Worth transferring? (OSU to UMich)
Hello WSO!
I made a post about this about 7 months ago, but things have changed and I am in dire need of advice.
I am a rising sophomore at Ohio State in the business school looking to go into consulting, while also looking at IB.
I am considering transferring to Michigan. I understand that Ross at Michigan has much more OCR and name-brand prestige, but my only routes to Ross are from external transfer (which I hear is 1%) or from internal transfer from LSA, which is also probably just as difficult, considering the fact that I would be a junior when applying internally. Thus, I think Ross is out of the picture.
My question: is transferring to LSA Econ going to open substantially more doors for me than staying at OSU? I am a stellar student at OSU, and I'm highly involved in many orgs while keeping a 3.8 and getting a F100 consulting related internship this summer. I think (based off of my upperclassmen peers) that I am on the right track to MBB/BB IB, but if LSA Econ makes it that much easier for me, then I would prefer that route.
My fear is that by transferring, I will lose all of the leadership experience I have on my resume (a lot), as well as the network I've built up in Columbus.
(Money is not a factor, but there is a reason that I am looking specifically at UMich that would probably dox me)
Thank you all!
Stay the course, you're already in the lead of your program and you have built relationships. Going to Michigan could make you a small fish in their pond. I understand the strategic optionality of leaving, but your internship, and recommendations from OSU can get you an interview and confidence in yourself can finish the job. Then you can level up when the MBA comes around. I wouldn't abandon ship just yet and I had this conversation recently with a semi target MBA family member who was mentoring me about making similar considerations. I transferred schools in undergrad and I totally regret the choice. I went from a small private school to a larger state U, only to realize years later that the private school under new management has risen in rankings dramatically and the state school has fallen dramatically. My GPA started over at the new school post transfer and I was on the Deans List at the old private U. Until this day I regret making that switch. My situation at the Private University would have propelled me into a better graduate program because of the GPA and the support of the instructors. At the larger program I was in a sea of people and had less ability to get those key personal relationships on the same level. I had a Boss with a Ross MBA and I have had a Boss from OSU undergrad who interned at JP Morgan and went to Semi Target MBA and I think the latter had more skills and a leg up. This wasn't consulting but chasing programs is a loser strategy IMO. You can get an interview from OSU, I know it, they may not be M7, but I am pretty sure interviewers know who they are. Coming out with a high GPA and some professors who will cosign and some interview prep should get you there. I am not in hiring so it's a grain of salt opinion. If a senior consultant here says different I will eat this post and my pride and say listen to the person who is currently managing the system.
PS My Grandfather got his PHD from OSU he ended up teaching at Harvard. I have a bias!
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