Hi. I am admitted to both ESMT and RSM and have to decide like right now. Both programs seems to have after MBA placement in the sectors I have more interest in (technology) but of course ESMT being a very young program makes me worry a little.
I am an engineer, American and a career shifter. I would like to stay in Europe for a while. I don't speak German (I know, a big downside)
I would love to hear your thoughts and experiences about both programs.
Thanks!!!

Neither of these has above-average employment outcomes, but RSM is certainly better on almost every metric than ESMT. RSM has very deep roots in tech, especially in marketing and strategy, for a long time had a dual MBA/MBI in business informatics.

[Edited by Duncan on Jul 11, 2019]

Just a thought. Wouldn't Cranfield or Warwick be a better fit?

Well actually i am not interested in England as I already lived there as a teenager. Really my only options are RSM and ESMT as they not have the strong leadership flag which is really important for me.
So if you or anyone could point out the advantages/disadvantages of both it would be awesome for me

Well, as I wrote, RSM is better in every way as far as I can see.

I agree with most of the comments in this thread. Although I'd add that if you wanted to work in tech roles at Siemens, Axel Springer, or Deutsche Telekom, ESMT would probably be a bitter fit since these firms are among the school's founding partners.

Those firms might still hire more people from RSM than from ESMT.

I really doubt that Deutsche Telekom would recruit more MBAs from a non-German school than from ESMT.

Yes, I am sure many people would feel that way. Looking at profiles on LinkedIn, however, I can see more MBAs who have been hired by DT who studied at Insead than at WHU and, indeed, more from RSM than from ESMT. Reality can be surprising.

ESMT is an new school compared to RSM and has grown in reputation in the past two to three years only. So obviously there will be more people from RSM in DT when compared to ESMT. Looking at the last year placement statistics, In RSM 80% found a job within 3 months of graduation and In ESMT 88% found a job within 3 months. Salaries are almost the same for the last year. If you do well in ESMT, you are guaranteed to remain in Europe, but that is not the case even in HEC, SDA, IE, RSM etc. I know people from certain top MBA colleges in Europe learning german after graduation in order to secure an European job.

[Edited by alvinraj on Sep 29, 2015]

88% is not a guarantee. For a school as tiny as ESMT, percentages can move greatly if one or two people Do or do not return their forms. Any evidence to suggest a shift in reputation?

[Edited by Duncan on Sep 29, 2015]

2014 Business week non-US MBA rankings 3rd place overall, 2015 FT MBA rankings value for money 4th in the world and a big jump from 89 to 63 overall, The economist 2014 rankings 7th in Europe, Aspen institute rankings 2014 4th in Europe. Definitely the school is on the right track.

Well, it's worth digging into that. I'm not sure that Apsen rankings count for much for this candidate, but dig into those Economist data which are useful because they publish more variables than the FT. RSM seems to comes out ahead on employment, on career services, on student quality, on salary increase (basically, many of the things that also matter in the FT ranking) and ESMT similarly comes out ahead on other factors. So, as with any school, you need to make a careful assessment.

RSM has been, for most of the last 40 years, the primary accredited MBA programme serving the German market, and let's recall that business is in the West more than in the East. Rotterdam is much closer to big centres of commerce like Cologne (where it is launching an EMBA), Duesseldorf, Frankfurt even Stuttgart... than is Berlin. And, of course, RSM is graduating not only a larger MBA cohort, but also other undergraduate, pre-experience and post-experience programmes as well as a respected PhD. On LinkedIn, for example, it still has over one-third more alumni *in Germany* than ESMT.

Indeed, ESMT has risen fast and RSM seems to having the soft landing of many European schools. But it's a case by case judgment, especially since RSM's alumni network will be stronger in many of the firms we have mentioned.

[Edited by Duncan on Sep 29, 2015]

Hello,

Do you still think that RSM has a better program than ESMT? I know ESMT just started their analytics specialization but coming from 9 years in IT I dont know if it is more geared towards non technical people and a technical person will get bored with the program. I do want to work in analytics and it is an area I look to transition after graduation.

Better for whom, with what goal? Certainly, don't take a one year MBA to learn about analytics. Take an AMP and then an MSc.

I agree on getting an MsC, however I applied and I got rejected from all the programs I applied. I spoke with the admissions and they said I was more fit for an MBA. I thought it was a good idea to move away from such technical roles but somehow I still want to work something having to do with analytics.

Have you heard of IE program in Business Analytics?

You were, I guess, apply to MSc in management degrees rather than MSc programmes in analytics?

Yes, I know the IE programme

No I applied to MsC in Business Analytics but my age (32) didnt make me a viable candidate. How well do you think the IE program in Business Analytics is for someone my age? Would it be a waste of time?

Either way I am taking MOOC specializations and getting certifications in Alteryx, tableu, etc. I want the masters degree for networking and getting closer to top companies. that is also why I want a "name brand" MBA. I feel the MBA will help me learn more about the business because analytics without business knowledge is useless. Its very different from other IT fields were the business gives you the requirements. In analytics you have to propose and understand what is happening.

The school that turned you down are idiots. A UK school would accept you. Did you look at the Edinburgh MSc?