Tepper vs Simon ($$)

Question

I have been admitted to Simon with a 70% tuition scholarship and Tepper but without a scholarship. I have been working in the biotech industry for the past 5 years (manufacturing role) and wanted to transition into financial services, specifically buy side equity research. I would like to eventually move back to the Bay Area but I am willing to through New York City to do it. I've visited both schools and although I like the city of Pittsburgh more, I can see myself at both universities.

What I like about Simon:
70% tuition scholarship
Strong in finance (#18 according to US News)
33% of students go into financial industry (I would have plenty of people to go to New York City with me for recruiting events)
Inexpensive cost of living
Strong Career Management Center
Higher % female population (44% vs 26%) - I am a single 28 year male.

What I like about Tepper:
Higher ranked overall MBA (#18 according to US News)
Has stronger alumni network in the Bay Area
Average post graduation salary is higher than Simon's by ~20k.
Has a 4 week capstone project in Hong Kong and Guangzhou. (I can speak Cantonese)
Strong Career Opportunities Center
Student Clubs are more appealing to me (Basketball, Poker, Sports Business)

Any input would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

applyuniversities · Answer

Hi,
taking into account of your career goals, I'd advise you to focus on Simon's program. Even if the Tepper's alumni is stronger in a Bay Area, that doesn't mean that this alumni would be helpful in finding your dream job in equity research.

PugLyfe · Answer

The money is hard to turn down, but in this case its worth it. The outcomes at Tepper are better in the short and long term. It sounds like $$ is probably the biggest factor swaying you and in this case, it probably shouldn't be.

edit: salary info several years out. you can see the difference in salary trajectory between simon and tepper quite clearly.

https://poetsandquants.com/2015/10/21/ha ... hool-do/2/

greenzie · Answer

Tepper is a much better-ranked school and carries a better brand (as CMU). There is quite a big difference in ranking between the two schools so it justifies the lack of scholarship. Plus the facts: you like Pittsburgh and Tepper clubs better, better salary post MBA at Tepper and Tepper sent more people to Bay area. If you are not very concerned about money, then choose Tepper.

bb · Answer

It is not always as clear cut and not as sensational....
For one, not everyone who graduated from HBS got the best job in the world - same is about Tepper. You can be in the middle of the Tepper class or top of Simon's - you will have probably more opportunities being top of Simon class. In addition, the reason higher-ranked schools have higher salaries is because they attract higher paying/more skilled/capable applicants, who tend to get better jobs than their counterparts in lower-ranked schools.

If you cannot get into the top school, you will likely not be able to get into a top job. Job placement depends on the school but more so on the person getting the job. Part of the admissions process is evaluating one's employability at graduation.

I would not pay too much attention to the $20K difference but there is a meaningful gap between Simon and Tepper. Both schools have been sliding in rankings - not the best dynamics. At one point Simon was a top 25 school many years in a row but the Financial crisis has had a bit impact on its placement and rankings - they are still trying to recover since 2011. Tepper had a similar issue/fault and ranked as high as #15 at one point.

If you are looking for an elite placement such as Buy Side Equity Research, you need to go much much deeper - you would hopefully do that for other people on the buy side, right? I would definitely touch base with adcom/students and check on internships at both schools (I would not surprised if Simon came out a winner in that). I would also check with Linked In (upgrade to recruiter profile for a month for free and troll all of the class of 2015 folks - see where they got jobs). Simon is a strong finance research school and they have lots of industry connections in NYC. What you want to look at is the work experience of the folks who placed in the companies you would consider and compare them to yourself and between each other to see the value of Tepper/Simon brand. I would guess that Tepper will have stronger applicants with stronger pre-MBA work experience and thus better placement.

P.S. You can also try companies you would target and see who they have hired in the last 12 months and compare yourself to those new hires. If you come out meaningfully lower on the totem pole, pay more for Tepper and compensate for your weaknesses that way. If you are within reach, I would take less risk and go deep in finance in Simon. My 1 cent.

virtuousoutlaw · Answer

Thank you for all the insights. I checked the alumni database at Simon and they seem to place well at financial firms but not necessary as a buy side equity research role. On their website, they list alumni from Citigroup, Wells Fargo, Credit Suisse, and UBS. I also spoke to a friend a mine who works at Citigroup as a sell-side analysis and he said he knows of Tepper but not much about Simon. He did say that Citigroup has a low cost satellite office in Buffalo and they tend to hire from schools in upstate New York. It does seem like the trend now is for firms to save money by having offices in low cost areas.

I guess the question is how much more the Tepper name can help me find a job in finance post graduation.

I guess the question is how much more the Tepper name can help me find a job in finance post graduation.

Tepper vs Simon ($$)

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