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How important is the alumni base?

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How important is the alumni base?

by westsidah408 » Sat Jun 09, 2012 8:40 am
Hi guys,

Quick question: just how important is the b-school's alumni base? Sure, it will be of great value in getting you in the door to that initial job, but say 10 years down the line, will it still matter?

I ask because I am an international candidate and while I will want to work in the US post-MBA, in the long-term I intend to come back. At this point I feel really strong about b-school X (I don't want to name names) but the alumni base is not that strong here. On the other hand, I like b-school Y (not as much as b-school X but liking it nonetheless), but they have a really large alumni base here. And then let's say there's b-school Z, who I'm not particularly interested in beyond the usual (places strongly into my industry of choice + prestige etc.) but for other reasons such as location, I am not planning to apply there.

My point is this: should b-school Y's application take precedence over b-school X's? Should I even bother with b-school Z?

Thanks guys!
west
Last edited by westsidah408 on Sun Jun 10, 2012 8:09 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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by sieken » Sun Jun 10, 2012 11:51 am
Why not post the names of the schools? If there isn't a big alum base of Harvard MBAs in your area, but a lot from ITT Tech, I would say Harvard would still be a better school regardless of its lack of alumni base in your area. I know this is a gross exaggeration, but important in my opinion. That said, I feel alumni base is immensely important. Just about all accredited b-schools will give you the same education. You go to a good b-school for the opportunities your classmates and fellow alums will bring in the future, plus what the brand name brings in the market place.
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by westsidah408 » Sun Jun 10, 2012 8:22 pm
@sieken. The comparison I was making (school X vs Y) was Booth vs. Kellogg. Both are great schools that will get me to where I want to go, but I don't see many Booth alums in Thailand. Conversely, Kellogg and Wharton have a lot of local alums. That's where my predicament begins. I'm not particularly interested in Wharton beyond the brand name, I like Kellogg quite a bit, but my dream school is Booth.
sieken wrote:Why not post the names of the schools? If there isn't a big alum base of Harvard MBAs in your area, but a lot from ITT Tech, I would say Harvard would still be a better school regardless of its lack of alumni base in your area. I know this is a gross exaggeration, but important in my opinion. That said, I feel alumni base is immensely important. Just about all accredited b-schools will give you the same education. You go to a good b-school for the opportunities your classmates and fellow alums will bring in the future, plus what the brand name brings in the market place.
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by sieken » Mon Jun 11, 2012 5:46 am
It seems like you're in a good predicament. Wharton and Booth are very similar in composition, so if you know the alum base of Wharton will get you further in your home, I'd say go Wharton. If you haven't visited the schools yet, I feel that is a critical step. Even if you're on the other side of the world, visiting a school while class is in session and talking to the current students will make the choice abundantly clear. Who knows, Wharton may be the one after you visit. Good luck!
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