madihaj wrote:
Hi people,
I've been admitted to Cornell Johnson for the fall term and INSEAD for Jan '17. I'm currently in Toronto working in finance for a big 5 bank, but the plan is to transition to management consulting preferably at an MBB firm. I want to have the option of coming back to North America, but I'm not a 100% set on geography. What school offers better potential for a career switcher to go into consulting?
Would also like to learn about the quality of the experience, alumni relations after graduating if possible in North America.
Thanks!
madihaj, I contacted INSEAD alumni in Calgary who work in the consulting industry - MBB. Try to get in touch with alumni in Toronto as well from both business schools - LinkedIn is a great tool.
One factor besides the consulting placement is the two years vs one year program. Which one do you believe best suits your needs and goals?
Also, in the US you'll be in competition with applicants for MBB positions from a lot of prestigious universities - think Harvard, Columbia, MIT, Stanford. Most likely you'll be selecting a popular office in a popular city which will reduce your chances.
INSEAD on the other hand has an edge in Europe and the MENA region and most likely your competition will be your colleagues
. Switching offices later - once and if you land a position in one of the MBB firms - is not as hard as you might think. Consulting industries know INSEAD
VERY well compared to other industries.
I might be biased towards INSEAD but I would note down the following:
- preference between 1 year and 2 years program and why?
- region preference - pick 3 cities that you like to work in post-MBA regardless on whether you want to stay there permanently and regardless on how high your chances are to land a position there
- finances (scholarships + living expenses...etc)
- Recap why you applied to INSEAD and Cornell. What attracted you to these schools in the first place? Are your reasons legitimate?
Congrats on both admits and good luck