INSEAD vs. No School (Kellogg/Sloan/Haas reapply)
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31 Mar 2014, 09:42
Hi all,
I'm in the 11th hour for my decision, so after a lot of conversations with MBA students and alums, I'd like to toss this one out to the forum, too. After evaluating my options, I am down to accepting my offer to INSEAD and starting in September vs. taking a year to strengthen my profile and reapply. As a disclaimer, I was unable to visit the campuses or attend in-person info sessions for Kellogg, Haas, or Sloan, and I do think that I have room to strengthen my application, but of course there is no guarantee.
Profile: Non-traditional applicant, targeting a career shift (not sponsored, funding is a significant factor); 4 years of work experience (in a non-business sector) in the US and Europe
Goal: ST - management consulting, focusing on emerging markets
LT - multinational org/entrepreneurial ventures focused on innovation (particularly sustainable social enterprises)
Location: US citizen, targeting post-MBA career based in Europe or the US
Having a diverse, global network of students and graduates is extremely important to me
Pros of INSEAD:
-Opens up European markets/network
-Excellent for management consulting
-Multi-lingual diverse network - as I see it, this is *the* global business school
-Cost/ROI: half the cost of any two-year program (+ scholarship)
Cons:
-Very large program, may be difficult for a career switcher to gain individual attention
-Many students are sponsored by their organizations - difficult to get a sense of the success of those who underwent the career shift
-Only one year (but cost/ROI counterbalances this in my mind)
Neutral:
-I would be part of the September intake, so I would not have a summer internship.
I am also a bit concerned about (1) whether INSEAD has the incubator culture that you might find at a US-based business school and (2) without a strong quant background, ensuring that I am prepared for the rapid pace of the courses (though I will be taking supplemental courses this summer in order to prepare).
Any insights are greatly appreciated. Thank you!