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Urgent: Help me!! European MBA - HEC vs Oxbridge
[#permalink]
02 May 2024, 15:56
02 May 2024, 15:56
I made a thread before but wanted to hear more opinions before I decide on which MBA programme to go for.
I have an offer from HEC and Cambridge but just can't decide between the two. I'm a German Citizen who wants to transition into management consulting (tier 1/2) after the MBA in Europe or Middle East. My GMAT was decent but I didn't apply to LBS because it's just way too expensive and I've already lived in London so I wanted to move out and INSEAD programme was just too short (10 months).
Cambridge
- Rumours are that the brand name of Cambridge will carry and have more weight than HEC in the job market.
- Stronger network in the UK than HEC.
- No Scholarship
HEC
- ranking is higher for both mba programme and business school overall than judge
- received excellence scholarship
- polarising opinions on employability - some say the HEC brand in Europe (and Middle East) overall is elite with a good network whilst others say outside of France HEC network/name is overrated.
Other concerns
What would consulting recruiters in Germany, UK, North Europe, Netherlands and Middle East think between HEC vs Cambridge Judge?
What do other firms (incase I don't get into consulting) like Amazon think about candidates with HEC MBA vs Cambridge Judge MBA?
I would really appreciate any any support and opinions on this.
I have an offer from HEC and Cambridge but just can't decide between the two. I'm a German Citizen who wants to transition into management consulting (tier 1/2) after the MBA in Europe or Middle East. My GMAT was decent but I didn't apply to LBS because it's just way too expensive and I've already lived in London so I wanted to move out and INSEAD programme was just too short (10 months).
Cambridge
- Rumours are that the brand name of Cambridge will carry and have more weight than HEC in the job market.
- Stronger network in the UK than HEC.
- No Scholarship
HEC
- ranking is higher for both mba programme and business school overall than judge
- received excellence scholarship
- polarising opinions on employability - some say the HEC brand in Europe (and Middle East) overall is elite with a good network whilst others say outside of France HEC network/name is overrated.
Other concerns
What would consulting recruiters in Germany, UK, North Europe, Netherlands and Middle East think between HEC vs Cambridge Judge?
What do other firms (incase I don't get into consulting) like Amazon think about candidates with HEC MBA vs Cambridge Judge MBA?
I would really appreciate any any support and opinions on this.
Re: Urgent: Help me!! European MBA - HEC vs Oxbridge
[#permalink]
02 May 2024, 16:07
02 May 2024, 16:07
Expert Reply
Congratulations on your admits!
I know many people like Cambridge because of it college system but I feel that’s a little bit shortsighted because it’s a benefit the only get for 12 months and I guess you do but still I’m not sure it has lasting impact. Maybe you can share your thoughts.
Is the scholarship amount you received meaningful? It sounds like it would be but I wasn’t sure if it’s like 50% or 10%.
I would say that graduates from HEC and all the other top five European programs basically recruit at the same places. I don’t think I recruiter will care which of the top five European programs you went to. They would rather care if you got a referral from an alumni who you know in the company and who vouched for you. That’s the part that matters rather than what financial times decided to rank each program at. So it will be the network of current students and your work experience. You can have an amazing network but if your work experience doesn’t make you an attractive candidate, the person with prior results will always win over the brand. For example, someone may go to a lower ranked school with a big scholarship and if they have BCG or Amazon on their résumé, they will be first to be picked rather than someone who went to judge or LBS or HEC.
If this scholarship is meaningful, I would probably take it and that’s an extra item you can put on the résumé and when 50 people apply for one position and the job for the HR person is to whittle it down to 10 because they don’t want to talk to 50, they start looking for reasons to dink somebody or promote somebody up And if there are 10 people who have been referred then their job is done for them ….
if you go into consulting, your best investment would be not a brand but doing a ton of consulting interviews and case studies. And coming out really strong from the gazillion interviews you’ll have to go through, will increase the chances of conversion significantly.
Posted from my mobile device
I know many people like Cambridge because of it college system but I feel that’s a little bit shortsighted because it’s a benefit the only get for 12 months and I guess you do but still I’m not sure it has lasting impact. Maybe you can share your thoughts.
Is the scholarship amount you received meaningful? It sounds like it would be but I wasn’t sure if it’s like 50% or 10%.
I would say that graduates from HEC and all the other top five European programs basically recruit at the same places. I don’t think I recruiter will care which of the top five European programs you went to. They would rather care if you got a referral from an alumni who you know in the company and who vouched for you. That’s the part that matters rather than what financial times decided to rank each program at. So it will be the network of current students and your work experience. You can have an amazing network but if your work experience doesn’t make you an attractive candidate, the person with prior results will always win over the brand. For example, someone may go to a lower ranked school with a big scholarship and if they have BCG or Amazon on their résumé, they will be first to be picked rather than someone who went to judge or LBS or HEC.
If this scholarship is meaningful, I would probably take it and that’s an extra item you can put on the résumé and when 50 people apply for one position and the job for the HR person is to whittle it down to 10 because they don’t want to talk to 50, they start looking for reasons to dink somebody or promote somebody up And if there are 10 people who have been referred then their job is done for them ….
if you go into consulting, your best investment would be not a brand but doing a ton of consulting interviews and case studies. And coming out really strong from the gazillion interviews you’ll have to go through, will increase the chances of conversion significantly.
Posted from my mobile device
Re: Urgent: Help me!! European MBA - HEC vs Oxbridge
[#permalink]
02 May 2024, 16:08
02 May 2024, 16:08
Expert Reply
PS. Just to add, I did not go to either of these programs so I don’t have personal experience and I’m just sharing the overall industry situation unfortunately I cannot tell you any details on the ground. But it would be illogical for HEC to have a weak network anywhere outside of Anse because that is where all the international students recruit. Unless you speak French, you have to recruit in Dubai or London or Amsterdam.
Posted from my mobile device
Posted from my mobile device
