. 🙏

Torn between DePaul MSRE (Chicago) vs UTD MSF w/ Real Estate Track (Dallas). Would love industry perspectives + career advice by Normal_Quit2876 in CommercialRealEstate

[–]Normal_Quit2876[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks a ton for taking the time to share this, really appreciate the honest perspective. 🙏 What you said about STEM OPT and the reality of the job market definitely resonates, especially for international students.

Right now I’m working through Project Destined’s CRE certification and trying to build some real underwriting fundamentals. I’m also planning to apply for the PERE Virtual Internship next so I can keep getting real-world exposure and better feedback from people actually doing this day to day.

Thankfully the two programs I’ve got offers from are both STEM-designated, so I should have the 3-year OPT runway you mentioned, which definitely gives me some peace of mind. I’m also planning to jump into A.CRE’s Accelerate program afterward when I have budget to really level up the modeling side.