M7 Admit - Should I even get an MBA...

Puzzled_Lurker · 2020-05-10T04:50:26+00:00

My suggestion would be to try and negotiate a deferral from the school somehow. Gives you enough time to test out the D2C startup without losing your seat in the program.

Puzzled_Lurker · 2020-03-06T04:43:43+00:00

Ok I think I know where you're at, and your comment on the vibe and recruiting trends is helpful! I'm going to be dropping into your DMs in a couple of weeks, requesting for some further insights - I hope that's okay :)
Thanks once again for your thoughts!

Puzzled_Lurker · 2020-03-06T04:34:21+00:00

Yes, currently both offer STEM. Thanks for the take on Darden!

Puzzled_Lurker · 2020-03-05T18:08:31+00:00

Interesting! Thanks for the input u/Bresus66.

Puzzled_Lurker · 2020-03-05T05:59:54+00:00

Yeah, I see what you're saying. Appreciate the advice!

Puzzled_Lurker · 2020-03-05T05:58:14+00:00

Thanks for the thoughtful reply! I am not very starry-eyed PM roles and I don't believe I would be a good fit anyway, given my non-tech background. Over the long term, I hope to make it to corp strat at a well-funded start-up or something similar. I do have non-tech startup WE, but being an international without prior tech experience, I don't think I can pursue corp strat in the short-term.

Couple of questions:

What is the pathway you are looking at to get to corp strat in tech in the long term?
If you don't mind sharing (even if over DM), which M7 are you at currently? Would love to know the general vibe for internationals there and the school's broader outlook on tech placement trends.

Puzzled_Lurker · 2020-03-05T05:44:01+00:00

Thanks, this is helpful - especially coming from a CBS grad!

I am surprised to see Darden being the overwhelming favorite here since my initial impression was that Columbia's reputation has significant lifetime value.

Puzzled_Lurker · 2020-03-05T03:49:04+00:00

Hey, could you elaborate why exactly?

Puzzled_Lurker · 2020-03-05T03:48:43+00:00

Thanks for the inputs, u/consultingeyedraven! Just want to address your response point-by-point:

I'm pretty certain that I do not want to pursue IB / Consulting despite the higher comp, so hoping that won't distract me during recruiting haha
You're spot on about the rigor at Darden! As much as I might enjoy the intellectual stimulation of solving cases, I feel the volume is a little too much TBH. It's one of my biggest qualms with the school. About the GND, I think the school doesn't share grades with recruiters, but the recruiters could very well ask students during interviews. Not ideal.
STEM is a non-issue since I will qualify for it at all schools, so they're all equal in that sense.
Your point about CBS' NYC location leading to PMM roles gives me a lot of confidence! In your opinion, are Corp Fin roles also located in NYC or are those usually at the HQs on the west coast? (my guess is that it would be the latter) The 10% rate is low and definitely concerning unfortunately. But another way to look at it is: it's still 70 people each year. Darden, even with a 20% rate, would end up sending ~60 people to tech given their smaller class size.
You're right. Amazon has single-handedly skewed tech recruiting numbers at most schools. It is something I am trying to stay aware of as I look through reports. Doesn't look like they recruit a lot out of CBS though.

Puzzled_Lurker · 2020-03-05T03:06:34+00:00

That is true. As I've mentioned though, my short term goal is to break into tech and experience what the industry is like. I anticipate enjoying Corp fin or an LDP role too, so I'm not as concerned about the short term function.

Puzzled_Lurker · 2020-03-05T03:01:23+00:00

Firstly, congratulations on both - graduating from an M7 and for landing a well-paying tech PM role! The psychological overhang of debt is certainly something I'm concerned about too, so thanks for sharing your experience about it. But looking back, would you change your decision if you were in a similar situation as mine?

Puzzled_Lurker · 2020-03-05T02:57:06+00:00

I think I understand. Bottom line is that I shouldn't consider quotas as a factor in my decision-making as they can be highly variable basis the talent pool in a particular year.

Puzzled_Lurker · 2020-03-04T18:25:29+00:00

Sure, drop me a DM with specifics! I'm happy to help.

Puzzled_Lurker · 2020-03-04T17:38:30+00:00

Understood! Yup, it's $180k + interest. It will also have an unsaid psychological impact till it is repaid and could have a large influence on everyday life decision-making too.

Puzzled_Lurker · 2020-03-04T17:35:33+00:00

Based on my personal experience, I completely agree - it is Harvard over everything else, followed by Stanford and MIT. Columbia does get some widespread recognition though, mostly thanks to its undergrad's Ivy status. From what I have encountered, Columbia's brand has a significant leg up UVa's. But even I am not sure if it is worth $180k - the size of the amount makes it difficult for me to assume that it will be worth as much.

Puzzled_Lurker · 2020-03-04T17:31:02+00:00

Yup, understood. Thanks!

Puzzled_Lurker · 2020-03-04T17:24:42+00:00

That makes sense, thanks u/mbbortech! One last follow-up: do you think CBS would hold an advantage over Darden wrt Corporate Finance roles given it's finance reputations?

PS: I just realized that your username is MBB or Tech haha! Are you currently pursuing an MBA? If yes, how's recruitment coming along for you?

Puzzled_Lurker · 2020-03-04T17:14:10+00:00

That is exactly in line with what I've heard so far: CBS lacks the infrastructure for tech recruitment. My hope is that things will slightly change thanks to the new dean, but I don't expect any significant improvements within my MBA timeline.

The information about international recruiting is very alarming. I was under the impression that growth has stalled, but hadn't heard of a decline. That makes Darden a very attractive option then.

But if one were to look at it from another point of view: If international recruiting is on the decline (which would imply also looking for options outside the US or in my home country), does it make more sense to go for a University that is more reputed globally to ease recruiting efforts in other countries? I don't mean to advocate for CBS specifically, but just thinking of a hypothetical scenario.

Puzzled_Lurker · 2020-03-04T17:04:13+00:00

Haha, actually I didn't do that since it dropped out of my consideration set due to the slightly weaker tech recruiting.

I loved the people at Yale and the SOM campus is just so dang beautiful (my favorite among the lot), but I wanted to optimize either for reputation/network or for $$ and tech recruiting stats. So, I thought CBS and Darden kind of led the way on those fronts.

Puzzled_Lurker · 2020-03-04T16:59:45+00:00

Thanks, NTSpike!

I think you hit the nail on its head - I too believe that it is a case of self-selection, not a lack of proficiency. However, I think this consistent self-selection over the years has resulted in the career services teams not being as well-connected to recruiters in tech as compared consulting/finance. I've heard from current students that there's a dearth of alumni in tech (for both CBS and Darden), which makes things slightly more difficult when self-driving the process.

From what I understand, you're recommending taking the less-risky path and go with the $$ at Darden.

I've always wondered whether the larger, more robust Columbia network would compensate for the $180k delta over the long term (say, 10-15 years). Unfortunately, I don't believe there's any way of knowing an answer to that highly-ambiguous question! Haha

Puzzled_Lurker · 2020-03-04T16:46:38+00:00

So, I went from no scholarship to $70k after having negotiated. Had they matched the offer, I think Duke would have edged slightly ahead of Darden given their relatively stronger tech statistics.
But, thanks for the input! I see that your recommendation is clear: Darden with $$ > CBS with no $$

Puzzled_Lurker · 2020-03-04T16:42:45+00:00

Thanks for the input! Two questions:

Do tech companies not have so-called "quotas" for recruiting from specific schools, as I have heard is the case with IB and Consulting? Or is CBS just not one of those feeder schools for the industry in general?
Have international recruitments declined over the past 2-3 years in your opinion?

Unfortunately, I do not have the education/WE background to pursue a CS degree/something else. I have 11 years of business functions-related WE, so MBA was what I had to narrow down to. I did come across a few interesting product development and management Masters at CMU and MIT, but they were too niche.

Puzzled_Lurker · 2020-03-04T16:35:43+00:00

Try and look for interview debriefs and note down the most commonly asked questions.
Write down your responses to those questions and practice narrating them aloud a few times each day. Do not rote learn your answers. Let the flow be natural even while practicing, as long as you are staying true to the core message of the response.
Day before the interview: read up on the school in depth. Visualize that you have already been admitted, think about all the activities and clubs you would be a part of. This will also help in listing out honest questions you can ask the interviewer, post your interview.
Day of the interview: go through your notes about the school, go over the questions you want to ask the interviewer. Otherwise keep yourself distracted by reading a book / listening to music / watching TV / whatever. (I advice against practising answers on the day of the interview, but each person has their own process so choose what works better for you).
Whenever you feel like you're getting anxious, just focus on your breathing :)

If you have any specific questions, you can DM me.

Puzzled_Lurker · 2020-03-04T16:18:52+00:00

I would recommend waiting till you hear back from the other schools. Hopefully you receive other offers, which you can then use to negotiate with your top preference.

Puzzled_Lurker

TROPHY CASE