MBA Decision

Would really appreciate any perspective that the people on this forum are willing to provide. Friend of mine is looking for advice on which MBA program they should attend and am not sure what the best option is.

Pre-MBA Experience: Implementation Consulting (1 year) and Private Credit (3 years)

Post-MBA Goal: West Coast PE Consulting (DD or Portco Strategy)

Options: 
Admitted: Ross (No Scholarship), Johnson (No Scholarship) Tepper (25% Scholarship), and Emory (Full Scholarship)

Waitlisted: Dartmouth

Rejected: Haas and Booth

Reapply in 1 Year to PT Programs: Booth and Haas 

My Opinion: 
Dartmouth > Booth PT > = Ross > = Emory (Full Scholarship)

FT Program: Dartmouth > Ross or Emory if moved off waitlist. Full ride to Emory seems like a solid option (high % of consultings placements concentrated in South though) vs. Paying sticker at Ross makes that decision more murky IMO. 

PT Program in 1 Year: Booth (Solid Brand, Interesting Curriculum, and Income during program). Would Booth PT prevent such a career transition from being made?

Comments (10)

4mo 
Danger Zone, what's your opinion? Comment below:

Dartmouth head and shoulders above the rest.

Ross sticker vs a full ride at Emory is interesting. I'd think west coast MBB won't be likely from Ross and impossible from Emory.

For T2/T3 firms I'd venture to guess that Ross has a slight edge for West Coast placements but if you did the legwork you could get the same job from Emory. 

4mo 
jefe11, what's your opinion? Comment below:

Thank you so much

4mo 
MichaelCorleone1, what's your opinion? Comment below:

Ross or Johnson if you don't get off Tuck. Really no comparison. Emory can land you to IB NY but it's no guarantee, whereas with Ross you basically have a 90% shot. Same with Cornell, just think Ann Arbor is better than Ithaca and alumni network @ Ross is better than Johnson. But Cornell is also a great option. Also Ross and Johnson head and shoulders ahead of Booth PT. Emory ahead of Booth PT too imo

  • 1
4mo 
Danger Zone, what's your opinion? Comment below:

Could be wrong here but my reasoning for leaving Cornell off of my list above was consulting is not their strong suit relative to  peer schools and the fact that OP said that their preference was for the West Coast. I'm sure Cornell sends people to the West Coast but Michigan I believe sends nearly a 3rd of their class there. 

  • Associate 2 in CorpFin
4mo 

I would go to Booth PT if you can. At the end of the day an MBA is an MBA regardless of whether FT or PT. Booth is leagues ahead of all the schools you mentioned...

Most Helpful
4mo 
Danger Zone, what's your opinion? Comment below:

Where the calculus changes IMO is in your first job out of school and how that can accelerate your career. The more I think about it Ross FT > Booth PT. If you enter into the Booth PT program your range of outcomes is capped, it will be much harder to make the move to the west coast, and you lose out on developing deep connections with your cohort. 
 

Ross has slots for MBB, BB IB, and other high paying FO roles that a PT student at Booth would be much less likely to land given that other Booth FT students will fill those seats. Additionally, 5 years out the network you've developed and your work product/reputation will be much more valuable than the brand of your MBA. You're really splitting hairs at that point T10 vs M7 and people aren't going to hire you because you have an MBA from Booth over a Ross grad.

As an aside the M7 branding is idiotic and I hope they change it. Everyone I know who labels themselves an M7 grad is trying to get clout by lumping themselves in with H/S/W grads. Your median outcome from every school in the T15 outside of H/S/W is likely the same. Haas, Ross, Fuqua, and Tuck are all solid schools outside the M7 that will get you wherever you want to go. If you don't land a gig 10+ years down the line you're the limiting factor in your career not the brand of your MBA.

4mo 
KyrMar, what's your opinion? Comment below:

FYI, Dartmouth is not good for the west coast. They hired a career advisor specifically for the west coast and everyone had complaints. Apart from that, I would definitely recommend it. I think Ross and Dartmouth have very similar recruiting outcomes.

4mo 
Danger Zone, what's your opinion? Comment below:

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