CEMS Second-tier or regular MIM top-tier
Hi all!
I am considering applying for MIMs next year, and I struggle choosing between:
- CEMS MIM at second tier schools: think UCD Smurfit, CBS, RSM - but main target being smurfit which is climbing the FT ranking (now 7th though I know these rankings are controverted, but still it's indicative) and has a very small class size with 80% of international students and a great curriculum).
- Regular MIMs at ESADE, IE or Bocconi for example.
I feel that the brand name of the schools is really important regarding career prospects, but I am not really into competing in London for IB or MBB positions so I don't know if this really adds value in other European markets (except maybe Milan or Paris?). Plus, the CEMS curriculum looks really nice and practice oriented and offers great networking events with other students across the network and leading companies as well. Also, there is an exchange for sure which could be at LSE, HEC, or Bocconi.
So my point is to choose between:
- Brand name
- CEMS curriculum and other perks of being in the network that I love
(Assuming entering the CEMS at top-notch schools like LSE for instance would be a stretch and I could not afford it anyways)
I would see myself during the first years after graduation as a consultant or financial analyst in continental Western Europe, but nothing more specific now.
Leave your thoughts!!!
I have had a similar dilemma a few months ago and I picked up Bocconi eventually (mainly for its location and brand name, even if it was not the school's most prestigious program). IMO it definitely depends on your goals and what you are looking for during your studies. It is true that the school's brand name is a great signal for employers in important financial hubs such as London, or Frankfurt, but you are also right to say that the CEMS curriculum is really nice and practice oriented.
I would say that if your goal is to break into very competitive markets like consultancy MBB or IB in London, choosing a top-tier school is a no-brainer. However, if you're not really into that, you should be more than fine with the CEMS at UCD (which seems really great in terms of class organization, company visits and networking events btw) or elsewhere at one of the schools you mentioned. I have a bunch of friends who graduated CEMS and reported an amazing experience with lots of new friends and an extended network worldwide. Plus, being involved in the local clubs and/or the CEMS Student board would add a great experience on your CV.
It's only my opinion, so I would love to see what others here think about it!
Depends on where you want to work and what you want to do. If the places you would like to work at are not that competitive, then you will land the same opportunities as top-tier schools candidates, especially as the CEMS in itself is a good signal. So don't choose a school for its brand in this case, I think that the aspects of the programme and what you will enjoy during your stay can have more weight in this case. That's what I think and what I would do, but I can be wrong! Anyway, whatever you'll do will be a great choice and will open up great future opportunities
A friend of mine went to UCD and did his CEMS exchange at a CEMS tier 1 (LSE/Bocconi/HEC). During his time as UCD he worked in a small AM office in London and then landed a job at Bloomberg. UCD is very good, and to be fair so are the others you mentioned but with a geographic focus. RSM is great for Benelux and CBS for Scandinavia (some might say better than SSE but that is an ongoing debate). Either way you can't go wrong with any of those three. If I had to choose personally I would take CBS simply because there are a lot of MC/IB/CF jobs in Scandinavia, QoL is great, local language requirements are (almost) non-existent and pay is very good (in proportion to the expensive CoL but still good).
Thanks! So you'd pick up the CEMS at one of these schools instead of a regular MiM at Bocconi or ESADE for instance?
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