Advice on Cambridge vs Oxford vs LBS vs IESE vs Northwestern

Question

Hey everyone!

I have been admitted to Cambridge/IESE (admitted from a previous year).

I have an interview for Oxford and I am considering applying to LBS and the one year MBA in Northwestern.

My goal is to go down the entrepreneurship path and test some ideas I have. As a plan B, I want to join a product team in a startup or preferably a big tech company. In terms of location, I have a preference for UK, EU and the Middle East (that's where I see myself at least in a couple of years).

I am inclined to go for a school in the UK as I already studied in a good school in BCN (although I love Barcelona) and I don't plan to live in the US on the long term (although a US MBA will always sound appealing on paper and the most enriching).

I did some research but I am finding it hard to compare these schools as their value is subjective (brand name vs rankings etc.) and they all have interesting entrepreneurship classes/networks.

I am a bit torn between cities vs campus universities as well. As mentioned before I love Barcelona and I am interested in London. But a campus life would be a new experience, I am just afraid it might be a bit boring.

Can anyone provide any advice on which school I should prioritize?

Thank you!

11Karan · Answer

If your plan is to settle in Europe/Middle East then you can do so with a Kellogg MBA as well. We do have a people targeting middle-east recruiting from Kellogg. I'd recommend you go through the process first with all the universities you've mentioned and hopefully have options to choose from later. The value add of a Kellogg MBA and access to Kellogg alumni in the US & around the world is definitely a big plus.

Rcatleb · Answer

Hello,

11Karan  Thank you for responding.

I don't doubt that any top business school has an extensive network in Europe and the Middle East. But my doubt about a US school is more about whether the extra financial investment + loosing part of my network (since I wouldn't stay in the US and most of my cohort would stay there) is truly worth more than an MBA in the region you want to be.

Also, my main goal is entrepreneurship (i.e securing a product manager is secondary).

If you have reasons why it can be worth it I am more than happy to hear them (also your opinion on the other schools!).

bb  I know you didn't comment here but I read many of your comments which are very interesting. Do you have any thoughts on the above topic?

Thank you!

Note: My interview with Oxford went well and from what the interviewer said I should get a positive answer

warrak2000 · Answer

If you’re targeting EMEA then I recommend that u go to INSEAD or LBS - both schools have campuses in the UAE and have built strong network in the GCC specifically and in MEA region in general. Oxford and Cambridge MBAs have always been considered as 2nd tier. Kellogg is less known in MEA.

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bb · Answer

I don’t know what kind of position you’re in, but if you’re wanting to do entrepreneurship and start some thing up, I feel you want The most bank account friendly program while leveraging network benefits.

It seems one year program would be better as it would be shorter and faster than you don’t really need an internship if you’re going to start something…

LBS it’s pretty expensive compared to Cambridge and Oxford.

IESE is it two-year program but there’s quite a bit of mobile and tech activity in and around Barcelona but you already have that network…

I guess my vote would be for one year program such as Oxford or Cambridge or IESE if they have a 1-year program, or whichever one gives you a scholarship 😇

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Rcatleb · Answer

Hey guys!

Thank you for the replies and votes.

warrak2000  I know that Oxbridge is not as highly ranked and probably has a smaller influence in the middle east (just speaking about the business schools). I don't want to apply to INSEAD as I feel its more suited for students who want to work in consulting + I already lived in France and didn't really like it.

I will probably apply to LBS and see if I can get a scholarship, although I feel my chances for a scholarship are really low.

bb  thanks for the detailed response!

Out of curiosity, does anyone think there's a clear difference between Oxford and Cambridge for entrepreneurship? Or are they the same? (assuming I don't get a scholarship for any)

Thank you!

warrak2000 · Answer

Cambridge is stronger than Oxford for entrepreneurship because of its location in the Silicon Fen. The school also offers a dedicated Masters in Entrepreneurship focussed on developing impactful entrepreneurs

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Rcatleb · Answer

Hey everyone!

warrak2000  thanks for your answer.

I have an update and a follow up question for everyone:

I didn't get a scholarship from Cambridge (although I will try to ask for one now) but I did receive one from Oxford (20k pounds).

I already paid the first deposit of 8k for Cambridge.

The above means that both programmes are now more or less the same price (Oxford being a bit cheaper).

I have a slight preference for Cambridge. However, I feel that a scholarship is prestigious and leads to more networking opportunities/visibility.

Can you please share your thoughts on my last point and what can be a good choice between these schools?

Thank you again for all your help!

warrak2000 · Answer

I have five questions for u before answering ur question:-

1- Did u visit the campus of both schools? If yes which one u liked more?

2- How much is entrepreneurship spirit in ur study important to u? Let’s use a scale of 0-5 (5 is super important)

3- What did make u have a slight preference for Cambridge?

4- Why did u drop LBS from ur list?

5- Have u made ur decision to study in the UK or are you still open to study in other countries?

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Rcatleb · Answer

warrak2000

1- I didn't visit the campuses. I heard that both are pretty nice and when reading/asking about them I don't feel I have a strong preference.
As long as students/professors are open to connect and there is campus life.

2- 4.5 - Entrepreneurship is a key reason why I want to do the MBA. 
However, I will keep the door open for opportunities which would greatly contribute to my entrepreneurial journey on the long run (for example a role in VC or a key Product Manager role in a scale up/big tech like Google etc.)

3- I have a slight preference for Cambridge because of the impressions I got until now of the school:
- Focus on entrepreneurship
- The admission process is great from start to finish and it feels like they really get to know you as a person and your goals. Also, it doesn't feel they are just using their brand name to get people to join but they seem to invest a lot in the programme
- Cambridge seems to have a focus on tech/science which is where I see myself working

One disclaimer though, I did talk to more Cambridge alumni as they were more responsive.

4- I actually only dropped US schools from my list. I will be applying to LBS and I am waiting to hear back from IESE for scholarships

5- At this point, I have a preference for the UK but if a school really fits my goal I am open to other countries (maybe not France though)

Kudron · Answer

Hello, I am on the same boat as you, having an hard time choosing between Oxford and Cambridge.
I researched basically all the posts about the topic here and in the web, and I think that on the entrepreneurial side you can't really say that one has an edge over the other. True, Cambridge is focused more on innovation and entrepreneurship, but Oxford has the Entrepreneurship Center that you can get involved with and promotes some really nice projects in the MBA curriculum, you should check that out as well. In the end, is a matter of personal preference I guess.

Oxford is a little bit more well regarded in the Middle East than Cambridge.

Also, if your ultimate goal is entrepreneurship, I think that you could ultimately benefit more from layman prestige and the wider University network from Oxbridge.

P.S. I second  bb  statement. There is no point on spending extra $$ if your ultimate goal is to start your own project. Invest them in that instead.

Rcatleb · Answer

Kudron ,

Thank you for your points. Out of curiosity, do you have a slight preference between both?

For Oxford, when you are referring to projects being promoted in the MBA, are you referring to the entrepreneurship project?

I think Oxford is slightly more known in the world because it is older but I think its not that significant as usually Oxford and Cambridge are associated to one another (I have found several alumni events (even in London) which involve both together). Picking between them feels like picking whether you want to spend time with your older or younger brother haha

On another note, if you want to talk in a call or something send me a message and we can maybe discuss our thoughts.

Kudron · Answer

Sure why not

I am more attracted to Cambridge, but please note that I am not interested in entrepreneurship at the moment. At the moment I am shifting towards Cambridge for these reasons: + Cheaper + More tech-focused (tech is my primary interest) + MUCH better personal attention in the admission process overall I agree with you that it's like choosing between Mercedes and BMW, no real winner

That said, it is my understanding that one of the main focus of Cambridge MBA is "experiential learning", while Oxford MBA specializes in "entrepreneurship and impact". If you look at the career outcomes as well, I think there are some more entrepreneurs coming out of Oxford. More than happy to have a chat to share and discuss ideas!

warrak2000 · Answer

To answer your original question about Cambridge vs Oxford: 
If GBP12k lower tuition fee at Oxford is not a big deal for u (which I feel is the case) then go to Cambridge unless accepted at LBS.

Why Cambridge over Oxford:
Cambridge MBA is better aligned with ur career goals because of school’s focus on innovation and entrepreneurship, in addition to its strong ties with Silicon Fen which will bring more opportunities in the tech sector.

Why LBS over Cambridge:
LBS (along with INSEAD) are the only tier one schools in Europe; LBS has stronger network and better job placement than any other school in Europe (except INSEAD). In addition to its strong presence/reputation in the Middle East because of its campus in Dubai.

I wouldn’t consider IESE (unless u get full ride) for two reasons:
1- You will feel a bit isolated if u don’t speak Catalan or Spanish (I got this advice from my colleague who studied at IESE)
2- the school is unknown in the Middle East

Finally, if ur still hesitant btw Said and Judge (which I feel is the case) I’d like u to know that the two schools are practically identical in terms of reputation and ranking. Usually when people get accepted at both schools, they go with the one that offers them scholarship. 
In general, Oxford is stronger in finance and has larger cohort, while Cambridge is stronger in tech/entrepreneurship and has smaller cohort. I highly recommend that u visit both schools campuses - I know people who changed their decision after visiting the campus. But I’ll leave it for u to decide.

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Advice on Cambridge vs Oxford vs LBS vs IESE vs Northwestern

Which school should I prioritize

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