Duke vs. NYU for MC

Question

I've been accepted to both - Duke with $$$ and NYU with no $

I'm transitioning to MC from a non-traditional background. It seems Duke is the stronger program to do that and to reach top firms. But I also see the advantages of networking in NYC while at Stern. (living in NYC post MBA is not a must for me, though).

Would love to hear others' thoughts / experiences from these schools on MC! Thanks!!

kingfalcon · Answer

Personally, if I were in your shoes, I would go to Fuqua. Even setting aside the money, I think Duke generally places better in MC according to both schools' employment reports. Given that it sounds like you have no particular affinity for NYC, I'd suggest heading down to NC. Remember, if you're recruiting in NYC, you're going up against students from all the schools in that region (e.g. Columbia, HBS, Tuck, Cornell, Wharton), whereas in NC, you'll mostly just be competing against students from Darden and Emory. Just my two cents.

asimov · Answer

Even without the money, I would choose Fuqua over Stern if your goal is anything but finance. For MC, Fuqua has significantly stronger placement. The only argument for MC at Stern is if you want to work in the NYC/NJ offices. Since you are not set on the NYC office, Fuqua would offer you a much better chance in transitioning to MC from a non-traditional background.

Factor in the money and the cost of living difference, Fuqua would be a much better choice.

Factor in the money and the cost of living difference, Fuqua would be a much better choice.

pearljam · Answer

Both schools are feeders for top management consulting firms. Stern has the Consulting IMI program which is great for career switchers like yourself, but I don't think I would turn down a significant scholarship if I were in your shoes. If it were equal cost or even a small scholarship for Duke, I would recommend Stern for the IMI, the location and the finance department.

Stern is often described as "not good for X" because it places a relatively small percentage in X line of business compared to other schools. Take this with a grain of salt however, because a large percentage Stern students go into finance  by choice . Does that mean they couldn't get into marketing or consulting, etc. if that were their goal? Probably not. Firms from all industries recruit on campus, and because of its large class size, Stern places a lot of graduates into a lot of industries. But a poor interpretation of the data can lead you to believe that having a premier finance program is a drawback, which obviously isn't the case- particularly for management consulting, where there is quite a bit of overlap with finance and having access to Stern's program would be a big advantage, especially if you have a non-technical background.

SOS1122 · Answer

Thanks everyone! And I do agree, that Stern's IMI program is great. Pearljam, also like your point that finance is crucial for MC.

On location - I'm not necessarily interested in living long term in the south either. I didn't think the location of either Duke or NYU would determine the fate of where I live, since they're both top programs. Do you think Duke puts me at a disadvantage if I do decide to work in NYC?

kingfalcon · Answer

As asimov mentioned, I think Stern would be stronger if you know you want to do MC in NYC/NJ. I think Duke would be just as good, if not better than, Stern elsewhere, though. Would you be open to taking a job at MBB in the South and then transferring to your office of choice? I suspect some of Duke's strong placement may be due to people going to offices in the South, where there is presumably less competition.

SOS1122 · Answer

That's true, and I would be willing to transfer

travisz · Answer

Even without $$$, I would pick Fuqua.

Duke vs. NYU for MC

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