Michigan Ross (No Scholarship) vs. Cornell Johnson (Full Scholarship)

Congratulations on your admits! Awesome Job!

I would absolutely agree with you in terms of the student bodies. While there are different people in each of the schools, all the programs are trying to build a diverse classroom. You’ll find diversity in similarity across all of the business schools. There are differences between Harvard and Johnson in terms of caliber but Ross and Johnson it’s going to be hardly discernible.

Your best bet for MBB Would be on campus recruiting. I don’t remember if they have offices on campus. If McKenzie hired a lot of the recent grads, likely they may have an on campus representative. These are super helpful because you can have a coffee chat, lots of exposure, and get noticed during classes.

At the same time, and BB is very competitive as you know and you’ll be competing with your classmates and with other applicants from other programs. Sometimes things click and sometimes they don’t and sometimes one interview can go into the wrong direction and that ends your chance is there. Granted, if you’re not international, you can recruit for any of the three MBBs and that’s three chances. Being from consulting background, you will be in a position of advantage versus someone trying to break into the industry. The key will be your interviewing and presentation skills.

I would put the least weight on integration with other schools and programs and curriculum. One reason is that during the first year you will mostly be taking required classes and during the second year when you will be potentially taking those electives, you will also be recruiting and then having to choose between a competitive class or a job of your dreams, most people do not choose to go into a competitive class with a bunch of people they don’t know from a different department that happens during inconvenient time at another building. I am being a little bit facetious and exaggerating here but that’s the reality as well, wow you do have a lot of opportunities and options, it doesn’t mean you will use them. Perhaps you will more than others but I know by the time you get to be a second-year student, you’re tired of being a student.

In terms of options, I don’t think I can easily justify foregoing a full scholarship. I don’t think Ross will trump Johnson in terms of your recruiting chances. As long as Johnson has on campus recruiting for all 3MBB’s, your chances are the same pretty much when it comes to recruiting. No, there are some differences in the caliber of students as I mentioned and the program size is slightly different I believe, and they feel Michigan does a better job of branding and sports despite Cornell being an ivy league. But I’m not sure all these perks are worth paying the stick of price. At the same time, I’ve heard that latest consulting sign on bonuses were $75,000 😬 so you won’t be living in food stamps in case you go to Ross.

PS. I’m not sure that you can count on the undergrad network really. You definitely can and will find some camaraderie but at the same time you’ll be separated by variety of elements. Those who go to Cornell for undergrad, and pursue a degree in business, likely end up going to the M7 for their MBA and likely will be at a different place at a different time on a different trajectory. Think about yourself 10 years from now and trying to connect with someone from your undergrad. Except, they went to a different school that you don’t really know anything about. There’s not a whole Lotta connection though you kind of feel like you should help them. It’s tricky. Better than nothing but not a whole lot of expectations.

Anyway, I got a bit too much philosophical on you, sorry about that.

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