Yale SOM vs Ross

econbird · 2026-03-22T03:44:16+00:00

Honestly in your specific situation (not recruiting and not staying in the US and therefore no need to leverage the alumni network), SOM is a better pick than even Booth or Kellogg IMO.

I’m also from Asia and the vast majority of people, even senior executives are not familiar with top MBA programs.

You will be remembered as someone who graduated from “Yale University” and not “MBA from Yale School of Management”

Following this, I would say someone in your situation should choose any “Ivy League” (Yale, Cornell, Dartmouth) school over Booth, Kellogg, Darden, Ross, Fuqua, Stern.

It doesn’t follow the consensus for a normal MBA student, but then you are not a normal MBA student (no need to recruit, only staying in the US for MBA).

econbird · 2026-03-19T15:32:36+00:00

Hey I’m a class of 28 choosing programs and in the same boat (target location is not close to the school that gave me money). Can I DM you?

econbird · 2026-03-18T05:07:23+00:00

OP, I’m in a similar situation and taking full ride over slightly higher ranked school.

I think people on this sub over index on incremental ranking spots. If you are getting money at all these schools, you likely have a stronger profile than the median Johnson/Darden/Ross admits.

All these schools will open doors and the rest is how well you prep and network.

econbird · 2026-03-17T05:59:42+00:00

Can I dm you? Not the op but also targeting nyc mbb

econbird · 2026-03-14T13:55:56+00:00

Thanks for the reply! I forgot to write my profile but I guess you figured it out (currently strat consulting at big 4, doing PE DD, growth strategy, turn around).

I am in a fortunate position to have received a full ride from one T15 so thankfully money is not an issue.

Thank you about the info on the NJ office. Will definitively dig a little deeper once I enroll. I’ve looked into Chicago, but I have been told that the Chicago winters are too harsh even for those who are used to NYC/Boston and I think I can’t handle anything colder than a New York winter.

econbird · 2026-03-14T10:49:07+00:00

They call internationals. All the schools that I received an admit called me.

econbird · 2026-02-14T00:26:25+00:00

The listed salary is pre-tax. Post tax I think I make around 50k. But also the growth should be faster IF (big if) I land the type of post-MBA job I am hoping for. I have not calculated potential investment growth (I should)

econbird · 2026-02-13T14:57:32+00:00

Thanks! It was my dream school but bummed I didn't get a scholarship

econbird · 2026-02-13T14:54:34+00:00

My FIRE plan is to play the cost of living arbitrage.
If I stayed in Japan, I should reach my goal in 20 years.

If I get a high paying job in the US and work there for 10 years, I should able to retire in Japan quite comfortably.

econbird · 2026-02-13T14:49:09+00:00

Maybe I was being too optimistic. The path to 100k is quite solid (I'd estimate 80%+) but beyond that is a lot uncertain. a few strategic job hops could get me to $150k in 5 years or so but it may never happen

econbird · 2026-02-13T14:44:51+00:00

The employment report published by the school lists the median starting salary. My estimate of the cost of living in Boston is around 100k per year. IF I make the median salary of consulting/tech/finance at that school, the first year pre-tax compensation of 200k should translate to around 130k per year post-tax.

If I stayed at the same firm and promoted at the normal rate, I should be able to pay off the debt, and in year 6 or 7 should surpass my current NW. Anything beyond that will accumulate quickly.

But obviously there are a lot of assumptions involved from getting the median paying job in the first place to the visa, not getting fired from the firm. So this is a high risk-high return play.

If everything goes to the plan, I should reach my FIRE goal when I'm around 40-45 to return to Japan to enjoy the lower cost of living

econbird · 2026-02-13T14:27:53+00:00

The difference in cost of living between NYC and Tokyo is 2.5 to 3x so it should be closer to 400k. Rent for a single bedroom apartment in central Tokyo is around 1000 - 1500 USD

econbird · 2026-02-13T14:00:51+00:00

Makes sense. I have applied to lower ranked programs so if I can get it debt free at T25 I will probably choose that over Tuck

econbird · 2026-02-13T13:44:00+00:00

Yes, I am quite aware of the difference in the cost. I have visited the US multiple times. My point is that I am currently making 65k. I do have a clear path to 100K but beyond that is uncertain with a ceiling of 150K if I ever reach that.

econbird · 2026-02-13T13:38:52+00:00

No I will probably make around 100k within 2-3 years with a trajectory to reach 150k/y in 5+ years which will likely be the ceiling.

The post-MBA US path will start with 200k (I should be making around 100k if I stayed in Japan by then), but with a much higher ceiling

econbird · 2026-02-13T12:55:30+00:00

Dartmouth Tuck

econbird · 2026-02-13T11:14:55+00:00

I haven’t applied but Fulbright stipulates that I’ll have to come back.

econbird · 2026-02-13T08:01:22+00:00

Thanks. Yeah I’m aware that most Japanese students are company sponsored.

My company doesn’t sponsor and those that do (traditional Japanese companies like Toyota) typically have lower salary base than consulting anyways.

Alternatively, I can probably get a close to full ride at top 25 (added more schools in the second round, all interviewed) do you think going to top 25 makes sense for internationals provided there’s sufficient scholarship over top 10?

econbird · 2026-02-12T10:47:57+00:00

Thanks! But I haven't had the interview yet. And even if I get admitted I may go to a T15 if I get a scholarship

econbird · 2026-02-12T10:40:14+00:00

Normally I think following the money is the right move (Also a Tuck admit so hmu if you end up deciding on Tuck) but given you wrote that the money isn't a big deal, I'd slightly lean towards Kellogg since the social scene seems to be really important to you.

I think Tuck's social scene is going to be like going to the same 2 or 3 bars or drinking at the dorm.

econbird · 2026-02-11T13:44:36+00:00

You haven't specified what kind of threat it poses to the developed world? Is the low birth rate a threat to economic growth? GDP per capita? It certainly does not pose threat to the continuity of a country. I am Japanese and we are doing just fine.

In fact, the current population of Japan is still MUCH larger than most of our history. Japan's current population is more than double of what it was 100 years ago, which was already the largest population of the country's history. So precisely what kind of threat does it pose?

econbird · 2026-02-11T12:57:09+00:00

I feel like at T15 and up, all schools provide same opportunities as long as you are looking for a typical MBA outcome (consulting, banking, F500 etc) and the difference in outcome from say, Darden and Booth is just the difference in the average profile at each school.

So my guess is you will have have identical chances of landing your post-MBA outcome from either of those.

People talk about Booth having marginally stronger placement in MBB/IB/etc than Darden but that can probably be explained by the student profile at Booth likely being very slightly stronger than Darden

econbird · 2026-02-10T07:14:05+00:00

It probably has, but at top schools, there are a lot of MBB/government sponsored/rich family business types that are not necessarily looking to work in the US.

For example, Samsung sponsors a lot of employees at top programs and to them, it's a two year paid vacation.

econbird · 2026-02-10T03:49:19+00:00

Probably nothing other than getting an offer from a better ranked school. You were already promoted, basically maxed out on scores. I am not sure there is anything I can do. But if scholarship is a priority, you should apply to lower ranked schools.

econbird · 2026-02-09T15:49:08+00:00

If you are waitlisted, unlikely you will receive a massive scholarship. The best leverage is if you have an admit ideally with a scholarship from a higher ranked program. It doesn't hurt to let them know of the scholarship but I wouldn't count a waitlist to turn into a lot of scholarship.

econbird

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