Anderson vs. Ross (Location vs. MC)

Question

Hi All,

Yes, I've seen the other threads, but I wanted to get some thoughts on my situation specifically.

I've been accepted to both Ross and Anderson (both without $) and now need to make a decision as to where I want to go. I think they are both great schools and I have enjoyed the time I have spent interacting with students, alumni and admissions folks from both programs. When evaluating the two schools, I feel like it really comes down to a decision between location and career. I grew up in SoCal and could see myself there long-term. You might be thinking: no-brainer, go to UCLA. The problem is that Anderson places a relatively small number of students in MC. Ross, on the other hand, has very strong relationships with all of the major MC firms and has consistently placed well in MBB, as well as companies such as Deloitte and Accenture. Beyond those two variables, the differences between the two schools aren't as important to me. My backup career plan would be product marketing in tech or entrepreneurship, and I don't think either school has a significant advantage there. I would save some money by going to UCLA, but when you are looking at a $150K investment, I don't think a $10 - $15K cost difference should play a significant role. From a quality of life perspective, I see myself having very different experiences at Ross and Anderson, but I know I would have a great time at both. So, it really comes down to this: do I pick Ross because it gives me the best chance of getting into MC, my desired post-MBA career? Or, do I pick Anderson because I want to live in SoCal and the long term SoCal network would be extremely valuable?

UCLA:
(+) Location, Location, Location 
(+) Network in SoCal, my preferred post-MBA location 
(+) Slightly cheaper as I would pay in-state tuition and would save $ on flights

Ross:
(+) MC firms recruit more heavily at Ross
(+) Slightly stronger brand (nationally)
(+) Alumni network stronger across all of US

Thanks for taking the time to read and answer! I really appreciate your thoughts.

aerien · Answer

Based on my own experiences looking at both schools, I feel Ross' alumni network is much stronger than Anderson's. That, coupled with Ross' ability to have recruitment placements across the US compared to Anderson's SoCal focus, tells me that Ross would give more opportunity to recruit to just about anywhere in any industry -- including SoCal. All the alums and current students I've met have gone out of their ways to help me and I know once actual recruiting comes around, that network will be invaluable.

Now, if you were to change your mind or even want to try to go outside of SoCal for a few years, I think that will be relatively more difficult from UCLA. UCLA is a regional school. Yes, they're trying to become a national school, but they're not there yet and they probably won't be there in 1.5-2 years when you'll be recruiting for FT positions. If you're 110% sure you only want to be in SoCal for internship and full-time long term, then UCLA is a great choice -- better than Ross and most other schools actually.

It's a tough decision but a good one to have. If you can visit for A Days and GBR, definitely ask about recruiting and see if you can be there for 2 years.

kingfalcon · Answer

I think aerien really hit the nail on the head (no surprise there). I didn't apply to either school, but Ross was on my radar for much longer than Anderson for precisely the same reason: career placement. I, too, am interested in consulting and noticed that Anderson just doesn't seem to place as well as Ross. For example, for the class of 2011, only 16% went into consulting and Bain wasn't among the top 33 employers. That said, if you are dead set on living in SoCal after school, I could see why going to Anderson would make sense.

I think you've identified the right trade-off (although opinions from current students and alumni are always more valuable than some randoms on the internet). So, what is more important to you: living in LA immediately after school or working at MBB?

Edit: By the way, I think there is always something to be said for living somewhere new for a few years. I had lived in California all my life until I moved to Massachusetts a few years ago, and being around a completely different culture and completely different people really helped me grow on a personal level. Not to say that should be a determining factor, but location may not be a slam dunk in Anderson's favor.

beehagit · Answer

Right now I'm pondering the exact same scenario (Anderson vs Ross). From what I've seen Ross definitely appears to be significantly stronger in MC recruiting compared to Anderson. I went to UCLA for undergrad, though, and I must say that the campus and surrounding areas are fantastic. The weather is unbeatable and there is just such a tremendous variety of things to do. I visited Ann Arbor and while it seems like a fun, intimate setting, it just can't compare to LA. Having said that, it does not seem difficult to get a great MC job on the West coast coming out of Michigan. My alumni interviewer in LA was in consulting and he definitely made it seem like it was not difficult to make his way out here (for what it's worth).

From my perspective, I'm looking to try something new after living in LA my entire life so I'm leaning towards Ross over Anderson. Do any of you guys have an opinion on pursuing a career in Marketing at Ross vs Anderson (probably Brand Management?

PS - It's supposed to be 75 degrees in Hermosa Beach this weekend. Winter beach volleyball, anyone?

dman25 · Answer

It'd be interesting to see stats of where the MBB grads from Ross get placed. IMO one of the big reasons Anderson doesn't place well with MBB is because many students are set on staying in California/SoCal which are some of the most competitive MBB positions, whereas Ross grads seem to be open to just about any location and therefore willing to take MBB placements where they can get them.

nosnib · Answer

That could be a factor. I've read that one of the criteria recruiters use when deciding which schools to recruit at is "can we successfully recruit from this school?" My perception is that Ross is better known for general management/consulting and therefore, consulting companies invest more heavily in their recruiting efforts there. That isn't to say that you wouldn't get the same quality of education from Anderson, just that you may have fewer opportunities to interact with recruiters from consulting companies. My perception is purely based on my research. I plan on asking both Anderson and Ross students about this during the admit weekends.

asimov · Answer

You have to take all advice on GC with a grain of salt. I do not agree with some of the above assessment.

For one, Ross has better placement into consulting and MBB than Anderson, no question about that. However, I also believe Ross may be attracting more consulting aspirants than Anderson because of its reputation as a consulting school. While I think you will have a difficult time getting into MBB from Anderson, but the road to MBB from Ross isn’t exactly easy either. Outside of MBB, I believe Anderson would be strong, compared to Ross for the West Coast offices. Several people mentioned it earlier; I want to focus it a bit more. Consulting offers are typically office specific. It is difficult at most firms to switch offices, at least initially. Whether or not Ross has a stronger network than Anderson in SoCal or West Coast offices is a question that needs to be researched more.

Outside of consulting, I think both schools are equal on the Tech product marketing, Anderson would have the edge on SoCal/West Coast jobs. And, no one cares if you went to Ross or Anderson if you are starting your own company.

Whiplasher · Answer

This is solid advice. Ross is decreasing its class size by 10% this year and one of the reasons they mention is that the competition for consulting jobs is too intense. This was on the Ross thread and I heard the same when I went to Ross for my interview.

kingfalcon · Answer

Completely agree. At the end of the day, the best people to talk to are current students at each school. They can tell you what it really looks like on the ground in terms of consulting recruiting.

Anderson vs. Ross (Location vs. MC)

Would you recommend Ross (MC) or Anderson (Location)?

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