Hi all,

I would appreciate any help to choose the right program/school for my profile.

I'm from Germany 33 years old and have worked so far 1,5 years in investment company as a fund accountant and 5 years in IT-Consulting. My first degree - Diploma in business administration with core in Finance and Investment Management. My intention is to work in Finance either in the Industry - M&A division (not controlling, treasury etc.) or Banking sector IB, asset and investment management. After an MBA or MiF program I would like to come back to Germany, Bavaria and work here. I have perfect German and Russian language skills and intermediate English skills + GMAT 580 (46 quant part). So, I'm looking either for an MBA with strong finance track or MiF after working experience.

1. A program in which country you would suggest.
- My preference is actually UK. What do you thing of EDHEC MBA with finance track ?
2. MBA with strong finance track or MiF
3. Some tier 2 business schools have really good exchange opportunities. Cay you may be suggest some options here.
4.Duration - max 12-16 month
5. EDHEC/CASS/Imperial/HSG/Frankfurt BS/ESADE/Bocconi/Warwick

Working in consulting is not an option any more.

[Edited by Brainlab on Jun 29, 2018]

Look on LinkedIn. Do people in those roles in Munich have MBAs or MSc degrees in finance? If so, where from? That will be your answer.

Look on LinkedIn. Do people in those roles in Munich have MBAs or MSc degrees in finance? If so, where from? That will be your answer.

Hi Duncan,

thanks for your help. In Munich MBA is not that popular, I have checked profiles on LinkedIn, most of the people have German degrees, but I'm interested to study abroad.

I like the overall idea of MBA in regards of networking, students with experience, good career services etc, but programs are usually very high level. That's why, if it will be an MBA, I would prefer the one with concentration in finance and not just superficial "bla bla" about cultural awareness, internationality, ethics etc. I have already been working in the projects with 6+ nationalities since 5 years....

I do know, that EDHEC has a good Finance track, but in regards of location CASS is much better. I don't know the quality of their career services and connections to German companies.

[Edited by Brainlab on Jul 02, 2018]

Excuse me for a provocative response: I think you have to choose. Either you have to find the best available option to meet your stated goal, or you have to stop pretending that is really your goal.

EDHEC is a good MSc school for finance but, as an EDHEC alum, even I question if you can really say it has an excellent finance track in its MBA when the finance concentration is that short stay in a branch campus. If you want to simply focus on finance outside Germany, then take a MIF. For example, look at LBS, Cambridge, Cass or the MiF degrees at the top French schools.

But if you want to work in Munich's finance sector, then look at the schools most respected there either for MBA (e.g. Insead, Chicago, LBS, HSG, WHU, RSM) or MSc (e.g. LMU, TUM, ESCP, Bocconi, LSE, RSM). EDHEC or Cass just make no sense at all, so I suspect that part of you doesn't really want to return to Germany at all.

Excuse me for a provocative response....

Hi Duncan, actually your response is not provocative at all.

I picked the list of schools in my first post not randomly. From my point of view, these are the real ones I can be admitted in, based on my profile and low GMAT score. I don't think, that I could be considered by INSEAD, LBS, Cambridge or Booth with such score.

Best case would be to return to Germany after my studies, but I keep doors open, If I receive an interesting opportunity outside Germany. After all, I think it's not a bad idea to have a short internship in London in the financial sector before coming back to Germany. As my Nr 1 priority is to change role AND industry..

Why EDHEC or CASS ? Those were the first two schools I have started my research with.
EDHEC because of it's finance track and good reputation in the finance world, and CASS because of its location and good connections to the financial industry, and based on the overall discussions here in the forum.

If you are EDHEC alumni can you please give me a more detailed information about there MBA + Finance Concentration? And yes, I did read your post about visiting EDHEC campus, but it's already outdated and I think things have changed dramatically there in the last 3-5 years.

In conclusion, I would say, if every body is so confident about what they want and how they can manage it, nobody would use a forum as a help. Offcourse I have some uncertainties, what would be the best match for the future.

Best regards

[Edited by Brainlab on Jul 02, 2018]

The specialisation tracks are one week seminars: https://mba.edhec.edu/mba-programme#core-courses-calendar

I am not aware of any basis for your statement that the post is outdated. I'm not aware of any notable changes in the EDHEC MBA.

My suggestions were not limited to INSEAD, LBS, Cambridge or Booth.

The specialisation tracks are one week seminars: https://mba.edhec.edu/mba-programme#core-courses-calendar

I am not aware of any basis for your statement that the post is outdated. I'm not aware of any notable changes in the EDHEC MBA.

My suggestions were not limited to INSEAD, LBS, Cambridge or Booth.

Mmm.. Duncan, actually nobody is arguing with you, so to be honest I don't understand where the negative tone is coming from.

About EDHEC, your post was from 2013, and at least in regards of ranking, notable changes can be seen. So, more important is if somebody can give a good estimate of the current situation.

I was not aware that a specialisation track lasts only one week.. it's actually a joke to call this as such.

I appreciate your suggestions for MIF - (e.g. LMU, TUM, ESCP, Bocconi, LSE, RSM) and am considering them also, though post work experience would be a better match.

Your suggestion for MBA (e.g. Insead, Chicago, LBS, HSG, WHU, RSM) --> In the first 3 schools I have no chance with current GMAT, WHU is German, so I'm not interested; HSG I have already visited, they have a very general program, though with really good connections in the financial services industry in Switzerland and Germany. RSM is on my list for research in the next days, as I think that I'll manage to get a place there.

Rankings get updated every year. That truism doesn't mean that the fundamental reality of the EDHEC MBA has changed.

OK, let me repshrase it. Coming back to my initial question - MiF LBS, which is post experience, or MBA from 2,3 Tier business schools, let's say such as CASS, Alliance Manchester etc. ?

The problem with all other Msc in Finance is (besides Cambridge), that the avarage age of the students is 23-26. And the roles after graduation are rather entry level - analyst.

[Edited by Brainlab on Aug 20, 2018]

If you can get selected for it, the LBS MIF is a much better option than any UK MBA. MiFs and MBAs from LBS take broadly similar roles, and have a similar average age (around 29). Because the MIFs take just one year, the RoI is much better.

If you can get selected for it...

Hi Duncan, thank you for the prompt reply. Just as a backup solution, for the case LBS rejects my profile, are there any other MiF options besides Cambridge MiF, which is also post experience ?

My goal after MiF/MBA is to get a role in Investment-/Asset Management (buy side). After investigating different study options, I think MiF suits my needs better, as roles in asset management require technical/quatitative skills, which are covered only superficially in any MBA program.

Considering your message in regards of linkedin research, most of the profiles in asset management sector in Germany, have german Msc degrees - I want to come back to Germany after graduation, but may be in 3-5 years I'll relocate to some other country, that's why I think an international business school is a better option for me.

The FT ranking of post experience mif degrees is the place to start, but even some of the pre experience courses have higher salaries than many MBAs.

Other business schools from the post experience MiF list, besides LBS and Cambridge, can be ignored. As the only reason they appear in the ranking is, because they didn't want to be compared in the pre experience ranking, where they would have been in the 50th+ place at the best.

Imagine if you were the sort of person who didn't want to study with younger students and wanted a back up alternative to top programmes. In that setting, an Amsterdam etc MIF might still be a better option for placement into finance than a tier two MBA.

Imagine ....

Hi Duncan, I have just got an offer for WHU MBA. I have a pefect German, and after graduation I want to work in Germany. Considering these facts, do you think WHU is a good choice?

Offcourse I could postpone the program start from April to September, to find a better programm, let say, HSG MBA.

I think both are great choices. Would you rather live closer to St Gallen or to Düsseldorf?

[Edited by Duncan on Mar 06, 2019]

I think both are great choices. Would you rather live closer to St Gallen or to Düsseldorf?

Munich is closer to St Gallen, but I would prefer to stay Germany.
Do you thing WHU has a good network and job placement program?

You will have seen that the outcomes are better from HSG and the cohort is better. For a Bavarian employer, I am sure that Düsseldorf feels more foreign than St Gallen. But both are strong choices. Perhaps Mannheim or Frankfurt are a good compromise?

You will have seen that the outcomes

As I am already 34, I think time is a critical moment here. To apply for other programs, I will need more time and in best case I will start MBA in September, or even next year. At WHU I will start my MBA already in April 2019. May be I am wrong, but it feels to me to be a better choice right now. At WHU you have 9 electives and a concentration in finance, whereas at HSG and Mannheim the curriculum is not that flexible.

Good luck! These are both great schools.