"geeky" schools

Question

I was speaking a friend of mine who's a chicago alum about the schools I'm applying to and my app strategy. He mentioned that two of the schools on my list - Chicago and MIT - are considered to be pretty "geeky".

Now in my research of the schools, I've found that these generalizations don't really hold up. It's like the same thing with schools being "finance schools" (some have that rep, but it doesn't mean it's all there is).

Have you all noticed that as well? Or do you think generalizations like "geeky" are true?

cheers,
ac.

riverripper · Answer

I think in general stereotypes dont hold true but remember thats what a lot of people think in the outside world. If you dont go to a school you are going to go on stereotypes until you meet lots of people that break that mold. I think stereotypes do self perpetuate though in some ways because people who have a certain personality are going to be attracted to schools with that image. So if a nerdy person thinks MIT is is going to be nerdy it will probably be high up on their list.

In general I think all MBA programs are going to be pretty social and are going to be challenging academically, especially if you take the advanced classes. You are going to have to dig a little deeper into a schools culture to find the place you fit.

In general I think all MBA programs are going to be pretty social and are going to be challenging academically, especially if you take the advanced classes. You are going to have to dig a little deeper into a schools culture to find the place you fit.

agold · Answer

Didn't you visit both schools? Everyone should make these sort of judgement calls on their own.

isa · Answer

Yup I did visit - I thought the "geeky" factor was a bit of an overgeneralization...figured I'd check what others thought

Both these schools (geeky or not) are a great fit for me.

isa · Answer

thanks river! It's a good point that if you don't go to a school, you'll have certain stereotypes about it....glad that it's more likely a case of overgeneralizing!
cheers,
ac.

agold · Answer

Did you visit Kellogg as well?

Were you able to notice a significant difference in culture and student body between Chicago and Kellogg?

isa · Answer

I visited Kellogg as well. I think the difference I noticed could be as much a result of the students I spoke with as of the school culture.

I definitely felt that the Kellogg kids I spoke with were super nice but drank the school kool-aid a bit more. They kept talking about team culture, etc to a point where it got annoying. I couldn't figure out if they just really loved it that much or if they'd been asked to emphasize it. I did ask them the question of "aside from Kellogg's great team culture, what do you like about it" etc to move them off the topic (it worked pretty well). They were really excited by the concentrations, location. I also heard great things about KWEST. They also seemed (and this is just me) to be more "settled" in life. It's like they knew exactly what they wanted to do, had life figured out and were set to go. (note: this is not by any means a bad thing)

The Chicago kids I met were more definitely down to earth, and practical. They raved about the Random Walks, the professors, the academic opportunities at Chicago. Some of them shared openly what they liked about Chicago, what they didn't like, etc. I think being in a bar setting with them really made a difference - they were able to be more open than they maybe otherwise would have been.

I fit with both groups, applied to both schools but liked Chicago better.

hope this helps

terp06

Did you visit Kellogg as well?

Were you able to notice a significant difference in culture and student body between Chicago and Kellogg?

riverripper · Answer

Ya at Kellogg they tend to beat the team and leader thing into your head pretty often. I think its because recruiters see lack of teamwork skills as some of the biggest issues with most MBA graduates. We do pretty much everything in teams here too which I think is good since it prepares you for the working world where you are going to often be working in teams (at least when you start). Since everything is student run, even outside the classroom we are working together to do everything from planning admitted students weekends, KWEST, club events, confrences. So you are right, people do tend to oversell the teamwork thing but supposedly recruiters love it so I guess it works.

One thing to remember if you are visiting schools in Sept-October, half the student body is brand new and is just settling in. There is definitely going to be some over love going on on campus. Seeing people in a different setting might open them up a little more.

One thing to remember if you are visiting schools in Sept-October, half the student body is brand new and is just settling in. There is definitely going to be some over love going on on campus. Seeing people in a different setting might open them up a little more.

solaris1 · Answer

There are no "geeky" business schools. For some strange reason, the reputations of universities' undergraduate and to some extent graduate schools feed into this perception that business schools are "geeky" too. Case in point being Chicago GSB's "geek" / "quant jock" reputation, which is wholly undeserved.

On the whole, most business school students, in my opinion, are extremely well-adjusted and personable (in relative terms) in contrast to the undergraduate, Ph.D. and law school folks at the top universities. This shouldn't really be a factor in school selection.

sonibubu · Answer

Definitely add Tepper into the "geeky" list. My friend visited this week and confirmed it.

irishspring · Answer

Interesting discussion guys.

On my end, I have visited MIT, Yale, Cornell, and Kellogg.

I did not visit GSB, because I could determine pretty quickly online that Kellogg made sense for me. GSB did not.

I will say this. I had planned on applying to MIT over Yale. But after visiting, will not apply to MIT, and will though to Yale. I wont say the reasons, other than an off handed remark that bugged me a bit. More though it has to do with how impressed I was by Yale.

In terms of student body, and the 'geekiness'. My general observations were that every student body was extremely impressive. Everyone was smart, everyone was nice, and everyone was proud of where they went to school.

I had very little negative impresssions of these schools. I mean each had their unique parts which were cool.

If I had to pick one school though, of the ones I visited which seem to be really focused on moving up in the rankings and with an action plan to do it. It is Yale. Now Kellogg obviously is doing great just as it is. But Yale, struck me quite frankly, as a school in 15 years we will be talking about as a top 7 school.

fooFighter · Answer

I recently visited both Kellogg and Chicago. Chicago was definitely not geeky but Kellogg students were a bit more friendly. Guess its just the type of people the school attracts. I liked both schools equally.

Audio · Answer

It's hard to have a proper opinion after a visit I reckon. MIT is full of engineers, so I can imagine that it'll be more geek-prone. Mind you, their soccer team was pretty decent though! :-D

Audio · Answer

Went to Yale for a soccer tournament. New Haven has Toads; 'nuff said. Good choice! :-D

"geeky" schools

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