Hi drmang7, I thought I'd weigh in.
[In the spirit of full disclosure, I should point out to everyone reading this that I did not consider applying to Wharton, that Michigan has offered me the Consortium Fellowship as well, and that - after a heck of a lot of due diligence - I am now convinced that Michigan is the right choice for me (I will update my profile information shortly).]
From what you've said, it sounds like going to Wharton would give you a) a better brand (how much better is debatable - if we're talking US News rankings, Wharton comes in at 5 and Michigan comes in at 12), and b) a financial obligation that will drive you towards a career path that you "enjoy...sort of" instead of the career path that you "prefer...hands down." Is the brand worth pursuing a less enjoyable career path? That's up to you to decide, though I do offer some points to consider:
1) I've generally heard that - in terms of beating your competition for jobs - the brand of your school really pays off the most in your first two years out of B-school; after that, your experience takes center stage.
1a) If you were crazy about MC, then Wharton might land you a better salary to start off with and might be worth it; but since you don't seem crazy about MC, is that salary worth sacrificing the better fit of brand management?
1b) If you DID land a better salary going into MC from Wharton, how much of that salary increase would be compromised by your loan payments? By the time you paid off that loan, you might have had enough time to be earning about the same in MC from either school.
2) If you are able to "follow your dream" so to speak, would you be happier? Personally, I see the Consortium Fellowship as an opportunity to do just that. In the past few weeks, I've realized that with it, I will be able to shoot for a dream job, rather than having to go for something like MC (which I also think I could enjoy) because of mad debt. For me, the chance to chase that dream job is priceless. And if it didn't work out early on, I have no doubt that I could land a great position in a field like MC out of Ross (remember that Ross' brand is rather well-respected as well).
3) The network. In my opinion, this point goes both ways. Wharton's network is prestigious, and will last long after that first 2-year window. If you're in MC, that network will continue to benefit you. Heck, if you're in any field, that network will probably benefit you. However, the same is true of Ross. At GBR, we were told that University of Michigan has the largest alumni network in the world (that's the entire University, not just the b-school). But they're in all industries, and seem to be very willing to reach out to one another. Ross graduates will also be there in MC and IB, as well as Brand Management.
4) The fit. Ok, I know everyone says it. And some people really don't care about fit. But to me, at least, it is very important. I didn't investigate applying to Wharton, so I don't know what my personal fit there is like, but I do know that Ross is a very good fit for me. Which school fits you? The keynote speaker at the Stern Perspectives weekend summarized fit by breaking it down into three categories: the people, the location, and the (leadership) opportunities. Are the students, faculty, and staff the type of people you would like to be around, learn from, and learn with for the next two years? Does the location offer an enjoyable and fulfilling experience for two years? Do the opportunities allow you to get involved, spread your wings, grow, lead, etc. in ways that would keep you satisfied and excited for two years? I found these questions to be very helpful, and perhaps they will be for you as well.
I'm sure you can tell what I would lean toward if I were in your shoes, but in the end you have to do what is right for you.
One more thing though: I don't find Michigan to be all that "regional." Very few Ross grads stay in Michigan after they graduate. While some 39% end up in the midwest (mostly in Chicago, as I understand it), the network is very spread-out with 20% in the west and another 20% in the northeast. See Michigan's
Employment Profile by Geographic Region. I don't intend to stay in the midwest (though I wouldn't think twice if that's where my dream job is).
Wharton's geographic profile breaks down with comparable numbers for different regions. Instead of sending about 40% to the midwest, they send about 40% to the northeast, mostly to New York and Boston (in a distant second). 15% go west, and about 12% end up in the mid-atlantic. See page 17 of
this PDF.
It is worth noting that almost 25% of Wharton's class leaves the US, compared to only about 10% of Ross' class. But the point is that recruiters are coming to both of these schools for all regions. The factors that lead students to one region or another vary from available opportunities to family obligations to personal preferences. People at Wharton tend to end up nearer to Wharton (with 40% in the northeast) while people at Michigan tend to end up nearer to Michigan (with 40% in the midwest), but the statistics don't tell us "why." If you want to go somewhere besides the nearest region, the option is available at either school.
Phew, that was supposed to be a short post!
Good luck drmang7!
close
30 Mar 2010, 09:51
