Hi Everyone,

Greetings!

I have received admits from Schulich (Canada) (MBA in India Program) and Alliance Manchester Business School (AMBS) (UK), however, I haven't received a substantial scholarship from any of the aforementioned schools. This means that out of the two schools AMBS has a lower tuition fee. My Post-MBA goal is to venture into Management/Strategy Consulting, preferably with one of the MBB firms. However, in the worst case, I am willing to work for other Consulting firms as well. Furthermore, as a Plan-B, I wish to venture into Product Management roles with any of the major product firms.

Please find below the details of my Pre-MBA profile,

Pre-MBA profile:

Nationality: India
CGPA: 8.49/10 (VIT Vellore)
10th: 9.6/10 (CBSE)
12th: 84.6% (CBSE)
WE: 52 Months
Industry: Analytics & Consulting
Current Designation: Consultant
Certifications: Certified Scrum Master (CSM) & Tableau Desktop Specialist
GMAT Score: 660(Q48, V34, IR8) and 670(Q43, V38, IR5)
Extra-curriculars: State Level Cricket Player, Co-founded multiple clubs/chapters in college, Organized multiple events in college, including a flagship marathon seeing a footfall of 4000+, Basic proficiency in French (Completed A1.1, A1.2 and A1.3 from Alliance Francaise, New Delhi).

I kindly request you to share your respective viewpoints on the same so that I can take a holistic and well-informed decision.

Thanks in advance!

MBB firms don't really hire regularly from the AMBS MBA. 

[Edited by StuartHE on May 04, 2022]

MBB firms don't really hire regularly from the AMBS MBA. 

I think you are mistaken about Schulich. It's one of that country's top three MBA degrees by any measure. AMBS is not. 

because schulich is a stronger program and also stay in canada is easier than the uk

nobody goes to Manchester, they would much prefer toronto

i was working in the uk a few years and kicking myself for going to the uk in the first place sure i mad some good deals out of it but heck

@donho199 and @StuartHE

The program at Schulich that I have been offered admission into is the 'MBA In India' program, which means that I will be studying the first half of the program in India and the second half in Toronto. Then, in my research Schulich doesn't come up as a Consulting heavy school, schools such as Rotman, Ivey or Queen's are better options in Canada for Consulting. Also, I do understand that the PR policies are much more favourable in Canada.

Coming to Manchester, I do understand that it's a UK Top 5 MBA program and just like Schulich it is not a Consulting heavy school, schools such as LBS, Oxford or Cambridge are better options in the UK for Consulting.

Saying so, Europe as geography is something that I am more inclined towards than Canada, with Canada being my backup option. Furthermore, Manchester is offering me almost a similar kind of proposition to Schulich and that at a much more economical value. Also, I feel that in the case of a false scenario it is relatively easier to move to Canada from the UK than to move from Canada to the UK.

Thus, I am inclined towards Manchester! 

Considering this backdrop, if you may share your opinion on my dilemma and further throw some more light on the employment possibilities through Alliance Manchester Business School?


Please feel free to correct me wherever you feel my understanding/ research is flawed! :)

Thanks & Regards,
Anshul Kakria

[Edited by anshulkakria on May 25, 2022]

Manchester is not quite a top 5 UK business school unless you are literally talking about the height of the buildings. https://rankings.ft.com/rankings/2869/european-business-school-rankings-2021 

Hey StuartHE,

I was referring to the overall FT Rankings for 2022. As per the latest rankings, AMBS is placed 5th in the UK.

https://rankings.ft.com/rankings/2866/mba-2022

[Edited by anshulkakria on May 25, 2022]

Hey @StuartHE,

I am speaking basis the Overall FT MBA Rankings - 2022. As per these rankings, AMBS Is placed 5th in the UK. 

[Edited by anshulkakria on May 25, 2022]

Warwick and Manchester are almost interchangeable in the full-time MBA ranking, but that missed the point that AMBS is much better for career changers because of its longer format and extensive projects, while Warwick has a more senior cohort of people generally making fewer changes but looking for momentum. Warwick and Bayes generally edge out AMBS on salary.  

An mba from bayes in central london will beat manchester or warwick on any day

Hey @donho199,

I do understand that the location of Bayes in Central London provides it with an established prospect owing to its location. However, saying so what I am trying to understand is how does Manchester pan out as an option considering my post-MBA career goals? I do understand that schools such as LBS, Oxford, Cambridge, and Bayes are better prospects than Manchester, but considering that Manchester is the only option that I have how does that pan out for my post-MBA goals?

Warwick and Manchester are almost interchangeable in the full-time MBA ranking, but that missed the point that AMBS is much better for career changers because of its longer format and extensive projects, while Warwick has a more senior cohort of people generally making fewer changes but looking for momentum. Warwick and Bayes generally edge out AMBS on salary.  

Start with the end in mind. 

- If you want to work in MBB, you'd look for a better job, get a little bit of better experience for a couple of years (both work experience and a leadership role in the community), do a much better MBA somewhere else. I think you'd aim for Oxford or Cambridge.

- If you want to work in the UK Big Four, in business advisory, you'd also get at least a year's more varied and valuable work experience and you might aim for Warwick or Oxbridge. 

Either way, you'd probably find it easy to get your GMAT up to 700 because you are so weak on the verbal side. 

AMBS doesn't place that well into consulting. It's stronger with Amazon, American Express, HSBC, Travis Perkins and a long tail of businesses. Personally, I am a bit skeptical about the outcomes from the Schulich India MBA (because of the shortage of published information after 2016). 

[Edited by Duncan on May 27, 2022]

Hey @Duncan,

Greetings!

A big vote of thanks for your detailed analysis!

I would like to kindly intimate you that owing to personal/ family reasons I would have to initiate my MBA this year itself and thus can't postpone it to further. Thus, basis the entire discussion above and my career aspirations, I would like to get your opinion on whether going ahead with Manchester would be beneficial or not?

Hoping to hear from you soon!

Manchester is a strong choice but you must understand that, almost certainly, you will not get into MBB firms from AMBS. 

Hey @Duncan, 

I completely understand and accept your viewpoint with regard to job opportunities at MBB firms from AMBS. However, it will be really helpful of you if you may share some insights on the viability of procuring 'Product Management' roles in major product firms such as Amazon, Google, Microsoft, etc post an MBA from AMBS?

Hoping to hear from you soon!

Sure, you can book a session with me but to be honest you can work this out yourself with LinkedIn.  See the post on my profile page about LinkedIn.

Sure @Duncan, thanks a lot for your help and assistance. Will go through your post about LinkedIn and try to work it out at my end first.

Looking forward to hearing from you soon!