Hello,

I was recently admitted to ESADE, Boston University School of Management and Babson College in Massachusetts. Now comes the hardest part: Which program to choose??
A little bit about myself: I'm an engineer currently working in Switzerland in Project Management. I'm originally from Spain but I was raised in the US. Went to school in Boston (Tufts). I would like to focus more in General Management and Strategy Consulting.

I am leaning towards the 1-Year program at BU, since it starts earlier (May) and it's 14 months. Also, the first 4 months of the program are taught in Beijing and Shanghai. I think it would be a great opportunity to do networking in Asia. The program also is a little bit cheaper than its European couterparts. Especially now with such a strong Euro.

I also Like ESADE because it's flexibility to choose between the 12 or 18 month program after you start. ESADE is well ranked in some of the most improtant rankings. it is considerable more expensive than BU. Language it's not an issue since I already speak Spanish. I know that ESADE also focus in Latin America, which could be a great opportunity as well.

Can anyone give me some insights about ESADE and/or BU & Babson? I would really appreciate any comment.

Hi Gusilu,

Think about where you want your MBA to take place? In the US or in Europe? After that, then consider the best (you can reach) in each continent and those schools offering 1 year MBA.

Regarding tutition costs, you are right. If the USD/EUR exchange rate would be near 1 instead of the current exchange of 1,48, then the European programs would be less expensive. But, also consider the post-MBA salaries, 100 USD are less than 100 EUR so it balances the previous.

About ESADE, some (from a personal perspective)comments: small program (less than 200 per year compared to the 500 or more in the US), well-ranked, top 10 in Europe (but not Insead), more cooperative and team player than other schools (such as IESE), increasingly good for strategy consulting (AT Kearney, Bain, BCG...), very g marketing and general management (such as rotational programs for international companies), for finance (competitive with top recruiters but Esade has less exposure to finance than its rivals), bilingual program, very good exchange agreements, students from many countries (but not so diverse for professors and some of them lack of international practice - others are very good). Case method is not so used as in other schools (which can be good or bad depending of what you prefer). Entrepeneurship is a growing activity at Esade (but at Babson also).

For 1 year programs in the US: Kellog, but not very common in the US the 1 year program type of MBA.

good luck

Thank you for your comments SingleSpain.

I would like to do the MBA in Europe, since I did my Bachelor's and Masters in the US. I do see myself in the US in the mid/long term. I am a dual US/EU Citizen so working in Europe is a possibility.

What I'm afraid of is the perception that ESADE's MBA is not that well-known in the US. Is that really true?
For example, when I talk about Babson or Boston University, most people here in Europe (or at least Switzerland) they know these schools. But when I talk to business people in the US, not everybody is aware of ESADE.

Well, I have until December 1st to decide. hopefully I'll have everything clear by then.

Thanks!

For the US, the European brands are more unknown than for Europeans the US brands. Probably for many Americans LBS and Insead are what they know about European BSchools but increasingly they also look to the other top schools such as Iese, Hec, IE, Oxford, Cambridge, Esade. US Rankings such as Business Week and WSJ are also helping.

Talk to American alumni about their perception and why they prefered an European School.

If you choose ESADE all you have to do is add this to your resume when you apply to US companies "Ranked the 18th best MBA program in the world by Financial Times."

Or, you could work in Europe for awhile before returning to the US.. then where you obtained your MBA will be irrelevant and trumped by your professional experience..

If I were you I will go to ESADE,
Why?

1) With your dual citizenship of EU/US, you won't find any problem finding jobs in Spain/Latin America/ U.S
2) ESADE is located in Barcelona, one of the European hub for Venture Capitalist
3) The city is so beautiful, once you arrive there, I doubt you'll ever want to go back to U.S
4) With ESADE MBA, you are a top-notch grad student in Latin America.
,which is very promising in the future as Brazil, Venezuela, Chile are gaining economic power.

If you don't go to ESADE, you're just another hispanic in U.S.

If you go to Barcelona, you'll be someone with solid work experiences
in Spain, with great command of spanish. And add the International exposure, your CV will glow like a star.

Dude! What are you waiting for?
You're comparing boston with Barcelona...
It's a no brainer.

Have you ever been to Boston?

Yes, indeed I have.

I did my master and worked in Boston.
Have lived in Newton and Comm ave.
Total years in boston: 2 years.

It's a small nice metropolitan, with terrible winter.

Did you go to ESADE?

I already made up my mind and I'm taking the BU Int'l MBA Offer.
I particularly like the 4-month summer semester in Beijing and Shanghai. I believe that China has a very bright future, more than any Latin American country (Perhaps Brazil or Chile would be an exception). I would like to focus my career in Asia anyways. That's the primary reason I chose BU.

ESADE would have been a very good choice as well. But I do not want to work in Spain after graduation, and with a 20% unemployment rate and very low salaries, I don't think it's a good choice after spending more than 70,000 EUR in an MBA degree (The cost of ESADE)

On the other hand, BU's program is cheaper (at today's exchange rate) and I think I would give me more exposure to Asia.

And last but not least. As Rhino said in one of his posts: "In the long run, nothing can beat the brand name of US schools" ;)

You didn't take any of our advice! haha. Well, it sounds like you made the right choice for you. I am biased because it is my dream to study in Spain! I've lived my whole life in the U.S., so I probably take everything this country has to offer for granted.

Believe me it's a beautiful country. It's an excellent experience for an foreign student to study in Barcelona. I was born there and raised in the US. Worked in Madrid for a little bit at a medium size Spanish company and did not like the work attitude. Maybe I had a bad experience at that company. If I ever get a good offer to work in Spain I wouldn't think it twice though.

You cannot go wrong with BU.
It has a strong brand name in Asia.

But stil I would take Barcelona over Boston anyday as a Tourist destination.

Btw, can you elaborate more the work attitude in Spain? Was it that bad?
Just want to know more about spanish work culture.

Btw, can you elaborate more the work attitude in Spain? Was it that bad?
Just want to know more about spanish work culture.

Hey, gusilu, nice to see you here. I'm also get admitted for BU 1 Yr International MBA program, in round 2. But i haven't got scholarship.
The total tuition is expensive for me. I'm from Beijing and currently working in Singapore. I wanted to get a job in US after MBA. Do you have any information about the job placement of BU 1 Yr International program? what's the difference between 1 Yr and 2Yr regular MBA when searching job??
I haven't found others enroll in this program, all other Chinese get admitted in BU are for 2 Yr program so far as i know.
Thank you!
Looking forward to hear from you~