Oxford MBA / HEC Paris MBA
Hi all,
I am new to this forum and have a question. Which of the 2 MBA programs would be considered better between Oxford and HEC Paris. I work in finance and I am not looking to switch careers into another sector. I am from a commonwealth country which dosen't speak French ( I speak very little ). I'm open regarding my post MBA work destination.
Some people suggest that I look into the career stats of both schools to decide but would that advice be given to someone who has to decide between say Wharton and NYU ( or am I incorrect to say that there is actually that big a difference in overall prestige and quality between Oxford and HEC )
Oxford has that aura around it, but some say it is all hype. And HEC has been ranked well off late though slightly lesser known. Broadly is the quality of the school, experience, prestige, career opportunities etc vastly different ?
Thank you
I don't know the two programs well enough to offer an opinion. Your last sentence is exactly what you need answers on. This forum is U.S.-centric and largely consistent of undergraduate students, so not sure you'll get a lot of people really knowledgeable about European MBA programs. The questions you're asking are easy enough to figure out though with conversations with people in finance in Europe who have their MBAs or are mid-level and higher who can give you informed opinions about how those programs compare and whether you even need the degree. I know the MBA isn't as popular in Europe.
If the two programs are comparable in terms of the career opportunities post-MBA, then it's merely a decision about which place you'd rather be.
Here's an interesting writeup from the HBS Centennial Celebration about the declining value of the 2 year MBA program. I think it makes some great points. I went to business school and I highly recommend it, IF you're going to the right program for what you want to do when you graduate. For the jobs that the people on this site are targeting, there are only a small number of programs that make sense. Outside of that there's a good case to be made that you're wasting a lot of money and 2 years of your life. That's why I encourage you to do your due diligence to make sure that there aren't meaningful differences between the doors that Oxford and HEC Paris will open for you.
Should I get an MBA or not? - http://bit.ly/D4ZS7
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Appreciate your advice
Heavyweight the only thing you can do is collect some data -- have people with a comparable background to yours gotten into what is your dream role following one of these programmes? I've said earlier that HEC and Oxford try to capitalise on their undergrad uni brand values and am not sure how well they actually place. Again, both places have 'the aura around them' but this is from their non-MBA programmes which have a very long track record!
I know one guy who went to HEC for his MBA and now works at LEK & one guy who went to Oxford for his and now is at an elite boutique M&A shop. The problem with these single data points is that they give you no idea for what your chances actually would be. Career Services obviously will be biased in the info they give you when they say "yes Blackstone recruits here" ('because eight years ago somebody joined their Ops team -- he just happens to be the son of some MD there').
P.S. Linkedin Advanced Search is very helpful in this context.
Useful idea m2. Thanks
formerMD..which schools would be considered top 10...the rankings are very different...and is it correct to say that all these top 10 schools are in the US ?
Seems odd that the 15th ranked school..which would still be a stellar program isn't worth it..i'd like to know your thoughts
Thanks
Oxford's MBA program is a one-year program. I would recommend doing your research yourself (starting on IDK maybe the school's websites?) before you ask people on this forum who don't even have a clue about Oxford's or HEC's MBA programs.
stk123 i know the factual details about both programs - i've visited Oxford as well by the way
I'm trying to assess the better option of the two on the criteria outlined in my first post
stk123 i know the factual details about both programs - i've visited Oxford as well by the way
I'm trying to assess the better option of the two on the criteria outlined in my first post
Any alumni on this forum from either program ? I'd appreciate your insights
Thanks
Any alumni on this forum from either program ? I'd appreciate your insights
Thanks
Today I came across the Financial Times 2009 European Business School Rankings and I thought the below rankings would be of interest here.
HEC #1 Oxford #19
I wish that Oxford would have been ranked higher due to the fact that I am considering applying to the program.
Another piece of information in the ranking that might be of interest is the average post MBA salary: HEC - $117,630 Oxford - $135,502
Well, how good is Oxford / HEC in terms of recruiting ? The $$$ stats in these rankings are not always correct
hey i think i've read your posts on other forums as well regarding the two programs. anyways here's what i think...i don't know much about HEC but i've done a considerable amount of research between oxford and INSEAD, both of which i've applied to for fall 2010 (i'm accepted into oxford and will hear back from INSEAD by tomorrow or Friday at the latest).
the recruiting at oxford is not as good as say...US top 10 schools or LBS/INSEAD/IMD. however, in terms of reputation, i think only LBS and INSEAD stand clearly above oxford in europe. IMD is slightly better imo...and cambridge/HEC/IESE etc. are all probably in the same band. the thing with oxford (and cambridge, in this regard) is that the undergraduate school has such a good brand name globally that you'll be able to open a lot of doors with an mba from there. in the end, unless you're being hired by someone who's really knowledgeable of the industry or for a position in france, they're not going to be that high on the HEC or even INSEAD name. however, they'll likely know and be impressed by oxford. also, if you ever work on your own or do any type of sales work down the road, your clients will also likely be more drawn to the oxford name rather than HEC.
that being said, if you're interested in working in france or know for sure your employers will always know the difference in rankings between HEC/oxford, then sure, go for HEC. i just think that the oxford name is so strong that it should overcome the shitty recruiting (which HEC also shares to an extent, from what i've read in other forums) if you're willing to put some leg work into it yourself and you can go in with a clear focus and really use your time there to expand your network.
hope that helps.
INSEAD and LBS are the two best programs in Europe for Finance
HEC comes next
Oxford and Cambridge just beneath HEC
try searching around www.thestudentroom.com, it's a forum for undergrad and masters students in England/Continental Europe and people there will probably have a better idea of the programs' relative strengths and weaknesses.
You will be surprised to know that HEC as a whole is regarded very highly in France and in Europe, even more than INSEAD. At the outset most people look at rankings and media buzz to evaluate a school but the truth is that it is the perception of people working in the industry that actually helps you get a job and establish a career.
HEC certainly has a very high reputation in this regards. They recently established a double degree partnership with IIM - Ahemdabad which is one of the best Indian Business Schools. This shows there focus and strategy about expanding their presence into key global markets.
If you are looking to connect with current students or recent graduates from HEC Paris then visit BusinessBecause and checkout the HEC Paris Profile Page (http://www.businessbecause.com/hec-paris.htm) for lots of information, stories and ways to connect with current students.
They also have a double MBA with Tsinghua Universit, best Chinese university.
HEC - Paris is a well respected school. I knew a few people who have studied their and I hope to apply their when the time comes. As a European, HEC places higher than Oxford when it comes to business.
I would guess the salary differential is mainly down to the destination of graduates, i.e. France vs UK.
My understanding is that HEC has hugely better placement in banking & finance than Oxford does at an MBA level. I would guess that even if you fail to secure a London based banking job via HEC, you would have a very high chance of getting one in Paris, and lateralling across to London. The reverse is unlikely to be true.
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