Wharton MBA vs McCombs MBA for real estate - looking to stay in TX long-term

Hello everyone,

I've been working for over 2.5 years at a small REPE shop but things are slowing down on the acquisition side. So, I am debating whether to go to business school. I have a 700+ gmat score, good GPA, etc. I am targeting top 15 schools mainly Wharton and McCombs.

I'd like to go to Wharton as it is a top 3 b-school and it has a great real estate program. However, I would like to stay in TX long-term and figured McCombs might be a better fit considering it is a good school in TX that will allow me to access a wider TX real estate network and also has a great real estate program. My goal after b-school is to work for a larger REPE firm (Blackstone, KKR, Carlyle, etc.) and the only one in TX is KKR in Houston. Then eventually start my own REPE firm.

My question is: would you guys attend b-school to shift over to a larger REPE firm and eventually start a REPE firm? and if so, would you go for Wharton or McCombs considering my affinity to stay in TX long-term?

Appreciate the advice.

 

What is your "NEED" to stay in TX, you should be young enough to move, especially if you want to work for a a BB RE firm.

Life is short, move, get into Wharton. I've never heard of McCombs.

To sum up, if you have to move for 5-10 years in your 20s because you have a degree from Wharton do it. You can always go back to TX.

Oh, also, you want to start your own REPE firm(at 23yrs old), yeah I wonder what would better on an OM, sponsor went to Wharton or some state school in TX. Not saying you can't do well in state school in TX, but I'm too old to pretend the former isn't easier

 
C.R.E. Shervin:

What is your "NEED" to stay in TX, you should be young enough to move, especially if you want to work for a a BB RE firm.

Life is short, move, get into Wharton. I've never heard of McCombs.

To sum up, if you have to move for 5-10 years in your 20s because you have a degree from Wharton do it. You can always go back to TX.

Oh, also, you want to start your own REPE firm(at 23yrs old), yeah I wonder what would better on an OM, sponsor went to Wharton or some state school in TX. Not saying you can't do well in state school in TX, but I'm too old to pretend the former isn't easier

If you can get into Wharton go, but UT is a pretty damn good school and nothing to shit on. I agree that Wharton is impressive, but no one is going to pass on a meeting with someone because they went to Texas... that is an absurd assertion.

 
C.R.E. Shervin:

What is your "NEED" to stay in TX, you should be young enough to move, especially if you want to work for a a BB RE firm.

Life is short, move, get into Wharton. I've never heard of McCombs.

To sum up, if you have to move for 5-10 years in your 20s because you have a degree from Wharton do it. You can always go back to TX.

Oh, also, you want to start your own REPE firm(at 23yrs old), yeah I wonder what would better on an OM, sponsor went to Wharton or some state school in TX. Not saying you can't do well in state school in TX, but I'm too old to pretend the former isn't easier

If you are honestly in finance and have not heard of McCombs you need to go ahead and pull your head out of your ass. Yeah, Wharton > McCombs by miles but no one will discredit a 45 year old principal with a great track record because at 25 he decided to attend McCombs.

 

I'm the type of person who thinks way ahead too, so please don't take this the wrong way, but none of this really matters until you know where you get in. A lot of people have 700+ GMATs and good GPAs and don't get into Wharton.

Commercial Real Estate Developer
 
Best Response

I think people took what I said the wrong way, I in no way intended to "poop" on McCombs. Given everyone's responses it seems self evident that Wharton is the better academic option everything else not considered(like cost). However, given the rising cost of education it is starting to only make financial sense to go to B-School if it is a top school, placement at second tier schools is getting more and more difficult. From my own experience I have always lived in NYC(maybe why I never heard of or met anyone who went to UT), but if I were to get an MBA (i'm early 30s), I might contemplate going to NYU or Columbia and even then maybe not even NYU. (I probably couldn't get into either).

The question/post itself is one of a myriad of posts by 18-24 year-olds who over analyze every decision, I apologize if it sounded like I was talking down on the school and not the question itself.

 

You kind of reinforce my post though - you don't have complete information. Perhaps you don't get into Wharton. That makes the decision a lot easier. Perhaps you get into both but get a full ride at UT. Perhaps you get into both but get a half ride at UT. Perhaps you get into both and get a full ride at UT but a 1/3 scholarship at Wharton. Perhaps you apply and get into UNC as well. Perhaps you get into Darden. Perhaps you strike out entirely. There are way too many "perhaps" variables in your situation to really have this discussion yet.

Commercial Real Estate Developer
 

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