Haas vs. Tuck for Venture Capital VC
Hello All!
I have been fortunate enough to be accepted into 2 amazing MBA programs (Haas and Tuck). I am very into small programs, which is why I chose to apply to the 2. I am looking to transition into Venture Capital in the long-run. I have no banking/consulting/tech experience so I understand that I most likely need to do something relevant to Venture Capital/Tech immediately after post-MBA in order to transition into Venture Capital. However, if I can get into VC immediately after school, that would be preferential.
All that being said, between Tuck and Haas, which of the 2 would provide the best opportunities for VC (either immediately after school or down the line a couple years after school)? I know Haas has a strong presence in Tech, but it seems like the Tuck network is tighter, which is definitely helpful in a hard-to-break-into industry like VC. From my research on the Employment Stats at each of the schools, Tuck seems to place a greater percentage of students into Private Equity (which includes VC), although both numbers are pretty small in the grand scheme of things (5% for Tuck, 2% for Haas).
Also, my location preferences are SF, LA, NYC, and Boston.
Any insights would be helpful! Thanks!
I don't know a ton about MBA programs but I would wager that Haas will have more opportunities since it is right next to San Fran/Silicon Valley, which is essentially the VC capital of the world.
But then again, Tuck is Ivy. Tough call.
Its gonna be really really difficult for you to get into VC with any tech/consulting or banking experience from really any school. But go with Haas, the proximity means more.
From the little I know about VC recruiting it all depends on your legwork and networking. Do you want to fly every weekend from Boston-Logan to SFO or do you want to just take BART?
My unqualified advice would be Haas.
What is your background? Do you have any tech experience at all?
http://poetsandquants.com/2015/02/25/pe-the-most-sought-after-mba-jobs/
Tuck will be better for Boston, but the tech community in BOS tends to discount MBAs. Not sure about going to VC though - especially with no startup experience.
Congrats on the admits.
Go to Haas.
You are better off being local here, because you will learn a lot more about what's going on in valley (yes tech is everywhere, but the epicenter for tech startup activity is still the Bay Area, and by extension, venture funding that supports such activity).
The job of a VC is networking - you're competing against a lot of other VC firms hunting for the best deals, and being right in the Bay Area where you can meet up with all kinds of tech folks (startups, folks at larger tech firms, etc) will only help you. It's not just about VC, but about knowing your industry - not just trends that you can read in the media, but the actual people behind some of these startups whom you've actually met with and maybe even have some rapport or dialogue with over your 2 years.
And I'm sure you've heard of the Kauffman Fellows Program, which is something to consider in your 2nd year as a transition into VC after you graduate.
Thanks all for the prompt replies! Just hooked some of you up with bananas. I'm new to WSO, so I'm not really sure how it works, but I imagine it's a good thing.
@mrharveyspecter - BB PWM, so I most likely will have to do startup/tech banking/etc. before even getting into VC. I am just trying to weigh which of the 2 programs will offer the best opportunities for VC in the long-run
@copecre - how about NYC? how's the MBA (specifically Tuck, doesn't seem like Haas places a lot in NYC in general) viewed in tech/start-ups/vc. I know I will most likely have to do something tech related immediately after b-school in order to make a more logical shift to VC. I am open to SF and NYC equally and Boston to a lesser extent. LA is also an option.
@MBAApply - Yes, I have heard of Kauffman. Do you happen to offer consulting services for the app? If so, I'll most likely be hitting you up within the next couple years...haha j/k. On a separate note, I understand that the Haas location is definitely a strength for VC/start-up/tech banking/etc., but do you think the Tuck network can make-up for that (in any of the industries that are traditional feeders into VC)? Just from research, it looks like a good number of partners at VCs are Tuckies (although a very small number compared to that of H/S).
Question for all: And how do Ross and Anderson fit into my goal? Should I even still be considering them?
@VC_Hopeful_123 can you please share more about your background, you mention BB PWM, was it JPM PB, regional or larger office, what kind of role, and how many years of work experience do you have. You know, many people here like to say you are not going to get in any of the top-10 programs from PWM which of course is not true - congrats on the acceptance.
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