USC (Marshall) IBEAR versus University of Maryland
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27 Apr 2024, 14:38
It's quite simple: a two-year program includes internships that often lead to full-time offers. Additionally, it prepares you for the full-time recruiting process. If you miss the early recruiting cycle, you have a chance to try again next year (this is, of course, a worst-case scenario, but still possible). Moreover, the school cares about your placement—you are in the rankings, and it's crucial for the school to help you find employment as your unemployment affects the school’s rank.
On the other hand, IBEAR lacks any ranking and is completely outside any rankings, etc., which means IBEAR simply doesn't care about your employment. No one cares about you, and if you raise even the slightest complaint, you might be rebuffed with accusations of being at fault yourself, or that you should have been more proactive with coffee chats and networking (which you are supposed to do by yourself using only LinkedIn, as you don't even have access to an alumni database!!!!).
In a standard two-year program, recruiters specifically come to your university to speak with you, understanding the value recognition for the program. In contrast, with IBEAR, nobody knows what IBEAR is. You have to explain and justify what the program is every time you speak with someone, which means that recruiters are not predisposed to speak with you, as they are there for the two-year MBA candidates offered by traditional programs. For this reason, I strongly recommend not considering IBEAR if you want to work in the USA.