Kelley(75% Scholarship) vs Owen (100% Scholarship)

Question

Hello GMAT Club community,

It has been quite a ride since my first GMAT attempt. It took me 5 attempts to reach a score closer to my target score (Target: 740; Score in final attempt: 730). Then came even more hectic MBA applications. However, in all these times, the GMAT Club has been a constant support and reliable resource for me. So I am grateful to both my peers and experts here, and will remain active here to give back the best I can to the community.

At this point, I have two admits. One is from  Indiana Kelley with a 75% scholarship and the other is from Vanderbilt Owen with a 100% scholarship.  Though there are already similar posts, I am seeking opinions here to decide between these two, keeping my background and career goals in mind. I am providing key details of my profile here.

- I am a male International student from India. (Undergraduate Major: Chemical Engineering)
- Work Ex: 8 years in Operations Management in the Oil and Gas Sector.
- Career Goals: Primary Goals - Operations and Supply Chain Consulting; Alternate Goals - Operations and Supply Chain Management Roles (Preferably in tech or e-commerce but very well open to similar roles in other industries as well.)

Any input in this regard is highly appreciated. Thanks in advance. Looking forward to hearing opinions that can help me optimize my decision.

Regards

Businessconquerer · Answer

Are you sure you have negotiated?

Coz with that score you need to land at least a 85% at Kelley.

Regarding school selection, just choose where you want to be after MBA and the school that has a better network (Unless you have financial obligations) Feel free to reach out, happy to help

Admissionado · Answer

raj94knp :

Piggybacking on the last poster's comment, you should also visit both schools for their admitted student welcome events. You may find you like aspects of one more than the others. That can range from the student body/culture, the campus setup, housing options, etc. You would be surprised how much you learn from talking to administrators, professors, current students, and fellow admits. Many people come away from these events with a clearer picture of the right fit.

Congrats and let us know what you end up deciding to do.

Admissionado

raj94knp · Answer

Thanks, Admissionado for the reply. I might not physically appear in these events but will try to optimize my interaction in a virtual presence.

bb · Answer

Hm... this is a tough choice. I feel Kelley would give you a bit better brand value and equity without breaking the bank. They have Amazon as one of the employers who regularly hires there, but in a tight market you have to bring some existing experience to the table. Ops at Gas and Oil may be valuable as long as you can paint it properly on the resume.

I would pick Owen if you are planning to be in Nashville.

I would pick Owen if you are planning to be in Nashville.

raj94knp · Answer

Thanks, bb for the insights. I will keep these in mind as I decide. Based on the people I have talked to from both schools, I realized that both are not operations-focused schools. Kelley is about consulting and marketing while Owen is also about consulting with a focus on finance and healthcare. However, till this point, I find that Owen has a slight edge over Kelley with stronger employer connections with companies like Emerson, Chewy, and Nissan along with Amazon with its increased presence in Nashville.

If I have perceived anything wrong, kindly correct me or add anything to this that can be crucial to consider.

Regards

Kelley(75% Scholarship) vs Owen (100% Scholarship)

Prep Toolkit

Top 5 GMAT Debrief Videos

615 to 715 in 15 Days (Ria's Strategies)

More than Quant/Verbal Abilities: Speed vs. Accuracy

745 with Only Self-Prep and GMAT Club

From 555 to 765: 210-point Improvement

Perfect 805 Score Debrief by Julia

My Rewards