INSEAD OR HEC MiM?

­Insead all the way for MBB

 

 Many many congratulations on INSEAD and the MBB internship 

I love this question here an would like to share my nuanced thoughts.

INSEAD: When INSEAD was planning its first MiM cohort, I was still in Fontainebleau (in 2019). The MiM concept seemed absurd to us MBA folks at the time, and a group of us asked the people in charge for clarification about INSEAD's plan for the MiM and its goals. We were informed that INSEAD had identified a gap in the market that it wanted to fill with the MiM program. This gap is evident in your comparison of the three programs. HEC's MiM program is traditionally considered the most prestigious, but it requires a significant time commitment to complete a MiM degree. Does today's generation have that level of patience? This is a question worth asking. INSEAD recognized this and tapped into the market to help young candidates worldwide who are looking for a first-class brand association early in their career. With its solid alumni network from the MBA and GEMBA programs, INSEAD supported the first cohorts of MiM graduates. The INSEAD MiM is essentially meant for individuals who don't need an intensive academic experience but want to quickly expand their professional network on a global scale. So ask yourself whether you prefer a fast-track management program or a more intensive program.


HEC Paris: 
If you know a little about the French corporate sector, the MBA is a relatively new concept. When the HEC MiM was created more than two decades ago, a Master's degree from one of the prestigious schools (grande ecoles) was considered equivalent of having "made it" in life. The Master in Management was created with the same idea, to combine the same prestige with a management degree, at a time when the MBA was not so popular in France. In traditional French companies, you either had Grande Echole graduates in the coveted positions or you simply moved up the ranks. Once you had over 20  years of experience, companies sponsored you for exceutive MBAs from the best B-schools. An MBA for a mid level employee was not seen as a wise decision. I had a French manager at a very traditional French company who did not provide me an LOR for my MBA because he didnt agree with my decision.

HEC Paris is an excellent MiM program that has a good pace (maybe a little too long) and gives you the opportunity to get to know your peer group well, build close relationships with your fellow students, and do internships. This is a great program for someone who really wants to live in France and the surrounding area long-term. People who study at HEC MiM have much more clarity about their long-term interests than folks who do shorter programs because who feel the need to get their bearings quickly and take the next steps. If you are planning to get into MBB, and not a traditional French MNC, a shorter program would make more sense in my perspective. This could also save you time in case you want to pursue an MBA a few years later


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Best wishes
Aanchal Sahni (INSEAD alum, former INSEAD admissions interviewer)
Founder, MBAGuideConsulting
LinkedIn |WEBSITE: https://mbaguideconsulting.com/ | Message(WA): +91 9971200927| email- mbaguideconsulting@gmail.com­
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