Duke - LSE - LBS comparison

[beatthegre]

Dear Stacy & All,

i have a simple/complicated question where I need some advice.
I have been accepted to LSE Msc Management (2 yr program) and am now trying to apply to 1 yr programs.. I deffered, 2 yr is a lot in terms of expenses, time factor...

As far as I am concerned, these 3 programs are top for me and seem strong>
LSE Msc Management
LBS MiM
Duke MMS

2 questions>
1) Can you tell me what are major differences or strenghts of each? Mainly LBS vs Duke.
2) How is this degree perceived in the US, if one wants to work later there? As its not on par w an MBA?

As it seems Duke is quite regional, US focused student body. I am internationl, permanent US resident which would be an advantage there. LBS and LSE is full of internationals..
Also, Duke MMS seems to be taught by MBA faculty, and Fuqua is one of the leading business schools. However, same can be said for LBS as well, plus it is such a tightly knit elite school, solely focused on business.

THANK YOU

[Lisa Anderson]

Dear beatthegre,

How one program stacks up against another is subjective as one person's advantage might be another's disadvantage. For example, location--being in London might be an advantage if you desire to work in London but a disadvantage if you desire to work in the US. Thus I would suggest you make a list of what you seek in a program--what attributes are important to you. Then, rank them in priority order so you know what is most critical for you. Finally, evaluate each program against your personal ranked criteria to see which one stands out as the best option for you. LBS, LSE and Duke all have strong reputations in the US and the EU. How the MSc/MiM/MMS are perceived relative to an MBA varies based on the industry and company. Some will see the degrees as being relatively on par, but others will hold the MBA with greater esteem. One way to determine if that will be an issue for you is to research the industry/companies you aspire to work for and see if they hire graduates from any of these degree programs--or if the focus tends to be solely MBA. You might find you need to speak with company representatives to get the best information.

Good luck,
Lisa

[beatthegre]

Thank you for the infos.

I have asked many people, companies and who finished these programs as well. The overall answer is simple: LOCATION, where do I want to work??

If in Europe, go LBS.
If in US, go Duke.

It seems in terms of business schools, they are marketing their students or have more networks in the given location (obvious).
In the LBS MiM report, thus only 3% of graduates ventured to the US for employment, majority is UK based career.

Thus, going to London and than fetchin a New York job as a fresh inexperienced candidate may be more complex than already being located at Duke with frequent contacts to New York.

(course vise both LBS MiM and Duke MMS are not in-depth specialization, give a general overview)

Please provide some professional insight on this issue, if you have time.
THANK YOU very much!

[Lisa Anderson]

If your goal is to work in the US when you graduate, then already being in the US will be an advantage. Likewise, if your goal is to be in the EU or the UK, then being in the EU is best. It is always helpful to be geographically desirable to recruiters and be in school near the city you want to live/work in when you graduate as it makes networking for your job opportunities easier. If your top priority is obtaining work in a specific location, then I think you have your answer.

Regards,
Lisa

[beatthegre]

Lisa,

here is a tough one to consider. I just barely made it to the LBS MiM, and now am hard pressed to choose it over Duke MMS. People from top companies and those in the know tell me it is a league above and in terms of placements I can't go wrong with LBS.

As I can no problem work in the US with all documents done, will it be that much significantly harder to network myself back to the US (mainly New York) from LBS? Let's not forget that Duke is nowhere near any major business hubs and not an hour from New York as well.. Thus, the american businessmen and MBAs at LBS may even prove to be more useful in the short/long term than Fuqua..

I know it is impossible to tell the future, just asking your professional view on this US-EU matter. In my view, and being so young, I should go where I will grow the most and is the best investment long term.

[Lisa Anderson]

Great news on your admission offers, but you are correct that deciding where to go can be quite difficult. As we have noted previously, there is an advantage to being geographically near where you want to work while in business school. However, you are also in control of your job search and can actualize your goals with the right amount of effort. Thus the greatest determinant of whether or not you will be working in New York post-MBA, regardless of if you are at Duke or LBS, is you. Choose the program you feel best matches up with your overall expectations and necessary resources for business school; then plan accordingly for your budget and time to get to New York periodically for networking.

Best of luck,
Lisa