Haas or Tepper or IE Business School or Kelley or Anderson?

Question

Dear GMAT Club members,

I like to hear your opinion on how you would rank the following part-time MBA programs (and if possible, your insight on why your ranked the program the way you rank): 
* Berkeley Haas Evening and Weekend MBA - Waiting
* Carnegie Mellon Tepper Part Time MBA - Accepted
* IE Business School Global Executive MBA - Waiting
* Indiana University Kelley Direct MBA - Accepted
* UCLA Anderson Fully Employed MBA - Waiting

I am 35 years old looking for a part time MBA program. My objective with MBA is to build solid business skills foundation, get exposed to new ideas, and to attempt to start own business while studying MBA (if this fails, I do still have a full time job). I plan to continue to stay in the US after graduation - no restriction on specific state within US. If my startup idea flies, then, will start a company. Otherwise, I plan to progress to senior management within technology firm.

Thanks for your advice!
Xingyi

CriticalSquare · Answer

Hi Xingyi,

Congrats on your acceptance at both Tepper and Kelley! Considering your goals, I'd hold out for Haas if possible. If for some reason that doesn't work out, Anderson and Tepper are great fall backs. Best of luck on your journey and your business!

esharp10 · Answer

Thanks! I am also thinking Haas will likely be the strongest choice overall. Tepper and Anderson are strong business schools. Do you think Kelley and IE are out from consideration? Here are some things I learned while researching.

From what I read, Kelley seems to be strong program with strong entrepreneurship focus (US news ranks Kelley's Entrepreneurship at #9, supposedly higher than Anderson and Tepper). Also, the Entrepreneurship head Dr. Donald Kuratko is supposedly very well-known in the area. Another benefit with Kelley is the dual degree option that is available even to part-timer. Some potential disadvantage with Kelley that I see are 1) Bloomington is beautiful but the location appears to be less ideal for tech innovation and entrepreneurship, I am assuming the school's stronghold is in US mid-west area, 2) Indiana University's reputation appears to be not as strong as CMU and UCLA, and 3) CMU's and UCLA's reputation might be because these schools have more higher top-ranked programs (non-business), for Indiana University, it seems like music and business are its highest ranked programs.

As for IE, I read that it is internationally renowned for entrepreneurship. It is globally ranked by Financial Times just two places below Haas. But not sure of its footprint in the US. The impression I have with IE (based on what I read) is that it seems many professors are practitioners and they have started something of their own. This can be good or bad. The good, they are entrepreneurs themselves. The bad, the program might be strong in practical knowledge but I am not sure about its strength in core research/conceptual knowledge. Another benefit I see is that the program that I am applying to is Executive program, which supposedly put me into a more senior distinguished pool of students. I potentially get to learn more and have a higher level network.

CriticalSquare · Answer

Hey there,

Terribly sorry for the delayed response - I missed the notification in my inbox! You raise some great points so let's look at each of them one at a time:

Kelley:

1) Rankings for Entrepreneurship are...fluff at best. Some schools are stronger than it than others and a lot of extraneous factors play into that. So I wouldn't necessarily go based on someone else's methodology in this particular case. Create your own.

2 & 3) Agreed - and that's a really powerful thing - especially when you're talking about UC Berkeley!

IE

1) You're correct in that the brand here isn't that strong and, once again, for entrepreneurship, if the brand doesn't carry, you're on a ledge

2) Clinical professorship is not rare

3) That COULD be good - but make sure you're getting what you need out of it!

Personally, I still say go with Haas.

Hope that helps!

Bhavik

Admissionado · Answer

I agree with Bhavik here. Haas would be easily the big win.

Any updates on what's going on?

esharp10 · Answer

Hello Bhavik,

Thanks! I am now waitlisted at Berkeley. Praying for the best, but at the same time will have to think about the remaining options.

CriticalSquare · Answer

You're very welcome - fingers crossed for good news from Haas!

Good luck!

Bhavik

esharp10 · Answer

Thanks folks! Admitted into Berkeley

CriticalSquare · Answer

WOOOHOOOO!!!!! Congrats buddy!

VeritasPrepMike · Answer

If you are looking to stay with or start a technology firm, I would definitely recommend that you UC Haas with UC Anderson and CMU Tepper as backup choices. Why Haas? Think about where you will be located...in the tech capital of the world. A majority of your classmates will be from tech backgrounds so think about the network you will create. Looking for funding for your startup, all of the VC firms are a short hour drive away in silicon valley. Go to Haas!

Haas or Tepper or IE Business School or Kelley or Anderson?

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