Chicago Booth vs. Yale for non-finance recruiting in Europe
Hi Everyone,
I was just wondering if I could get your perspectives on how Booth's and Yale's brands fare in Europe in consulting and healthcare? My goal is to be in Europe post-MBA (got accepted into European schools too, but Booth and Yale are both offering me financial package I can't pass). I know Booth is well-known in the finance space worldwide, but I'm not interested in that at all. I know both programs place well in MBB and consulting is achievable from both, but I would give Booth a slight edge over Yale since international representatives (including European offices!) come to campus to talk to students... it's not a big advantage, but I see value in face-to-face interactions. But for all other industries (healthcare/biotechnology, marketing, etc), I was told that in order to secure a job in Europe and get a sponsored visa, I would need to lean heavily on established channels/recruiting relationships with multinationals companies... and I think Booth wins here too (anyone disagrees?). However, I know that even if Yale doesn't get facetime with recruiters (they may not all go there), they still get the same job postings in healthcare (I checked!). More importantly, I heard people say that Yale SOM students can tap into Yale College alumni all over the world, with some success stories (though, in the US). In terms of short-time career prospects, it does seem like it would be easier to recruit from Booth internationally, but only marginal... In terms of long-term career prospects, I think Yale wins here. MBAs are not valued in Europe as much, but everyone recognizes an ivy league school. So, I guess what I really want to know is if the Booth brand has this same weight abroad, especially in Europe for industries other than finance?
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Assume you're the fellow who posted in clearadmit as well on the decision--first off, big congrats! It's almost impossible to get a scholarship that large at these top schools, and I was admitted but without scholarship so I'm jealous haha. But Booth is the clear choice here: viewed as a much stronger brand overall, gives you more optionality, and just has much better placement across the board. Unless you hate Chicago and love New Haven, and just clicked that much better with the Yalies, I'd go with Booth pretty clearly here (and who knows--maybe even see you in the fall :))
so much for remaining anonymous. haha. Thank you! And believe me when I tell you that I have no doubt that Booth has a stronger brand and a stronger program; that's why I picked it!.. and now I am having doubts after having talked to some people. My worry is the brand perception abroad. Personally, we as Americans are more concerned with rankings and are knowledgeable of current rankings. In Europe, people already don't value the MBA as much (it's often seen just like another masters program), so they really don't know much about b-school rankings. That's why I'm asking my question... I am hoping that someone with recruiting experience in Europe can shed a light on the topic. I've been told multiple times that the layman won't know about Booth, but recruiters will... but do recruiters in Europe do? in non-finance and non-consulting circles? Booth just doesn't place that many people abroad (except for students going back to their home countries), so I'm concerned about it. Hopefully somebody can provide me with some insight.... And yeah, will be great to meet you in person. I wonder if you would be able to identify me IRL. haha.
When it comes to school reputations, I think you have the separate the view of the average person vs. those of business people. Yes, the average European holds Yale in high regard. However, business people (and especially recruiters) know it's a second tier bschool at best and a huge step down compared to Booth.
Fellow european here. I agree that most people probably won't know Booth, however, I have a feeling that most europeans really only know Harvard, Yale and maybe Princeton. So yes, if you pick Yale you will have a name people know, but in my opinion it does not matter, because most people don't know the other top schools anyways (I applied to Cornell and talked to friends and family about it, and no one knew what it was lol).
Right, but what about recruiting? It worries me because I know most European firms recruit locally because they know the quality of students coming out of their own backyards... as an international (American), I'm worried that they won't recognize the quality of Booth. If I had the EU nationality, it wouldn't matter as much, but I do worry because they have to sponsor my visa... so the perception they have of my degree does matter in this case. :/
I did international internship recruiting at Booth in "non-finance" sectors as an American. Most of the companies I interviewed with, such as McKinsey, Amazon, AB InBev, etc., were full of MBA graduates themselves from the top schools. My conclusion was as follows:
Some companies embrace MBAs and some do not. Those that embrace MBAs are very knowledgeable about rankings and the school reputation matters. These are the types of companies that are going to be more open to international talent and sponsoring your visa. When I say MBAs, I mean MBAs from IE, LBS, Bocconi, or the USA -- its either an MBA culture or not. That doesn't mean these firms won't hire MBAs, just that it isn't valued.
Companies that do not embrace MBAs are probably not going to be interested in interviewing you. These are the types of firms that want someone who knows the culture, speaks the local language, and is committed to the geography long term. This is a generalization, there are plenty of exceptions I'm sure. Get other perspectives...
An unsolicited piece of advice from someone who was in a similar position many years ago: do your research. I think that your goal is definitely achievable. But be ready to take a massive pay cut to live in Europe, depending on where you want to live. There are post MBA roles in Spain and Italy that literally pay 35,000 EUR/year -- pay at legitimate companies. You won't have your pickings of $125,000/year jobs at all. You may get lucky, but I just want to make sure your expectations are set appropriately, and that you recognize this if you're taking on a lot of debt for school. France and Germany may be better; I don't have enough data points.
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