which school ??? Urgent !!!

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which school ??? Urgent !!!

by michaelangelo25 » Sat Jan 02, 2016 3:21 am
Hey !!!

I have an admit from both manchester business school (with scholarship) and HKU LBS track for the session starting in fall 2016
My back ground is technical (2 years) with a transition to project people and finance management (3 years) in a family business environment in the Indian infrastructure segment.
I want a holistic mba experience with a special focus on finance.(gap area) Ideally would want to work at some renowned Organization before i head back !!!

My first preference would be a finance role after mba as thats an area which am really interested to expand on. Having said that do international firms hire right out of bchools for finance roles??. Also ...does NOT having a a big finance brand in your CV makes it impossible to land a finance job (irrespective of how you perform in school) in HK and UK ..???
I am aware my profile is more suited to a consulting job, so the next answer i seek is -- How is the consulting market in HK and UK for expats (esp indians)??? Does knowing mandrin in HK a prerequisite for a consulting role
both these schools seem close in terms of quality,faculty and rankings
other points that are baffling me in regards to this decision are:-


MBS:
Pros:-
1.Strong consultancy driven practical program with significant internship possibilities.
2. More group assignments and consulting projects and learning out side the class room which i prefer.
3. Slightly economical because of the scholarship.
4. Better brand recognition (maybe?)
5. Spaced out program with internshpi which lets you sink your teeth into the subject matters.

cons:-
1. UK visa situation for expats (esp indians) is pretty tight. Nearly rules out the possibility of landing a job in UK or converting an internship (finance or consulting)
2. Longer duration at 18 months.
3. Relatively weak in finance

HKU
pros:-
1. Very strong finance base. good job and stay back opportunities. (my applicability for the finance domain remains a question)
2. More expat friendly with regulations.
3.Tighter program so it finishes earlier.
4. Chance to spend 3 months in london LBS and network (don't know whether this a significant aspect or just eye wash)

cons:-
1. Incase the finance roles are difficult to convert owing to my background. Very limited other opportunities.
2. Mandarin and local language dependence in marketing and consulting roles.
3. Younger program so not much brand value outside HK and a slimmer alum directory.

Any suggestion/help/tips/correction/guidance or additional info that helps me narrow down the choice will help greatly.


thanks :)

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by Indradeep » Sun Jan 03, 2016 3:45 pm
Hi,
Congrats on your admit. These are both good schools. However, a lot depends on where and what you would like to do post MBA.
I have students in both these schools in very recent times and their feedback is very similar. Based on your desire, I would suggest HKU, assuming finances are not that big a concern.
From your perspective, being able to work in HK vs England is a big decision. It is slightly easier to get work in Hong Kong, particularly as you are interested in Finance.
Working in Finance is a relatively big wish - do you want to work as an analyst, financial consultant, investment banker, retail banker or finance manager. Given your lack of experience, you would have to start as an analyst where you can draw upon your skills in the MBA program.
Consultancy is a relatively easier gig, given the large number of large, medium and boutique consulting firms that are around as well as how easily an MBA program merges into what the profession requires. You have plenty of consulting firms of 15-20 people which provide good experience required to move in larger and more substantive roles.
In terms of brand value, I wouldn't worry too much as after 2-3 years of working, your most recent role (company and what you are doing) are much more valuable - particularly, if it is not a top 20 school.
Hope this helps.
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by michaelangelo25 » Mon Jan 04, 2016 12:20 am
Hi Indradeep

Thanks a lot for the insightful advise.
I am tending slightly towards manchester as it's wholesome academic experience (18 months with 4 live projects) is what I seek the most.
Plus finances although not significant IS an important factor.

Thanks for your guidance regarding life after MBA. Guess going to manchester is a risk, but am gonna back my abilities and choose that.
And like u said in 4-5 years i wont even fret on the matter of where i got placed right outta b-school !! however i can always cherish the 18 months at my preferred destination. If everything works out and i get a finance role at the end of it all..cherry on the cake...other wise i work towards my goal slowly !! (being an analyst and so on)

thanks gain for all the help.

Cheers.

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by Indradeep » Mon Jan 04, 2016 2:38 pm
No worries. Hope all turns out well.
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by Kaneisha Grayson » Tue Jan 26, 2016 8:25 am
Hi michaelangelo25,

You likely have already made your decision, but I just wanted to weigh in with a different perspective and say that I have consistently seen my clients be happiest when they chose whichever school they were most genuinely interested and excited to go to--even if that school is not as highly ranked as another school to which they have been admitted.

In fact, I once had a client get into Columbia and Georgetown. In her heart, she most wanted to go to Georgetown but she felt silly turning down admission to a school as prestigious as Columbia, so she accepted her place at Columbia and instantly regretted not going to the school where she really wanted to go. A quick search I just did shows that she ended up at Georgetown after all, so there's a happy ending.

The point of this story is to say that I hope you chose the school where you most wanted to go. Would love an update!

Kaneisha
Harvard Business School MBA 2010, Harvard Kennedy School MPA 2010
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My clients have earned over $3.1 million in fellowships from Harvard and other top MBA, MPP, and JD programs since 2010.

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by michaelangelo25 » Tue Jan 26, 2016 10:25 pm
Hey Kaneisha,

Thanks so much for you perspective and example.

Based on what you said..am glad to share that i am following my heart rather than my head !!!
I am all set to join manchester. The overall program with its unique live project opportunities and class mix.. just seemed more exciting.
The rankings keep changing every year so no point fretting over the same.

Hope there is a happy ending at the end of my story aswell !

cheers !!!

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by Michael@VeritasPrep » Mon Feb 15, 2016 4:08 pm
Given your profile and goals, I agree that Manchester Business School will be a good fit for you. Rankings are just someone's opinion about how good a school is. Plenty of people that go to lower ranked schools outperform those from higher ranked schools throughout their careers. After a few years, no one will care where you went to business school, just how well you do on the job.
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by michaelangelo25 » Mon Feb 29, 2016 1:44 am
Hi everyone !!!

So there is a development regarding my admit.
After deciding UK was my preferred destination, i applied further to few more schools in the uk.

So the current situation is like this:
1. Admit from Manchester business school -(full time) with scholarship.
2. Admit from warwick business school-with scholarship.
3. Admit from imperial business school -NO scholarship.

Based on scholarship tuition cost at manchester and Warwick is about the same imperial is about 50 % more.
Mostly the curriculum is about the same however manchester has a more spread out program so gives a slightly more time for live projects and internships.

Now based on my research all three of these schools have distinct advantages and disadvantages going for it.


1. Manchester: being a 18 month course its well spaced out and has ample opportunities for dedicated (3month) internship and 3 live consultancy projects. major con would be that placement isnt great and manchester is not london.

2. Warwick: I have heard is slightly better rated and has a slightly stronger placement opportunities especially in finance. The campus though is in the middle of nowhere between coventry and lemington unlike city universities like manchester or London. So campus experience might be limiting.

3. Imperial: supposedly the best ranked and with london location advantage. However its a relatively new program (fewer alums) more expensive as no scholarship was extended.

what i essentially wanted to know is how are these universities rated. Is there a major difference in perception/job opportunities
Is london as a location really that important, worth paying extra for.
Also owing to the UK immigration policy ,most likely a job in UK is unlikely so which of these universities has a better global recognition.

Any suggestion/help/tips/correction/guidance or additional info that helps me narrow down the choice will help greatly.