Admitted to LBS and HEC: which one should I choose?
Hi guys,
I am in the fortunate position of having to decide between the LBS Masters in Management and the HEC MSc in Strategic Management (not grande ecole).
My main decision-driver is career prospects after graduation and my goal is to join management consulting (preferably MBB) in Europe.
So, in terms of job opportunities / school brand / career service / placement / networking etc...which school should I chose in order maximize my career chances?
Any suggestions are more than welcome :)
LBS MiM!!!
LBS is a top business program worldwide, but it looks like HEC has the better ranked MIM program for whatever that is wroth. Based on their websites, BCG does not recruit at HEC, but doe sat LBS. McK and Bain each recurit at both. HEC has a marginally higher starting salary and sends 35% to consulting compared to 25% at LBS. Geographically, LBS is heavy within the UK (50%) where as HEC seems more spread out (25% UK, 30% France, 25% other European countries).
If you haven't done so already, talk to current students and see what they have to say about the program and recruiting. Most are willing to share numbers and realities that the websites and admissions are not. Visit both schools and see which one you like better. For purposes of getting into MBB/Consulting, they both seem to give you the option. Just not sure where these firms recruit for compared to where you want to end up after graduation. For example, MBB may not recruit at HEC for London based roles and visa versa. So consider where you want to be after graduation as well.
LBS brand> HEC brand IMO. I would probably go that route considering the difference in opportunities is pretty immaterial. Being tapped into the LBS network won't hurt either.
I am assuming that you are a European Citizen already. If not, HEC is a better option as it is easier to get the French citizenship than it is the UK citizenship.
Do you speak French at a business fluent level? If not, I would just advise you to go to LBS. A lot of the networking that you will do at HEC will involve a decent level of French for you to be successful.
Overall, LBS is a better brand and all of the major consulting firms go through there.
HEC is better if you want to live in France. You can also get to the UK from there, but it is a bit tougher. However, the darling of every French recruiter's eye at HEC is the Grand Ecole students. You will have to explain your program to them and because it is close to the degree that the GE students get (MSc in Management), you will constantly have to explain how your program is different and you still might get lowballed in salary by recruiters who confuse the two.
If you have more questions on this topic, feel free to PM me.
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Go with your numbers, I wasn't doing rigorous research - just looking at their website. Could have easily been looking at the wrong thing. To answer the red flag question - no it is not a red flag. This is just a school preference. Either Harvard or Stanford does not publish a detailed report and we all know how those schools do in elite recruiting.
You're best option is to contact current students and see what they have to say with regards to numbers and recruiting. LinkedIn was helpful to see where MBA alumi by school are, can probably use that for this as well.
First of all, congrats for the offers!
Well, to be honest, high-level recruiters know the difference between the MIM and the MSc in Strategy at HEC (because it's their job to know that), but this doesn't mean they will prefer someone from the MIM than the MSc. If you already know you're interested in strategy there isn't much of a difference between them
Take also in consideration than while the HEC program is quite consulting-oriented, many people from the MIM at LBS decided to pursue other careers (mainly finance), as it was their only pre-experience program, and that is why LBS MIM as a lower percentage of alumni in consulting. I'm expecting this to change from next year though, as they are starting a pre-experience finance program.
To be honest you can't really go wrong with each of them, but I would personally choose LBS due to location, slightly better brand imho and more opportunities/chances to tailor-made your MIM (it would be different if we were comparing LBS with the 2-years HEC MIM).
One more thing: I am italian as well and I was really set off on applying to LBS, but I changed my mind due to personal reasons. Anyway, I know that basically every Italian who graduates from the program and goes into consulting is working in the italian offices. I'm pretty sure this is not true only for LBS but for every foreign high-profile program, it seems like consultants always go back to their native country offices. Keep that in mind if you absolutely want to work in MBB in London.
PS I'm thinking about apply to both of these programs next year, would you mind share your profile? :)
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Thanks man! If I decide to apply I will most definetely take advantage of your kindness!
Buona fortuna e congratulazioni ancora!
Just a couple of things to consider:
-it is unlikely that you will end up at a UK MBB office as a continental Europe student at a London school. I am quoting this directly from my interviewer for the LBS MiM, which I also got into back then. According to them, for consulting, most students land something in their home countries -unlike what was said above, I can tell you firsthand that BCG recruits very very heavily at HEC (the most of all MBB) -at HEC, you will suffer from a kind of "discount" versus Grande Ecole and MIF students -the MiM at LBS is grossly overpriced even without factoring in the cost of living in central London
It's a tough decision. Good luck.
I second what this guy frenchstudent says just above.
Been told exactly the same thing by various LBS staff, in person, in relation to MBB opportunities in London post-grad for a continental European (none).
Also 100% accurate: HEC is indeed a monster feeder to BCG.
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