Rice(COA 70000$) vs SMU(80000$) vs Mays(70000$) vs UT Dallas(20000$)

Question

I am contemplating among admits from Rice (COA 70000 USD) vs SMU (COA 80000 USD) vs Mays (COA 70000 USD) vs UT Dallas (COA 20000 USD) and I need your precious suggestions in this regard;

* Cox MBA can be completed with STEM certification if I opt for ITOM concentration (No prior experience in coding, programming or analytics though)..
* UT Dallas has given me 120% scholarship...MBA+MS (STEM) can be completed in 22 months...
* Mays MBA has a duration of 18 months...
* Rice MBA has the best ranking and reputation among available offers...

I have 100 months of WE in Power Transmission Sector with a leading Indian PSU...
I will be on study leave during my MBA...

My post-MBA goal is to work as a consultant in Energy and Utility domain.
Smart-Grid Analytics, Internet of Things and Grid-integration of renewables are some of the possible fields of interest.

As an international student and sole earning member of my family, going for an MBA in US is an extremely critical decision for me..and I would be thankful for all the helpful suggestions I can get..

Thanks in Advance.

KS15 · Answer

Rice should be the clear winner here. You will have access to all the roles in Energy that are there in Texas since it is the energy hub.

MBADecoder · Answer

I agree about Rice being an obvious choice. Given the Dallas scholarship and your financial situation, UT Dallas seems like an easy option, but there's a vast difference in the brand names and Rice MBA's strength in the energy sector. Given the long-term value of an MBA, I'd recommend Rice - which is a better MBA program.

However, you will best know your financial situation and how much risk you can take. So take a wise call.

VeritasPrepDozie · Answer

I would go Rice here....generous scholarship offer, great access to energy recruiting opportunities, best ranked school of the bunch which should feed into your LT earning potential

bb · Answer

Congratulations on getting into all the programs!

What do you mean you will be on Study leave? You are planning to go back to your original employer? What is a study leave?

atrakru · Answer

Yes.. Rice without doubt for MBA in energy... It also has a concentration in Energy. It is ranked high, and has very good placement and salary record.

devarshi9283 · Answer

Thank you all for your valuable suggestions...  bb  In India, most of the government and public sector companies provide an unpaid leave of 2-3 years for higher studies to their employees..... you have to re-join the company after MBA or pay according to the bond to the company in case you leave it for another job...The benefit is ..at least your current job is secure and in case you do not get a better opportunity after MBA..you may re-join...but next promotion does get delayed by 1-2 years..

bb · Answer

Thx for the explanation. That's pretty foreign to me.....

I can see the cheapest school - Jindal being a draw as well. 
It is only $20K and you get a STEM degree that comes with 3 year OPT. It is ranked #38th vs. 29th for Rice but neither is going to land you a job in your lap as an international applicant.

The only part I don't like about Dallas is that it has a very small class of about 50 people. Makes it a pretty small group. Easier to employ them all but hard to get events or speakers or events in general. There is a pro however, as fewer clicks can develop and most would probably hang out together. I would chat with one of the current students about it. Would not dismiss it as it has some merits.

P.S. I don't know much about PSU's and if there is a solid job track in Jones or other Texas schools. Just make sure the consulting companies hire international applicants.

devarshi9283 · Answer

Thanks  bb  for such a thought-provoking post...I have also narrowed it down to Rice and UTD...I don't think Rankings matter much except for say top 10-15 and none of the mentioned programs are up there...I gave my GMAT in October 2017 and was not able to apply to any of the top 15 colleges in Round-1...I applied in Round-2 and Round-3 in all these programs...I got a feeling that more than the Rankings...A STEM matters more for an international student in this volatile job-market scenario..it gives multiple shots at that elusive H1B and ideally it should also make the recruiters slightly less apprehensive about giving job-offers to international students...However, despite these things..the employment reports of UTD are not very encouraging...

I have talked to more than a couple of international alumni each from UTD and Rice...and all I could gather was that getting jobs-offers has become increasingly difficult for international students from any US B-school..especially from large corporations...

Somewhere in my heart...I also feel that I can get into a better program if I apply in Round-1 next year....but the downside is that I am already 33 and have more than 100 months of WE..  bb  waiting for few more inputs from you..TiA

bb · Answer

Good you did your homework and spoke with current students and alums at both Rice and UTD.
In that case, if the job procurement process is tough on both of those fronts, then the cheaper program with longer OPT makes a lot more sense.

P.S. I agree that the difference between a school in position #10 and #19 is greater than #29 and #38. Once you go past Top 20 (or really Top 10), you are in the every man for himself land when it comes to job search. It will all depend on your network and how much you meet, pursue, and engage people. A lot of it may be outside of your comfort zone but your rich experience should help set you apart from other job applicants and hopefully command a decent premium for your salary. The first job out of BSchool is the hardest.

elninoaurora · Answer

I have been following your posts, Devarshi and am waiting on a decision from UT-D. Otherwise I'm trying to choose between SMU, TCU, A&M (my alma mater) and UT-D.

Good luck, man. Rice and A&M both have super heavy connections into the energy sector. As a b-School, I can attest to A&M pulling its weight in Oil & Gas. It is all I heard and saw in career fairs and industry talks when I was back in school. Consider Mays and Rice, stick to South-east Texas. That Houston energy corridor is your friend my man.

Rice(COA 70000$) vs SMU(80000$) vs Mays(70000$) vs UT Dallas(20000$)

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