Wharton or Stern w/$$?

Question

sorry if this isnt the appropriate place to post this...really having a difficult time making my decision between Wharton and Stern, and could use some advice! in a nutshell: i am in the healthcare field and want to move into brand management in the pharma/biotech industry after getting my MBA. Wharton has the HCM program and strong connections and reputation in the healthcare industry, but Stern gave me $50K, has strong connections with pfizer and some other possible target companies, and is doing a lot in digital marketing and social media, which i feel will be really important for brand management in the future, regardless of industry. I'd love to live in NYC, as i have friends and family there and its a bit closer for visiting the SO in boston who can't relocate right now because of his job. but i worry the wharton name means a lot more than the Stern name does, at least in the healthcare community...

thoughts? advice? tell me to go away?

thoughts? advice? tell me to go away?

Keynesmba · Answer

Let the financials out of the equation and focus on long term return on investment, culture and fit. You can live wherever you want afterwards. Consider those two factors and see the balance. Whats your answer?

Posted from my mobile device

Posted from my mobile device

xerox · Answer

Of course Wharton!

As to the social media and brand management, Wharton has a kick-ass Media research center, formerly known as the Wharton Interactive Media Initiative they renamed it Wharton Customer Analytics Initiative, but the essence is still the same. Check out Prof. Peter Fader's work to learn more (or email him).

MYCambridge · Answer

NYU

pearljam · Answer

Of course you can see that this is inherently contradictory. You can't measure return on investment without measuring... investment. Stern offers you a much better return on investment.

I also believe it's incorrect to have a long-term focus. After your first job, no one is going to care exactly which top 10 MBA you attended. Your long-term outcome depends on your ability.

What matters is your school experience and your job placement. Both schools will get you the interviews you want, so really the only thing that matters is  you . With the personal connections and the scholarship money you have, Stern should be a no-brainer. (you might say I'm biased, but I actually had to make a very similar decision) Hope to see you at Stern next year!

Capr · Answer

Congrats on a choice between 2 great schools! Is Stern giving you $50k per year or $25k per year? If $50k per year, I say go for Stern. They clearly are investing in you and, if you are clear about your goals, will work to ensure you are placed in a good shop. If only $25k per year, I'd recommend tentatively recommend Wharton. Remember though, NY has a higher cost of living than Philly (although NY is way better to live in!), so you need to factor that into your costs.

robface · Answer

wharton...worth the extra $$$

rhyme · Answer

Assuming for the moment that you dont have some unrequited love you havent shared... and you truly are largely indifferent .... I'd elect Stern. Three reasons:

* Brand mgmt is not banking - the pay is not going to be mind numbing out of either program, so the incremental $50K is a pretty meaningful savings.

* The career options coming out of Wharton, Booth, Harvard, Kellogg, Stanford, Stern, Ross, etc are so incredibly similar that there's little likelihood of material differentiation. Put differently, by and large, the same companies recruit for the same jobs at roughly the same pay at all of these programs. In a year when you are sitting at Genentech interviewing, the guy next to you will be from Kellogg. The girl ahead of you from Ross. The guy down the hall from Booth. Schools like to give the impression they are all unique flowers of incomparable glory; in truth, they are largely the same.

* The extension to the prior point: approximately 2 to 3 minutes after you walk into your first post MBA job, no one will care what school you come from. Stern? Good for you. Wharton? Congrats. Booth? Nice job.

* The extension to the prior point: approximately 2 to 3 minutes after you walk into your first post MBA job, no one will care what school you come from. Stern? Good for you. Wharton? Congrats. Booth? Nice job.

I'd show Wharton the Stern offer, see if they want to talk,.... That said (And this is important), if your heart is set on Wharton, and you think you will regret not going - don't let $50K be the deciding factor.

pearljam · Answer

I'd moderate this a little bit- you're probably going to be happy no matter where you go.

rhyme · Answer

Very good point, and very true.

thugly921 · Answer

No brainer, Wharton. In the bschool world there are two tiers - H/S/W and everyone else. Like people have mentioned, the strength of brand matters most for your first job and then diminishes more every year you are out of school. However, H/S/W will make you stand out for a lot longer than any other school.

JeremyLin · Answer

I have to agree w/ Rhyme on this. In know that ranking and prestige is very important while you are applying for b-school. The truth of the matter is, unless you are going for some super niche job that only recruits at a certain school, you can go anywhere. In industry, they value the yield rate on the offer/recruiting budget, fit of the candidate, and alumni performance more than the prestige of the school.

The value of a school brand comes if the success on the job is super network dependent, and the industry network is filled with alumni from a certain school.

The value of a school brand comes if the success on the job is super network dependent, and the industry network is filled with alumni from a certain school.

pearljam · Answer

Let us know when you've made a decision!

jennmba · Answer

thank you so much to everyone -- i have been reading all the responses though no replies yet because i haven't decided! visiting both schools at the end of this week, hoping the decision will be clear about which is the right fit after that, because as many of you have mentioned, they are both great schools!

ex21 · Answer

does that logic differ further down the rankings? ie Tepper compared to Ross?

Not trying to be selfish here but you always seem to have sensible and logical wisdom about the MBA (especially because you've been through it) and I've always wanted to ask you!

Thanks

hogwarts · Answer

You should let Wharton know about your NYU $$ asap if you haven’t already. I know someone at W who successfully negotiated a fellowship…not for anywhere near what the other school was offering, but enough to tip the scales nonetheless.

xiaxiaqin · Answer

vote for Wharton.
the school will go with u for the entire life.

several years later, you won't care this 50k any more.

jennmba · Answer

i tried reaching out to the financial aid office when i first got the admit, and mentioned 50% tuition scholarships, but i didnt specify the schools that gave me them. and wharton responded that they don't reconsider scholarships.

my plan is to go in person on thursday when i am visiting, with the letter from NYU, and see if they will reconsider then. if you have any other advice for how to go about this though, i would greatly appreciate it!

xiaxiaqin · Answer

i encourage you to fight for money from W!!!Good luck~~
But still, if you couldn't make it, W is a better choice anyway.

tcepicnightwithgmat · Answer

A good aspect to consider is the school where you can best differentiate yourself for the best future brand management career. If you think that NYU will provide you more differentiation opportunities and a location that fits better for brand management, that would be your school, plus the funds help a long way. Although I think it will be harder to differentiate yourself at Wharton because of the large class size and that everyone else is the best at what they do as well, that may be a trade-off. I do not think brand management is an industry of major competition at Wharton though.

Think about the long term prospects and make the choice that will differentiate you the most.

Think about the long term prospects and make the choice that will differentiate you the most.

Wharton or Stern w/$$?

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