Thoughts on Ross vs UCLA Anderson

Question

So I got admits to both schools and I'm really racking my head about which school to choose.

My interest is in Hi-tech and Strategy and was considering looking into a consulting position post graduation so here's the dilemma

My Desires 
Go to a school strong in high tech and strategy
Work in the West Coast post graduation
Be in a great collaborative environment and get to bond with the other classmates
Relocate to a city where my spouse will be happy...and I know that she prefers a big city

Here's how I view the schools currently...

UCLA 
+Great Location, weather, and Beautiful Campus
+Strong brand in the West Coast
+Good diversity in strengths
+Very strong in entrepreneurship
+Good access to many high tech companies
+AMR sounds pretty cool
- Relatively low ranking compared to Ross in most rankings
- Not known for strategy/consulting
- high living expenses
- probably will be more of a commuter school compared to Ross
- Possible fallout over the whole budget debacle?

Ross 
+Great ranked school
+Great balance of strengths in many areas
+Well known for strategy and consulting
+Ann Arbor is supposedly a great college town
+MAP
- Michigan weather
- Weaker West Coast recruitment, although relatively strong
- I know that my spouse will be less happy here compared to UCLA
- Does not offer as many courses related to high tech

Any thoughts on the above? My current plan is to attend both admit events and try to get a better feel for both schools and my future classmates but any other thoughts to help me make my decision will be greatly appreciated.

Av · Answer

I'd recommend Ross over UCLA for a couple of reasons (no particular order).

MAP vs. AMR: Although these programs are similar in nature, MAP is a full-time ordeal and seems to offer a larger variety of opportunities.
Career Placement: Michigan's career placement is MUCH better than UCLA's. Although it's not specialized as a high-tech school exclusively, the broad general management curriculum draws recruiters from nearly every company that MBAs tend to flock to (Consulting, GM, Banking, CPGs, Tech, etc.)
Culture: The Ross experience is much more collaborative. You're right in assuming that UCLA will offer more of a commuter-like atmosphere.
Hands-on learning: No one does it better than Ross. MAP, the student-led funds, the Tozzi center, business challenges... the list goes on.
West Coast Placement: 20% vs. 80% for UCLA, but I'd submit that's a good thing. UCLA grads seem to be "stuck" in CA (though they probably want to be), but with Ross you'll have alumni spread all over the USA.

Amazon and Microsoft hire way more students from Ross than they do from UCLA. I think if you examine the employment reports with more detail you'll find that Ross is the clear winner.

P.S. I'm really biased

If you haven't already examined our Business School Guides, I think you'll find some helpful information in them.

Michigan (Ross) Guide
UCLA (Anderson) Guide

If you haven't already examined our Business School Guides, I think you'll find some helpful information in them. Michigan (Ross) Guide UCLA (Anderson) Guide

woomba · Answer

Thanks for your thoughts Avernusaur...I actually do feel very similar to what you have written. I guess it's really my lack of having visited the school yet and gotten a feel for Ann Arbor that's holding me back. I'm looking forward to visiting in April and really seeing what the school has to offer to make my final decision

SuitUp · Answer

Full disclosure: hell will freeze over, melt down and freeze over again before I spend two precious years of my life in a place like Hanover or Ann Arbor. Nothing wrong with those two places, I am pretty sure some people are very happy there but I have been living in a big city my whole life and cannot picture myself in a secluded college town like those two. And I do feel strongly about that.

Having said that, Michigan is the better school for your career goals if we disregard your job location preference. Consulting is school's forte and their career placement in that field is great. Anderson has a reputation of a finance school and a big chunk of the students end up in I-Banking, asset management or corp. finance. However, given the fact that you intend to go back to California post-graduation, I would choose Anderson over Ross. Anderson places students in M/B/B every year (although not in great numbers) and you will have your shot at those (if that's what you are going after). Also, Anderson's network in California runs circles around Ross's and that's important. And one last thing. People say for a good reason.. "Happy wife = happy life"... just something to think about.

Hope to see you in LA!

thmgoodw · Answer

I certainly love big city living (disclosure, I prefer Chicago and West-Coast cities over NYC any day of the week), but going to school in a true college town is great. Ann Arbor is awesome and you will no doubt connect with your classmates much more in A squared then you will at UCLA.

Note that there isn't just one "Michigan" weather. The weather in southeastern Michigan isn't bad. It certainly isn't like northern michigan (colder + a lot more snow) or the west coast of michigan (tons of lake effect snow).

Minneapolis and Buffalo get bad winters, A squared does not. It doesn't get any worse weather than NYC and I don't usually see the weather be brought into the equation as much for something like Columbia or NYU. Then again, if someone lived a sheltered life in San Diego then perhaps they might have a skewed take on weather.

Thoughts on Ross vs UCLA Anderson

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