Hello GClubbers,
In an effort to get the waitlists out of my head, I started to examine Cornell’s Johnson and CMU’s Tepper schools more closely. Odds are I’m probably heading to one of the two schools, which I’m fairly happy about. However, it looks like the two schools are almost evenly matched on key criteria. Consequently, it’s taking me quite a bit of effort to make up my mind.
Enter Gmat Club!
I really would love to hear from people here what they think. I’m trying to gather as much input as I can to make the most informed decision that I can.
But first, some
disclaimers:
A:The information below relies primarily on online research as I haven’t had a chance to visit either school
B: Feel free to correct any wrong info and point out any wrong assumptions I’ve made
C: The comparison isn’t as structured as I would’ve liked since it wasn’t initially intended to be a post!
D: it's one lengthy post too
Without further ado, that’s what I came up with so far :
The Showdown!1. Rankings:
The two schools are almost always adjacent in rankings, so I wouldn’t assign significant weight to them
2. Brand: •
Johnson (Cornell): seems to have a stronger university brand (*cough* Ivy League *cough*)…especially outside the US…which is crucial since I’m going for an international career.
•
Tepper (Carnegie Mellon): Management Science
…obviously, they have this awesome reputation for rigorous quant. analysis, which works great for consulting.
3. Class Profile: •
Johnson (Cornell): ~275 students, ~30% international
•
Tepper (Carnegie Mellon): ~200 students, ~30% international
Tepper has around 50% of its class from an Engineering/CompSci undergrad background. I suppose the percentage at Cornell could be considerably less.
The numbers are not that different, but somehow I get a feeling that Tepper is a more intimate community…and the Professor: Student ratio is higher there…
4. Core Curriculum:•
Johnson (Cornell) :3 courses per half-semester
•
Tepper (Carnegie Mellon): 4-5 courses per half-semester
I don’t know if that necessarily means that the work-load at Tepper is greater…but if so, it’s a mixed blessing of sorts
5. MBA Tracks: •
Johnson (Cornell): I’m interested in the Semester in Strategic Operations, Strategic Marketing and the Sustainable Global Enterprise (yeah, I know I’m gonna have to decide on one)…but the highlight here is the Consulting Focus. Naturally, a significant draw for me. I’ll probably complement my track with other concentrations (both depth and breadth)
•
Tepper (Carnegie Mellon): Interested in Business Analytics (yes, that’s where most of the quant analysis takes place) and Global Enterprise Management (for international career) tracks. Concentrations are also available to dive deeper into certain areas.
6. International Studies: I’ll probably go for a semester away from my home b-school…simply to enrich the MBA experience and gain insights into other global markets.
•
Johnson (Cornell): as member of the Partnership in International Management, Cornell has a significant program for study abroad opportunities.
•
Tepper (Carnegie Mellon): I may need to dig deeper here…but I’ve only come across the Transitional Economies program with Otto Beisheim School of Management, Germany.
• Both Schools offer career/study treks/trips
7. Dual Degrees: Although it’s somewhat unlikely that I’ll go ahead with a dual degree, I like to keep the option open and found interesting opportunities in both schools.
•
Johnson (Cornell): MBA/MA in International Relations…applications during the first semester of study
•
Tepper (Carnegie Mellon) : MBA/MPP (Master’s of Public Policy)…applications during the first year of study
8. Placement Statistics in Consulting: Tepper has a slightly higher percentage of placements within consulting…or so it seems
9. Location:•
Johnson (Cornell): Ithaca, New York…225 miles from New York City and described as a classy college-town…especially notable for restaurants and eateries!
•
Tepper (Carnegie Mellon): Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania…the school is at the heart of Pittsburgh, which is an advantage…overall, Pittsburgh sounds like a greener and a more scenic place than Ithaca…so you have the advantages of a city without some of the city-related annoyances…great sports and cultural attractions as well
10. Climate: same, cold
11. Living Expenses : comparable, I think…except that not having a car seems like less of a problem in Pittsburgh
12. Facilities: Unfortunately, I’ve heard that Johnson’s facilities are less than what you’d expect at Cornell. On the other hand, I’ve heard nothing about Tepper but the buildings look younger there
13. Miscellaneous Intangibles:
• I really do like Tepper…and I can’t quite figure out the reason…maybe because it was my first application/first acceptance…maybe due to how great the AdCom handled the entire application process…maybe the nice “You’re in!” animation got to me…maybe how they took the times to arrange for a current student from a similar cultural, educational and career background to contact me and offer help with any questions I had (I know I sound like a love-struck teenager :D )
• Cornell is Ivy and people around the world know the name…it’s that simple…people seem to identify Carnegie Mellon more with engineering rather than business (MIT Syndrome :D )
The End (?)
close
27 Mar 2011, 05:22
