Which MBA?

[XiiaoJinx]

ie it is more likely for mckinsey sg to hire a NUS grad than mckinsey cleveland.

Hi,

Based on what I read and heard, that is true, but only true for the very specific case of comparing a NUS applicant in McKinsey SG VS Cleveland/other overseas offices. Sure, it is more likely, but even the 'increased likelihood' is so small it is insignificant.

Looking at publicly available linkedin profiles, I have not yet seen a McKinsey Analyst with only a NUS Bachelor's degree (not sure for an NUS MBA), or MBB analysts from any of the local uni's for that matter (I remember seeing one... but probably an out-of-this-world exception)

Truth is, local unis simply aren't comparable to the top overseas institutions for the recruiting for MBB and the likes.

 

[lee_tired_sheep]

Hi,

Based on what I read and heard, that is true, but only true for the very specific case of comparing a NUS applicant in McKinsey SG VS Cleveland/other overseas offices. Sure, it is more likely, but even the 'increased likelihood' is so small it is insignificant.

Looking at publicly available linkedin profiles, I have not yet seen a McKinsey Analyst with only a NUS Bachelor's degree (not sure for an NUS MBA), or MBB analysts from any of the local uni's for that matter (I remember seeing one... but probably an out-of-this-world exception)

Truth is, local unis simply aren't comparable to the top overseas institutions for the recruiting for MBB and the likes.

There are a good number id say around 3 per year?

 

[chottohen]

MBB or otherwise? Didn't realize they recruit out of smu.

Not in MBB, but another top 10 firm as ranked by Vault.

A few of them do, but yea, it's extremely difficult to land an interview because they do prefer INSEAD grads over the local unis.

 

[aspenx]

it also appears to have the strongest presence in my targeted niche, so i will probably be trying for them in a couple of years time

Sorry. Do you mind sharing what niche that would be?

 

[beefybug]

MBB or otherwise? Didn't realize they recruit out of smu.

When I was an undergrad at SMU, atleast 2 of my friends went to MBB.

 

[dareaper]

Ok combo break to all the consulting discussions, but a friend shared this article by a hbs mba grad:
Life After the MBA - 10 Things Wish I Knew Before
May be useful for some that are undecided about whether to take up a mba. The points highlighted will probably not apply to everyone

 

[kenmura]

Hi,

I've been reading the comments in this thread with great interest.

My company (an MNC) would like to sponsor my MBA studies, but there's a cap where costs are concerned. I have been in contact with several program coordinators to discuss my options as well as to get a feel of the different programs.

A bit of background about myself - I'm currently 31, recently married (hence no kids as yet) and have been in the same industry for the past 7 years (my degree was from NUS). I'm currently working as a Petrochemical Trader and to be brutally honest, I don't need an MBA to excel in my current role and I have no intention of switching industries. Having said that however, if I have aspirations of moving up into an upper management role with one of the large industry players in the future, then an MBA is essential. After all, there's already a noticeable changing trend in my industry where some traders have started embarking on their MBA journeys, a huge departure from the old-school traders. Therefore, I'm going to state off the bat that obtaining an MBA would largely be for my personal satisfaction more than anything else (ok fine, I'm also keeping my options open with one eye on possible roles in the future). Due to the busy nature of my job and the frequent travelling that it entails, I'm looking at enrolling in an EMBA program.

Therefore the question that I would like to ask you experts here is as follows:
which program / school would you advise that I go for -

Rutgers EMBA vs Manchester Part Time MBA vs Buffalo EMBA

Alternatively, if you have any other advice or recommended school apart from the 3 listed above, I would highly appreciate it as well. Thanks in advance!

 

[dareaper]

Hi,

I've been reading the comments in this thread with great interest.

My company (an MNC) would like to sponsor my MBA studies, but there's a cap where costs are concerned. I have been in contact with several program coordinators to discuss my options as well as to get a feel of the different programs.

A bit of background about myself - I'm currently 31, recently married (hence no kids as yet) and have been in the same industry for the past 7 years (my degree was from NUS). I'm currently working as a Petrochemical Trader and to be brutally honest, I don't need an MBA to excel in my current role and I have no intention of switching industries. Having said that however, if I have aspirations of moving up into an upper management role with one of the large industry players in the future, then an MBA is essential. After all, there's already a noticeable changing trend in my industry where some traders have started embarking on their MBA journeys, a huge departure from the old-school traders. Therefore, I'm going to state off the bat that obtaining an MBA would largely be for my personal satisfaction more than anything else (ok fine, I'm also keeping my options open with one eye on possible roles in the future). Due to the busy nature of my job and the frequent travelling that it entails, I'm looking at enrolling in an EMBA program.

Therefore the question that I would like to ask you experts here is as follows:
which program / school would you advise that I go for -

Rutgers EMBA vs Manchester Part Time MBA vs Buffalo EMBA

Alternatively, if you have any other advice or recommended school apart from the 3 listed above, I would highly appreciate it as well. Thanks in advance!

how much is the cap for your company sponsorship? which country is your MNC from or which countries is your ideal company in the industry based in?

how much control do you have over your travelling schedule? if you don't have much control, i don't see how you are able to make it for both part time MBA or EMBA since their schedule for classes to meet is still somewhat fixed, just less regular for the EMBAs.

 

[lee_tired_sheep]

Kenan-Flagler online mba?

 

[kenmura]

how much is the cap for your company sponsorship? which country is your MNC from or which countries is your ideal company in the industry based in?

how much control do you have over your travelling schedule? if you don't have much control, i don't see how you are able to make it for both part time MBA or EMBA since their schedule for classes to meet is still somewhat fixed, just less regular for the EMBAs.

These are very fair questions, dareaper! Thanks for raising them.

1) The cap is around $70,000 for the entire course based on my current title
2) My company is a Korean MNC.
3) Ideally, my targeted future companies are American. However, if you're asking me where they're based in, Singapore tends to be regional HQ for most, if not all, of the large companies in my industry. Although they also have other bases in China, Middle East, America and Europe etc. But that's a bit too far to plan for. Let's just say that in an ideal situation, it will be an American MNC based in Singapore, China or Dubai.
4) With regards to my traveling schedule, I'd say easily 80-90% is within my control. I arrange my own trip schedules and meeting schedules. Unless there's a trade fair / exhibition to attend (normally once a year, at most twice). Or unless something VERY urgent has come up that requires my immediate attention and I have to fly over on short notice. Stuff like that would certainly be considered to be out of my control.

I've been interacting with several program coordinators and I've been the most impressed with the Rutgers coordinator...

 

[lee_tired_sheep]

Rutgers is really a chapalang program in the US. Seriously check out the Kenan Flagler one... You might have to top up some money, but you'll be gaining a much better recognized mba.

 

[virtualape]

Rutgers is really a chapalang program in the US. Seriously check out the Kenan Flagler one... You might have to top up some money, but you'll be gaining a much better recognized mba.

Online MBA tbh is for those who merely want a piece of paper. I have enrolled for Upper Iowa Online MBA many years back but decided not to continue with it.

The academic support for online program is limited or for that matter none at all. All I needed to do was to do self reading, submit projects and take the exam online (timed). Although there were discussion forums created by the professors, there is just that much of 'interaction' one can do. Nothing beats face to face discussions with the lecturers and classmates. I think thats the real value of the mba.

Manchester and Buffalo has been in Singapore for sometime. For a fair comparison, I would compare Buffalo and Rutgers as both are Executive MBAs meant for mid to senior level execs. I think they need at least 7 years work experience to get in.

Both Buffalo and Rutgers are state univerisities and have the AACSB accreditation. Both are in the FT rankings as well. I doubt FT would want to rank a 'chapalang' university and ruin the credibility of the entire ranking system.

For Manchester MBA, some good contenders are Strathclyde and Lancaster. I was comtemplating the Strathclyde MBA sometime back but did not pursue it. The 2 years duration was a big drawback for me. Students seemed to be younger compared to Executive MBAs. The fee was very affordable at $32k+.

 

[lee_tired_sheep]

Online MBA tbh is for those who merely want a piece of paper. I have enrolled for Upper Iowa Online MBA many years back but decided not to continue with it.

The academic support for online program is limited or for that matter none at all. All I needed to do was to do self reading, submit projects and take the exam online (timed). Although there were discussion forums created by the professors, there is just that much of 'interaction' one can do. Nothing beats face to face discussions with the lecturers and classmates. I think thats the real value of the mba.

Manchester and Buffalo has been in Singapore for sometime. For a fair comparison, I would compare Buffalo and Rutgers as both are Executive MBAs meant for mid to senior level execs. I think they need at least 7 years work experience to get in.

Both Buffalo and Rutgers are state univerisities and have the AACSB accreditation. Both are in the FT rankings as well. I doubt FT would want to rank a 'chapalang' university and ruin the credibility of the entire ranking system.

For Manchester MBA, some good contenders are Strathclyde and Lancaster. I was comtemplating the Strathclyde MBA sometime back but did not pursue it. The 2 years duration was a big drawback for me. Students seemed to be younger compared to Executive MBAs. The fee was very affordable at $32k+.

Pls... Don't paint all online mbas with the same brush. Your upper Iowa compared with UNC is like changkat changi compared with Chung Cheng.

Kenan Flagler is a top, top program. My consulting firm recruited heavily from there, as do many top financial services firms especially for the southern offices. You may not get the same recruiting opportunities online, but you will be getting an excellent business education.

 

[FrostWurm]

Pls... Don't paint all online mbas with the same brush. Your upper Iowa compared with UNC is like changkat changi compared with Chung Cheng.

Kenan Flagler is a top, top program. My consulting firm recruited heavily from there, as do many top financial services firms especially for the southern offices. You may not get the same recruiting opportunities online, but you will be getting an excellent business education.

It's true...I am the consulting firm

 

[virtualape]

Pls... Don't paint all online mbas with the same brush. Your upper Iowa compared with UNC is like changkat changi compared with Chung Cheng.

Kenan Flagler is a top, top program. My consulting firm recruited heavily from there, as do many top financial services firms especially for the southern offices. You may not get the same recruiting opportunities online, but you will be getting an excellent business education.

For the sake of discussion, Kenan Flagler is the best online program.

But can the virtual interaction be as good if not better than a face to face interaction with the classmates and lecturers in brick and mortar school?

Having said that, after graduation, the next valuable take away would be the network of contacts developed from the course. In a physical classroom, these are people you have met and spoken to in person whom you can tap on for opportunities; personal or for work. I think the key is gaining trust and trusting the other person. I feel the best way to gauge someone's character is to interact with the other party in person.

If virtual interaction is as reliable as a face to face interaction, the majority of headhunters and companies wouldn't need to request for a physical interview with the candidate when selecting people for the job.

 

[dareaper]

These are very fair questions, dareaper! Thanks for raising them.

1) The cap is around $70,000 for the entire course based on my current title
2) My company is a Korean MNC.
3) Ideally, my targeted future companies are American. However, if you're asking me where they're based in, Singapore tends to be regional HQ for most, if not all, of the large companies in my industry. Although they also have other bases in China, Middle East, America and Europe etc. But that's a bit too far to plan for. Let's just say that in an ideal situation, it will be an American MNC based in Singapore, China or Dubai.
4) With regards to my traveling schedule, I'd say easily 80-90% is within my control. I arrange my own trip schedules and meeting schedules. Unless there's a trade fair / exhibition to attend (normally once a year, at most twice). Or unless something VERY urgent has come up that requires my immediate attention and I have to fly over on short notice. Stuff like that would certainly be considered to be out of my control.

I've been interacting with several program coordinators and I've been the most impressed with the Rutgers coordinator...

Korean MNC? then probably nus is your best bet if you want to stay in the same company, but you will still be a 2nd class citizen there i guess?

If it's an us mnc that you want to head to, an us uni is always more recognized imo, so manchester is probably out. not too sure about the value of an emba for you since it's more for people that's already in senior managing positions. unfortunately chicago booth is shifting out, else that would be your best choice even though its emba is around 110k usd.

are you able to base yourself in another region for 2-3 years? the cheapest part-time top 10 mba (ranked by FT) is actually from HKUST, around 60k sgd only. so if that's a viable choice for you, can consider about it.

else if you are open to online mba, like lee tired sheep mentioned, unc's mba is probably the highest ranked online usa mba available, but it's still around 90k usd i think (could be 90k sgd too, can't remember). maybe can also consider ie business school's global mba+, which is mostly online, with 2 x 1 week compulsory on campus residency at the start and the end of the mba coupled with 3 or 4 other optional 3 days residencies around the world. it's around 100k sgd, but while it's highly ranked by FT, i guess its only more recognized in spain/europe/latin america...

that summarizes most of my researches on well recognized part-time and online mba, since i was in a similar situation as you

 

[kenmura]

Thanks for all the well-intended advise, virtualape, lee_tired_sheep and dareaper. Really much appreciated.

Now my head's swimming with too many options hahahahahahaha, especially since there have been several new options that have been thrown up for consideration

Nonetheless, I will consider all the different possibilities to see which might be the right fit for me, considering my background and my requirements.

Thanks again!

 

[greddy88]

Thanks for all the well-intended advise, virtualape, lee_tired_sheep and dareaper. Really much appreciated.

Now my head's swimming with too many options hahahahahahaha, especially since there have been several new options that have been thrown up for consideration

Nonetheless, I will consider all the different possibilities to see which might be the right fit for me, considering my background and my requirements.

Thanks again!

and one last option... don't do.
consider ROI (if you are older, like late 30s to 40s), and possibly none at all to help one's career, the 50k to 100k can be better used elsewhere.

 

[virtualape]

and one last option... don't do.
consider ROI (if you are older, like late 30s to 40s), and possibly none at all to help one's career, the 50k to 100k can be better used elsewhere.

Thats one option if you are undecided or uncertain if another advanced qualification can help you progress further.

For TS, in his early 30s, the ROI should be quite decent. If I were him, I would take education as an investment for future returns if I feel there are opportunities to reach senior or top management.

I guess it varies from industry to industry. Some of my associates in the hospitality and banking sectors are doing well with just a bachelor degree. To each his own.

 

[dareaper]

His company is paying up to 70k for his mba/emba, so the opportunity cost is on the time he needs to invest in completing the mba (assuming he doesn't go above the sponsorship cap). Not sure if there's a bond involved with the sponsorship though, that's another cost to consider.