Hello any thoughts on whether it is preferable to go for mba to a different institution than bba?

any thoughts/comments would be appreciated.

cheers

Hey, I faced a similar problem. I'm a Stanford grad, admitted to both MIT (with $) and Stanford (no $). After speaking with friends and colleagues, I decided that taking the money and expanding my network by attending another highly reputed program is better than returning to my previous school, even if it is better ranked. Also, the idea of moving to an East Coast city appealed to me, after living in the burbs for a while. I confirmed that it was the right call for me after meeting some of my future classmates. However, look at your specific situation and talk to alumni from your bba school. They'll have a better opinion than the forums.

I would agree—goto Yale.

I have a couple friends who went to Michigan BBA and they said the administration told them not to come back for their MBA because they learn the same stuff from the same professors. Of course, there are some michigan BBAs who do go back every year, so anecdotal evidence should always be taken with a grain of salt. That said, most people with a graduate degree will tell you to go to a different school for graduate studies - two alumni networks, shows a willingness to try different things, etc.

I too face the same dilemma. I'm looking at whether or not to return to BYU where I did my undergrad or to go to University of Washington to expand my horizons and my network. I've reached out to Alumni thru linkedin who have stayed at BYU for both degrees and also Alumni who have gone elsewhere and they have given some good insights. I still haven't made my decision so any additional insights from this forum would be appreciated :).

BYU offers a great education at a VERY LOW price, while UW offers a vibrant city and great access to top companies in the Seattle area. BYU's alums go all over the west coast whereas UW's are primarliy concentrated in the Pac NW (I'd like to end up in Socal unless I went to UW and fell in love with the PacNW). Ending up in Utah is not enticing to me at all.

On a side note, I have put my admit to Carnegie Mellon on the backburner mostly because of the cost (second most in the country!) and it being on the east coast. Obviously, I knew about both when I applied but the implications of those two factors have intensified given the economic situation and my family circumstances.

texasmba2011, I agree with JohnB. I also had a similar choice - I'm a Duke grad who was accepted at Duke and Yale (among others) for business school. They offered similar scholarship money and at Duke I would have lived back at home (no living expenses). Aside from the fact that I was wowed by Yale, I also appreciated the fact that I could broaden my networking base by attending a different program for my MBA and my resume would be more diverse.

That was my situation, but I would encourage you to look at what Stanford and MIT do for you in terms of preparing you for your long term goals. And you should strongly consider the fit with each MBA program. You are obviously already familiar with Stanford's undergraduate community, but the MBA community could be vastly different. So, visit both programs, if you have not already, and decide which one you are more comfortable with in terms of fit.

I hope that this was helpful.

Thanks to everyone for their feedback. I have a BBA from UT Austin, admitted for MBA with no $. Admitted to a higher ranked program and one lower ranked both with $$.

I was leaning towards school in texas because i plan to stay in tx post graduation (personal reasons), currently living i nhouston. ah well, still no word from 1 uni, so will make final decision by next week.

I was admitted to 5 schools (UCLA, USC and Ross are the only ones Im considering). I have been to admit weekends for UCLA and USC and they both seemed so focused on drinking and college like atmosphere. As someone already working on Wall Street, I am starting to doubt if bschool is even the right option for me as I am interested in the education, not reliving my college days. Should I wait a year and reapply to Harvard and Stanford where I imagine the students are not as frat like as these state schools? Any advice or thoughts are appreciated. Please dont jump all over me.

Hiya--if you're not too old and you think you're a better fit for H / S, sure go ahead. Maybe put W in there too b/c they like mature applicants + Col/Chicago? It's going to be 2 years + lots of $$$...a huge investment, so if i were you, i'd make sure i'm completely happy with my decision first.

Good luck!!

It sounds like the environments you found on those weekends were not in line with your ideas for your b-school experience. It is possible that in these schools attempt to make sure that you had a good time, they went overboard. Perhaps you could seek our current students or recent graduates of these schools for some one-on-one conversations to get a more realistic picture of the environment. In that way, you would be making a more informed choice.

This re-enforces the idea that you need to find a school that is a complete fit with your needs from both academic and social perspectives.

wait, you went to the preview at USC already? i thought it would begin on May 1...i am also considering USC (cuz they offered me 50% tuition waiver & another fellowship opportunity). based on your experience at the preview weekend, does USC seem like too much of a party school?

In my opinion, each b-school has its party students...the difference is the better schools have more people who are focused on their careers and education....stick to the top schools (m7, a8, whatever) when you apply again...

You have kids in their late 20s without jobs. There will be partying a lot, even at an A8. I was at an HBS party last year and they party just as hard as any other school I've been to. If it is not your thing then don't get involved. However part of the MBA experience is building relationships and that is a big method of doing so.

I think the OP has to understand that firstly partying and focusing on your career and education are not mutually exclusive. Just because someone likes to go out a lot doesn't mean they don't care about the other things - hey they go to business school just like you did. It is not as though Wall Street has much of a reputation for going to bed after work and being up for prayers and a cold bath at five the next morning.

Secondly, the first couple of weeks at business school are just like your admit weekends, as that is the way people generally get to no each other quickly, by going out together. You only get to know other people so well by studying together.

Thirdly, at every school, there are people who want to go out a lot and people who are more serious. To turn down the schools you got into because they seemed a bit lively because you assume other schools are not so much is foolish. Just becuase people go out a lot doesn't mean you have to be one of them - it's not as though people are cracking open beers during the lectures.

Maybe you just need to be more understanding of the diversity that will be at a business school?

All business schools have a certain measure of party atmosphere. What do you expect when you put hundreds of ambitious 20-somethings together in one place for two years. I am early 30's, married, responsible, do not "party," so I was a little put off when I heard every school I looked into talk about FREE KEGS on Thursday or Friday. That is a selling point of a top b-school, FREE KEGS??? And all the students wearing shorts and flip-flops, even on prospective student tours, etc. etc. Should I spend $100,000 for this???

Read Ahead Of The Curve about HBS. Same situation at HBS, but only if you join that party segment of the school. Read Snapshots From Hell about Stanford. Same situation at Stanford. A certain segment will party, but if you are serious/married/studious, you'll have many like-minded companions. Top schools have top professors and top classes if you choose to pursue a top education. Some students will be avoiding classes as much as possible and merely focus on getting a job and partying. For $100,000 that's their choice.

I will attend Ross this fall. Lots of alumni mention their favorite part of Ross being tailgating/getting drunk at Michigan games (are you kidding me???). But lots of others warn that the education is rigorous and that students are busy morning noon and night and weekends. So just buckle down, load up on classes, find like-minded students, excel, and get the most for your $100,000. I don't think any school will be different.

Btw, Los Angeles is a shallow, superficial party city. Go to Michigan. Also, if you are 31, you are running out of time to get into a top b-school. If you turn down Ross to wait for next year, you might not get M7 acceptances at all. Just a counter to all the other advice.

It's not that I am opposed to going out and drinking; quite the opposite. I really do enjoy to party and drink. BUT, I was put off by the constant mentions of drinking and drinking activities at the UCLA events. It was almost as if I learned more about that aspect of the school than the actual professors and opportunities. It all seemed rather pedantic.

Like Carol said - isn't USC Admit Weekend on May 1st?

UCLA has a much more studious rep than USC (at least from what I have experienced). It may be that UCLA is overemphasizing the party aspect to combat a perceived notion that UCLA isn't as fun or is more cutthroat than some of its peers.

Thanks for responding. Just to clarify, I went to official admit weekends at UCLA and Ross and I visited a friend for a weekend at USC. It is true that the official admit weekend is May 1. Sorry for any confusion. I just got the same vibe at USC as I did at Ross and UCLA.

Peter,

Take it for what its worth but my opinion to you or anybody else in a similar situation is why spend $100,000 and 2 years of your life in an atmosphere that you don't like?

I agree with tMcPhee16. The 2 years you are enrolled in an MBA program should be both a great time and a great learning experience (learning also means networking). After all, you don't need an MBA for any job, it's just favorably looked upon. Why would you put yourself into a mountain of debt and waste your time, if you're going to be miserable? At least that's the way I look at it.

To make more money?

While it's counterintuitive, a recession like this one may actually be the best time to start a business. According to a blog post on the City University of New York's web site, a recession often directly and indirectly creates a set of circumstances in which it's easier to get a small business off the ground.

Why now? First, a soft economy will often spur local and state officials to eliminate or reduce red tape in an effort to stimulate growth and get back some lost tax dollars. The result can mean getting a license just days or weeks after applying, rather than months. Second, vendors and suppliers, who are often struggling to maintain their own businesses, often are much more willing to accommodate an entrepreneur with lower prices or better service. And anyone who has seen all of the "For Lease" signs posted all over the U.S. shouldn't be surprised to hear that commercials rents are quickly dropping in most markets.

According to data published by Columbia University's Entrepreneurship Center, the number of small businesses that shut down actually declines during a recession, in part because of the factors mentioned above. And, as a recession drags on, the number of business started each year tends to grow, perhaps as an early sign of a pending turnaround.

If you're interested in starting a business, should you dive right in, or perhaps earn an MBA first and then try your hand at entrepreneurship? That largely depends on your own personal situation and how much experience you have, but one thing is clear: Don't worry too much about timing the market, since even a recession may be a great time to start a business. To learn more about boosting your earninsg power in any market, be sure to follow Veritas Prep on Twitter!

I see its been two long years since I've posted in my MBA blog. Just to recap, I am in the last lap of grad school (I'm considering a PhD in computer science, but that is a story for another day). I am a part time study at Loyola College (soon to be Loyola University) Sellinger School of Business and Management. I am wrapping up the spring course load of 3 classes while working full time. The subjects are Marketing Strategy, Global Information Systems, and Web 2.0 Strategy and Implementation. All the classes have been very interesting, but the semester has been a little trying. My Marketing professor passed away in the middle of the semester. She was a very vibrant and interesting instructor who really enjoyed teaching her subject matter. On top of that I've been assigned mulitple assignments at work that at times can be very time consuming (and I am still grateful I am employeed in the days and times). But I've been able to stay in front of the work load by doing assignments ahead of time and turning them in accordingly. This summer I will attempt to do something a little more unconventional for a MBA part timer. I am taking 4 class in the two summer semesters ( I am ready to be done with this!!!!!!!). I wan to finish this paper so that I may move forward with my career. So the course load this summer will be the Strategy Capstone Course, an Information Technology Independent Study Course, E-Business Strategy, and Finance Strategy. 12 weeks of torture, and by the end of August I will be one of the freshly minted MBA graduates looking to put this three years of struggle to good use.

All in all I can truly say I've learned a lot of interesting items in this program. I've learned to visualize technology as an enabler not a support mechanism. I can see how people view business from a high level, not just technical trenches I am accustom to. I really believe that the right mix of technological skills and business acumen, I can become an effective leader in an ever evolving business world.

We shall soon see .