Chicago Booth($) vs Michigan Ross($$$$);UofM undergrad

Question

I've seen a lot of folks on here trying to make this decision (Booth for about $30k or Ross with a full ride through the consortium) However, I wanted to take a poll on my particular situation, given that I went to U of M for undergrad and have worked in Michigan every sense. I've travelled a lot and made a fair amount of relationships in other major cities, including Chicago. But the core of my network is here in Michigan. Is the Chicago alumni network worth the additional investment? Is it smart to forfeit the consortium network for the Chicago network? (I couldnt do the consortium if I dont go to Michigan)

I should also note that I am currently an Account Director in advertising with 7 years of experience. My goal is to go into brand management or marketing consulting. Michigan is higher ranked (US News) and better known for Marketing (or so I hear). However, Chicago's program is viewed as being more quantitatively focused, which would not be ideal, comprehensive training for those just entering the field, but as a person who has spent the last 7 years mastering the creative/tactical execution side of marketing (i.e. advertising), Im wondering if a highly quantitative program would help round out my resume.

At the end of the day, I know that I could get a good job coming out of either program. Im really just asking myself if having the Ultra-Elite Booth name behind me in the long-term is worth the investment? Will recruiters not like kindly on somone who doubled down on the same school in their home town? 5-10 years after graduation I would still be paying back loans, but will people still be talking about where I went to school? Or at that point is it all about what numbers you are putting on the board?

Thanks for your input!

cheetarah1980 · Answer

I think your alma mater always remains part of the conversation. However, after 5-10 years it becomes more of a whisper and your performance is the main topic. I too considered doubling down at my undergrad school for my MBA too (ultimately decided not to apply there), and a current student told me that I didn't need to go there for my MBA in order to tap into their MBA network. I was part of the larger university network. He suggested I go elsewhere for my MBA.

Ross is a great school, but there is something to be said for getting out of your comfort zone and trying something new. While you may be giving up the Consortium network, I think that it can be compensated with networks through NBMBAA and other diversity avenues. I did not apply to any Consortium schools but I don't feel as though I'm truly going to miss something that I couldn't get from other avenues. In fact I think that going to Booth will open more opportunities than the Consortium network. I'm sure you saw the Bain Pre-MBA Program announcement. Did you notice that it is only open to incoming students from Booth, CBS, HBS, Kellogg, Sloan, Stanford, Tuck, and Wharton? Although your interests are in another field, I imagine this is not an isolated occurrence. 
In terms of the money you'd give up, think of it as taking a big bet on yourself. You will likely be able to repay your loans within a few years of graduation. And even with full-tuition at Ross you're still likely not going to be 100% debt free. Also remember that 1st year money does not necessarily equal 2nd year money. There are fellowships/scholarships that can come your way in the 2nd year that you don't even know about at this point.

As most people will say, you really can't go wrong with either decision and both schools have a compelling case for you to accept the offer. Just wanted to offer some perspective on the Booth option. Congrats on your admits and receiving scholarship money from both schools.

Consulting2Finance · Answer

I think you'll do fine either place. I'm currently wait listed at a school where I went to undergrad, and I concern of mine even if I get off the wait list, is "doubling down," even at a school that is rated in the top 10 for both undergrad and b-school. I don't think diversity is ever a bad thing on a resume since it shows you have passed two seperate screeing process. That being said, Ross and U of M undergrad are both great programs so you won't get penalized (especially if you stay in the Midwest).

I think it comes down to fit and whether or not you want a new experience. Your b-school matters most for your internship and first job. After that, once you can say you went to a "top 15 school" I'm not sure it really matters much if at all, and it definitely matters less than your work experience. Is this worth another $100k in investment? That is up to you.

I do not the marketing program at Booth is very strong, and as you said it is very quant based. However, I've heard that is the way marketing is trending (I am by no means an expert) so this may be a good thing. On the other hand Ross has the largest alumni network in the world, so I'm not sure how much you are losing out by going there vs. Booth.

I know I'm a bit over the map here, but I think you can't go wrong so go with your gut. If you were coming from a different undergrad school, I would probably say go with Ross and the extra cash, but since you may want a new experience and network, Booth may be the better choice.

Congrats on getting in to two great schools.

CheatingatSolitaire · Answer

What makes you think that a quant-heavy program is not ideal for Brand Management? Brand Management is healthily focused on quant. As you realize, based on your background, you need quant anyway. I say go with Booth.

topMBA12 · Answer

I think that is not quite correct. On Michigan's admit portal, there is a link for the "Connect with Bain" announcement.
I believe this is what you are talking about  https://img404.imageshack.us/img404/5305/bainu.jpg .

The list includes Ross, Darden and Fuqua in addition to the schools you listed. If there us something else that Bain posted for incoming students of the schools that you mentioned, then please let us know.

woomba · Answer

I don't think the fact that you went to U-M undergrad is really all that relevant in deciding on your B-school, especially since you're also weighing a scholarship offer - only a small percentage of Ross students are from Michigan so it's not as if the alumni base will be less diverse.

I guess it really comes down to how much you think you need your grad school to be a different "brand"...given your interests and the scholarship offer, I think Ross is the better choice between the two, but Booth will definitely open up the opportunities that you wantas well.

mbalady · Answer

I believe Cheetarah is referring to an actual Pre-MBA Program that Bain puts on in the summer. That program is only offered to incoming students at the 8 schools she mentions. That said, I'm sure that more schools than this 8 have opportunities to connect with Bain, but their Pre-MBA program is an example of an opportunity that is limited to select schools.

swbluedevil · Answer

Tough choice here! For me, Michigan's strength in marketing and the full ride would be too hard to pass up. I think 5-10 years down the line, people will be more concerned about your performance than where you got your MBA. And I think the schools are close enough in terms of prestige that you'll have very similar opportunities post-MBA.

cheetarah1980 · Answer

No. This is what I'm talking about. It's a diversity program held June 28-29 in NYC. I'm attaching the flyer. It clearly says it's open to incoming first year MBA students from Booth, HBS, Kellogg, CBS, Tuck, Sloan, Wharton, and Stanford. No other schools were listed.

method · Answer

It also says it's only open to URM, so it's not exactly like the entire school is enjoying this advantage.

AN225 · Answer

With your goals none of the schools has an overriding advantage.

So forget ratings, 'Bain only' invitations etc and choose a school in which you feel yourself more comfortable.

While I liked Chicago, I found its students somewhat nerdy and more restricted than Ross' guys.

cj14 · Answer

Did you graduate from Ross in undergrad or a different Michigan program? I think if you were in one of the other colleges for undergrad then doing your MBA at Michigan wouldn't be viewed as repetitive at all.

Congrats on the $ and admissions at both schools though.

Congrats on the $ and admissions at both schools though.

cheetarah1980 · Answer

That's true. I was moreso doing the comparison between diversity opportunities that may come at a non-Consortium school vs. the benefits of the Consortium network. Since the Consortium is over 90% URM I figured it's an apt comparison. In no way was I saying that it's the only touch point or contact with Bain (or any other firm), but it's just an added opportunity only available to URM students from the 8 schools listed. Because the OP mentioned the the trade-offs in choosing to forego the Consortium network I just wanted to show that there other opportunities out there.

method · Answer

That's a good point, I hadn't really thought about the Consortium piece much.

I can see both sides here, but for me the swing is the career interests. This is not a finance or MBB-or-bust consulting end goal, but rather brand management. As a Ross Consortium admit, the OP probably just saw the small mountain of marketing prep that came our way today full of brand charts, case interview prep, and other hand me down information along with tonight's marketing prep conference call. And at Ross, both of our Consortium liaisons are brand management seekers, interning with Pepsi and Target, so there's certainly some credit here as far as the advantages Consortium and Ross are providing with information and mentoring. Although, theoretically the OP could take all the information available now and still attend Booth!!

Also, at GBR, we discovered that the brand managers for both P&G and General Mills largest brands, Pampers and Cheerios respectively, are BOTH Ross Consortium alums (best friends in fact), and both did so just five years out.

P.S. I'm super-biased lol

MYCambridge · Answer

Ross for sure.

cheetarah1980 · Answer

General Mills is crawling with Ross alums. They're everywhere in the marketing department. I definitely don't think the OP would lose anything from a career standpoint by turning down Booth. Plus the extra savings is always helpful.

I was just saying that there are other opportunities for mentorship and company networking outside the Consortium so he/she wouldn't lose out by not being part of that network. If the OP wants to try something new for business school I think the options (especially if the OP changes his/her mind about career path) are sky high from Booth and being part of its network. As people recently told me, there's really no wrong choice here. Just comes down to what the OP wants from the MBA experience.

Chicago Booth($) vs Michigan Ross($$$$);UofM undergrad

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