Location vs Ranking

Hi there - ah, this is not an easy question as it depends on the person. If you told me that you had a very strong desire to live in a particular region post-MBA, then all else being fairly equal, I'd probably recommend you strongly consider your networking / interning possibilities with a school in that region (perhaps over a slightly higher-ranked program on the other side of the country). Yes, ranking does come into play with which schools the companies actually visit for recruiting. However, "being there" close to the companies that are hiring also helps a lot, especially if you want to get into an industry that is not banking or consulting. Another consideration for outside of the top 20 is the brand recognition of the overall institution that you can potentially leverage (depending on the industry you are seeking and which region you are looking towards). So, apologies for all of the "it depends", but there is a significant power in location for recruiting, so I'd do your diligence on which companies come on campus, what relationships are like with local hiring companies, etc to make your decision. Most schools welcome a call to discuss this, so I recommend letting them give you their "pitch" on this topic