MBA Class of 2015 - Kenan-Flagler (UNC)

peinvestor2012:

cphbravo96:

Just wanted to see if there was anyone here that will be matriculating to Kenan-Flaglers full time MBA program this year?

Shall we assume you got out from your mezz shop? If so, congrats man. Tarheel basketball!

I got accepted there, Vandy and Emory. I don't think it's really a tough decision to go with UNC...but that also makes me wanted to take some time to make sure I'm not missing anything in my analysis.

But yeah, I'll be leaving for business schools in the next couple months...just have to decide which one.

Regards

peinvestor2012:

cphbravo96:

Just wanted to see if there was anyone here that will be matriculating to Kenan-Flaglers full time MBA program this year?

Shall we assume you got out from your mezz shop? If so, congrats man. Tarheel basketball!

huge college bball fan here. go heels. fuck the blue devils.

glm1510:

Out of curiosity, what led you to your decision? Not looking for a right or wrong answer here, but I've always been under the impression Emory is the strongest out of that bunch.

Also, if you don't mind sharing, how'd you fare on the GMAT?

Thanks

Honestly, just fit. I really, really liked Darden...but didn't get in...and I felt like UNC was the next closest in terms of culture and community. I honestly think the placement between all three of those programs is negligible, though Emory and UNC are probably just slightly higher than Vandy, so I felt you sorta have to look at some of the softer points.

Add to that...I already live in Atlanta and think staying here, with a few hundred pre-MBA friends, will detract from my experience. Also, I didn't have much of an undergrad experience because I went to college out of the Army. I was 4 years older than everyone around, had been to war and just didn't much care to listen to kids bitch about their parents not putting enough money in their account, etc...so, essentially, I made very, very few new friends and didn't get involved on campus or do the traditional college stuff...plus I worked full time. Because of that, I was looking for a school that provided a little bit of an undergrad vibe, with sporting events and a really strong community.

And that's not to say those don't exist at the other two schools, it's just that I didn't experience them on my, admittedly short, visits. I also think the larger cities of Nashville and Atlanta take away a bit from some of the value I find in an MBA. There is just so much stuff to do outside of school and so many places to live in a big city that people will naturally get pulled away. Tuck is often referenced as having THE strongest alumni network, period. I think a lot of that has to do with it's isolation. I felt Darden was somewhat similar to that in the sense Charlottesville is pretty small and the vast majority of the students stay in one apartment complex and go to the same bars. I think that adds some value.

UNC has a few core apartment complexes where graduate level students live and then another area near the bars where some live and then, of course, the randoms and the married folks/families. With Vandy, the people I had lunch with didn't even seem to know each other and they lived on opposite ends of Nashville. It's a very, very small sample size, so keep that in mind, but that was certainly not the case at Darden, which has twice as many kids, or UNC where our tour guide greeted or was greeted by a dozen or more people on our short 30 minute tour. I can't really speak to Emory's culture because I haven't interacted with many of the current students, but of the alumni I've met and the vibe I get, it would be similar to Vandy, with kids spread out all over the city and almost too many bars for people to check out. I was also told by my interviewer at Vandy that she would say Emory is much more like Vandy than UNC is.

Overall, Emory is probably strongest in Atlanta, Vandy in Nashville and UNC in Charlotte. I feel that each of them are well respected in the region but that UNC probably has a leg up, however slight, nationally because of how well known their undergrad is and because of their sports teams, etc. Again, this is all soft, subjective opinion.

I also think I've seen more UNC people in finance than Emory or Vandy, both undergrad and grad. I don't know that an MBA from a particular school resonates with an undergrad just because they are the same university, but if it does anywhere, it will be the south and I think UNC has both schools by sheer number of graduates...which means more potential contacts. Vandy has about 160 in their class, Emory 120, UNC 300 and Darden 320.

Oddly enough, Vandy puts about 22% of its graduates on the west coast, which was surprising to me.

Anyways, I scored a 620 on the GMAT, which was exceptionally disappoint, to say the least. Really, given my score, I should be happy to have been admitted to any of the schools I applied to. I knew Duke would be a reach and I wasn't super interested in going their, so no big deal. Darden I thought was a partial stretch but thought I could at least score an interview because I have a buddy that's a second year and who is on the student admissions group. If I can get in front of someone, I can seal the deal, bad score and all. Just didn't get that chance with Darden.

Let me know if you have any other questions.

Regards

happypantsmcgee:

I am coming to visit and applying for next year. I will purchase a beverage for you while I am there.

Sounds good man. I'll be waiting.

Regards

jon1987:

I might be attending their MAC program next year.

Sweet man. Definitely look me up.

Regards

glm1510:

Congrats on your decision, and thanks for the breakdown, cphbravo. That all makes perfect sense, and like I said before, I wasn't looking for a right or wrong answer, just curious. I take it you're looking at IB in Charlotte post MBA? I'm sure you'll do just fine at UNC. Best of luck!

Ideally I would be able to network my way back into a buyside role at a larger shop. Realistically, it will be MM and boutique focused IB recruiting...maybe BB if I'm feeling frisky.

Regards