Getting MBA at UG school

Question

Is anyone else doing this? I've been told recruiters frown upon those who go to B-school at the same school they received their undergraduate degree at. To put things in context though, I'm not going to one of the M7 schools. Just wanted to get ya'lls thoughts.

Thanks!

Thanks!

jb32 · Answer

I'll take a shot...

I would think recruiters might frown on it a little, but not as much as you should be frowning on it. Going to the same school you received your undergraduate degree from for graduate school, unless it's H/S/W, is a bad idea. IMHO, the reason to go to business school is simple, to enhance your skills and create better career opportunities. I think you limit yourself in both aspects by going to the same school. For the most part, you will spend $40,000+ to repeat the degree you received in undergrad with a few more advanced classes. Professors, more or less will be the same as the ones you had in undergrad. Also, the same or similar companies recruit on campus. Very little opportunity to move substantially up.

I think you should always try and 'upgrade' schools when your applying to B-school. Never settle and never compromise. You only get one shot to go back to school, go to the best school you can. Better yourself and give yourself the most opportunities possible. Good luck to you in whatever you decide.

skaballet · Answer

Were you an undergrad business major? If not then I think it has little to no effect as it will be a very different experience. Actually I think it will be a really different experience even if you were a business major. You should contact others who have done this before. I've definately heard of people doing this before and not just from Harvard so I don't think it is all that odd.

elhajoui · Answer

I am going to W. for MBA, and went to W. undergrad. I think the coursework is a bit repetitive, but you don'tget an MBA for the coursework...Also, schools love their own - on average, 50 kids from Penn enroll at Wharton in a given year. Of those 50, a good 25-30 probably went to Wharton undergrad. Most of the ppl I met at WWW were in the same situation I was: didn't get into HBS, and didn't want to go outside H/W (surprisingly, mmany hadn't applied to S. b/c of geography).

Honestly, I wouldn't recommend going to the same school UNLESS that's the best school you got into.

My $0.02

Honestly, I wouldn't recommend going to the same school UNLESS that's the best school you got into.

My $0.02

kryzak · Answer

there is something to be said about "expanding your network" and going to different schools, *but* I wouldn't recommend that you completely discount your undergrad business school for your MBA just because you've "been there" already or wanted something different. Like others said, the education is very different (UG usually focuses on lectures like other UG classes, and Grad usually focuses on cases and experiential learning), the network is very different (not all UG business schools allow their UG alums to access the grad alum list), and your experience will be different (a lot more professional and social clubs than at the UG level and the responsibilities are much greater - i.e. larger fund raising amounts, working with bigger companies at higher levels, etc...)

based on your login name, can I assume that you went to Haas for undergrad? If so, I can definitely refer you to a few Haas undergrad people who either are now Haas MBA students or just made the decision (over Kellogg, no less) to go back to Haas for b-school.

In the end, you should go to the school that fits you the best in terms of career placement/advancement, where you want to work later on, the alum network (grad alum, not UG alum), and where you feel most "at home".

And no, I don't think recruiters will frown much on going to the same school for UG and MBA, especially if the MBA comes from a top 15 school.

aaudetat · Answer

there are plenty of double-dukies at duke. the classes and professors are completely different b/t grad and ug. i think the only worry would be if you get geographically pigeon-holed. recruiters might think you're not cut out for the northeast if you've only lived in the bay area or in the south.

this will only apply to you if you've lived in only one area and want to work in another.

this will only apply to you if you've lived in only one area and want to work in another.

dabots · Answer

i know a bunch of uchicago undergrads matriculating at the gsb this fall. like elhajoui said, recruiters aren't going to fault you if you go to the best bschool you get into.

jb32 · Answer

I guess it's just my experience with ug that if I went to the same school it would be a huge disservice to my future career. I'm sure you can all guess where I went. :lol:

riverripper · Answer

While, I dont think it will be held against you if you go to a top 10 school for both UG and MBA...like many things it is helpful to diversify. If the best school you get into happens to be where you did your UG then dont even debate attending it. However, all things equal it might be a very slight advantage to go to another school. That would give you a two separate networks to call upon.

socalconsult · Answer

Agreed about getting separate networks as a major reason. In addition, there is something to be said about academic diversity and getting new life experiences at a different school out of your comfort zone.

aceman626 · Answer

What if I went to undergrad that has a top ranked bschool (but I wasn't business major) then go to an lesser ranked MBA?

Bascially Berkeley undergrad, Cornell MBA. Would that be seen as a step down?

aaudetat · Answer

who pays that much attention?

there are tons of ivy league and otherwise top notch ug alums at fuqua. they're all getting big mc and ib jobs.

elhajoui · Answer

Some people view this as brand-dilutive...I personnally don't care but, having kept in touch with many of my classmates who went to Wharton UG, most of them are "H/S/W or bust". Now, a lot of them are also in FNCE and trying to get into PE, so that rationale makes sense.

In the grand scheme of things, and unless you want to get intp PE/VC right after graduation, it obviously doesn't matter at all.

In the grand scheme of things, and unless you want to get intp PE/VC right after graduation, it obviously doesn't matter at all.

kryzak · Answer

in PE you definitely want the brand. Not sure if VC's (for MBA-entry level jobs) really care that much about the "brand" as VCs and Hedge Funds do. Many Haas students and some Anderson students get good internships and full time jobs at VCs, though probably not as many as Stanford.

Lots of Stanford grads at Anderson and Haas actually, while not business UG, they're all doing pretty good for themselves.

Lots of Stanford grads at Anderson and Haas actually, while not business UG, they're all doing pretty good for themselves.

VeritasPrepMike · Answer

As a recruiter for my company, I can tell you I would not care at all that someone went to business school in the same place they got their undergraduate degree. As long as it is a good school and you had good experiences there, I don't care at all. If anything, you could actually spin it as a positive by talking about how important loyalty is to you and once you find a good situation, why would you want to leave? Companies would actually value that.

Getting MBA at UG school

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