LBS MiM vs LSE MSc Management and Strategy

Question

Hey, I wouldn't really say I am a newbie at this forum since I've been silently gathering lots of information during my application process, but I figured this is the right time for my debut! :-D

So the story is that somehow I have been able to receive offers for both of these programmes, and I was wondering if someone could give me some opinions about the comparison between the two. SHORT VERSION: Ok so I got into these two programmes so I just want to hear people's views on the unis and programmes

Long-term goals are consulting and MBA LONG VERSION: As for myself, I aim to go into consulting, and I am at a position where I am able to pass the CV screening for the major consulting firms (McKinsey, BCG, AT Kearney) within my country without the Masters programme. That being said I don't feel very confident about the case interviews, so that would be my main recruiting problem. Also, I wouldn't necessarily say I am bad at interviews, but I am not amazing either, so I think more networking and variety of experiences could help me in terms of communication and having more things to talk about. So in the end, what I primarily seek is a programme which gives me plenty of opportunities to practice and hone my case study interview skills, opportunities to possibly consider different career paths (hey, I'm still young, shouldn't be too narrow-minded... except for Finance, never really been my thing), networking opportunities, and lastly a help me with my odds at landing a top MBA. I know that in the end getting an MBA or a good grad job is up to me, but surely it helps to increase your chances even if by small margins. I like LBS for the opportunity to meet and network with people from their other programmes (mainly MBAs), who are well accomplished, and their great alumni base. Since the school is so focused, you can see that the faculty is really cherry-picked, I saw people with some impressive backgrounds. Lastly the programme seems to be quite interactive with a variety of group projects, international/career treks, and company visits. I am an international/EU (dual citizenship) student coming out of a UK uni, so I got quite used to the UK-style of academics, so maybe trying something different could give me some fresh outlook (don't really know if this is a + or -). LSE is quite appealing for the curriculum, which is more focused to my aims, and the class size, which is about 50 people. I did some LinkedIn stalking (no shame, you do it too!) and the students coming out of this programme have some amazing profiles, so I wouldn't say that one class is "cooler" than the other. In terms of reputations, I am struggling to figure out which of the programmes would give me an edge during MBA applications (as I assume both unis do well in terms of screening at major firms). Anyways, sorry for the long post and hopefully we can generate some constructive discussion! (please no "LBS all the wayyy!!" without stating the reasons). Also, if any of the potential applicants want any tips then don't be afraid to ask me, even though I cannot guarantee that my advice will be relevant given that I will only speak from my personal experience, but I promise I will do my best to help!

krendal · Answer

Hey congrats on the offers. I've got accepted to UCL and Imperial both MiM, still waiting on LBS (applied a month later than the aforementioned two due to GMAT) to hopefully give me an interview, and I've not applied to LSE yet because I've procrastinated and didn't manage to apply for their Econ and Management MSc (it's full now).

I've applied for Management MScs for the exact same reasons as you. I know for me, LBS is where I wanna go. Purely because the MBA brand name is strong there, especially since I'm thinking of working in London after (I'm an international kid). I also tend to feel that LSE's student class is not as diverse, but this is purely conjecture. Friends have also told me that LSE gets kind of stuffy as well, because it's just extremely academic. I also heard LBS' campus is beautiful, which, well, is a plus for me.

Sorry I don't have answers for you, but just wondering, 1) why'd you apply for Management and Strategy at LSE rather than the other Management programs? 2) When did you hear back from LBS for an interview? I applied about a week ago, and I'm kinda nervous about it.

Thanks.

itsyoshi · Answer

Thanks and congrats to you too, both UCL and ICL are pretty impressive as well! Yeah LSE might be a bit of a stretch now since they tend to fill positions quite fast but maybe it wouldn't hurt to ask.. I applied quite late as well.. They started considering my application mid-February and I got rejected for my first choice, so the application for my second choice (they don't look at it unless you get rejected for your first choice) was being considered quite late (second half of March), which leaves me thinking I was damn lucky to get it haha

What nationality are you if you don't mind me asking? I'm sorry to say this but getting a work permit for UK is pretty tough and companies don't take internationals as seriously. I was on my Vietnamese citizenship till recently, and intern-hunting in London was serious pain (not impossible though, but I interned back home anyways haha). I just recently got confirmation of my dual citizenship (Czech-Vietnamese.. strange I know :D), and everything's been a different story. But as I said, it's not impossible, I still know about plenty of internationals making it big in London! Just letting you know you will have to work twice as hard for it though. Yeah about LSE it is sort of true, or at least that's the general impression of us non-LSE UK uni students.. Umm LBS campus is kinda tiny, so not really a "campus" haha But yeah, I'm accepting my offer for LBS today!

1) I applied for International Management and then Management and Strategy. I think the 2-year MiM is just too long, and not worth the two-year investment. International Management is the most competitive (class size: 25) and the most interesting with one semester on exchange at top10 MBA. Management and Strategy is one year and also focuses on the aspects of Management I'm most interested about - strategy and managerial economics. I also found it more challenging, and students from it tend to place better and earn more than from other of the LSE management programmes.

2) I think they usually wait for most of the applications in each round, so I got it close to their stated decision date online. I think it was 2 weeks after I sent it? Don't worry, they are super busy right now, so it's not a bad sign.

MiMEssay · Answer

Well i am sure you made your choice by now, but ill give my 2 cents hoping it helps others having the same doubts.

First of all, you do know that there are several top tier consulting firms recruiting from all top MiM schools may it be LBS, LSE HEC or IE. So you dont have to go and do an MBA after your MiM just to get into consulting. It would be really overkill in my opinion as the curriculum of MiM closely matches that of MBA, and even the teaching style is almost the same.

More ever most schools have in-house consulting clubs which prepare you for consulting cases and interviews and also do pro-bono consulting for NGO's. You can join one of these to get all necessary preparation for your upcoming interviews, it is also a good way to connect with other consultants and like minded individuals. More ever lots of consulting companies host events and case study competitions in these schools, so it is a great way to discover what the companies are looking for and also make some connections in the industry.

Also both these schools have an excellent brand and would go a long way in impressing the ad com of MBA schools, if you decide to do a MBA after all. Now whether to choose LBS or LSE, well both these schools are excellent and have almost at par brand image. The major differences according to me are
1) LBS is a fast paced 1 year program while LSE is a more theoretical 2 year program. In fact LSE describes its MiM program as "unshamedly academic" and touts it as a program to build a sound business foundation.
2) LBS costs around around 27500 pounds while LSE is a total of almost 50000 pounds, of course it is a 1 year vs 2 year program
3) LBS core values are more towards leadership and dynamism while LSE preaches a more in depth critical thinking approach as can be observed via its core value "Analyzing the cause of things"
4) Base Salary of 36,295PS & 97% accepted a Job offer within 3 months of graduation for LBS
86% in work/further study 6 months after graduation & 38,100 pounds avg salary for LSE

So in conclusion if you are looking for a faster way to get a good business education and get into the industry LSE isa good choice, while f you want to build a strong business foundation and dont mind a more in-depth 2 year course LSE would be optimal.
Check out https://www.mim-essay.com/mim-home.html , for a more in-depth review of both LSE & LBS.

LBS MiM vs LSE MSc Management and Strategy

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