Hi all,
First of all Happy Holidays! I received a great Christmas gift: accepted into Booth and Kellogg (1/2 ride).
I have been thinking about this decision for two weeks now and analyzing everything I can but still do not have an answer (and I do not know if I will have it haha).
The “problem” first and foremost is the $$$, I know that if things were $0 vs $0 I would go to Booth.
My top goal is to transition to VC/Growth Equity in the emerging markets region where I am from (EM) keeping it vague for paranoia purposes, preferably with a social impact or tech focus. If the buy-side fails I would lean to IB or entrepreneurship (open to EM or USA).
Basically this is my analysis:
Booth:+ Booth has a good reputation and community in EM. I know that nobody would question my MBA choice if I am a finance/investor guy and I would become part of a network of finance people. This is by far my most important point compared to Kellogg.
+ Is in the city and I love cities, the possibility of eating on different restaurants, bars and always have something to do excites me.
+ Better campus and it seems to have more finance/entrepreneurship resources
+ Momentum on rankings
+/- Academics more focused to the “quant” side – every course uses a data driven analytical approach. I “drew” my 21 course curriculum and is more leaned to Finance and entrepreneurship, two things that I like. On the other hand, I see that Booth is weaker in the leadership/people management side of business compared to Kellogg. More difficult courses?
+/- Lack of “core” curriculum means less community?
- Commuter school: Walking in the cold and riding a train to Booth would make me miserable
- Are people really more nerd? I am by no means a bookworm and I enjoy drinking with people and socializing so I do not know if Booth’s stereotype is true
- Fewer international and women (than Kellogg’s)
- More expensive
Kellogg:+ $$$ ½ ride
+ Courses more leaning towards managing people, leadership, strategy (things that I enjoy learning but are not “a must” for my goals) and a class just focused on Impact Investing that Booth does not have. Courses appear to be easier.
+ Core curriculum means more community? Hanging with the same people for courses over and over again builds rapport.
+ When I visited and the call, letter, etc Kellogg’s people communicate they care about you. They have been keeping in touch and overall seem like a great bunch of people.
+ Clubs seem more inclusive: from the Joint Ventures through the professional clubs they have called me and seem like they do care (related to past point).
+ I heard that if I write that I earned a big scholarship in my resume it looks good and attracts recruiters.
+ More fun people overall?
+/- Historical Top 5 but below Booth right now
+/- Maybe with the cash and Kellogg's style I discover that I would like to pursue something different: a role in a startup or really start something myself withouth the burden of paying a full tuition.
- Evanston although a nice town short ride to the city is not in the city. I would guess with just 5-10 restaurants or bars it would bore me. Maybe social scene more aimed to house parties?
- Grade disclosure
- Reputation: I know that if I come back to EM and try to knock the door on some fund they would say “Kellogg is a marketing school”. I know because I talked to some finance people and they already told me the same.
- Network: In EM Kellogg alumni are not really organized and the ones that I found on LinkedIn are more into management than finance. (Related to last point)
Does anyone know anything about single/partners scene at both schools?
My final option would be to reapply -- when I was researching schools Stanford and Wharton were my top choices (rejected at both without interview). I knew that Stanford was difficult to get into so when they rejected me it was not that hard to swallow but Wharton was painful. This option is stupid because I think that the difference between Wharton and Booth/Kellogg is not that big and nothing assures me that they would take me next year, so is just a thought but not really an option haha
Thinking analytically I know that half ride is a lot of money but also is not that much during a lifetime of career earnings: There are arguments for both sides: less debt or more cash but going to the school that I want to go? In 20 years I would remember the school that I went to and not that it costed me 50% more?
I have savings and plan to get a government sponsored awards ($20k) but obviously the money is nice.
Finally, I already tried to get something from Booth and they told me that “maybe after second round” so that’s after the first deposit deadline and I do not plan to deposit to both schools just to see if something happens. I am going to booth schools on the first weekend of February (First Day and DAK), maybe I’ll get a better feeling hanging there for a full day.
Sorry for the long post – needed to get this out of my mind, really appreciate your thoughts.
Thanks.