I got admitted into both IE and ESADE. In ESADE I have a scholarship whereas with IE I have none. Though IE had better ranking I am disappointed by the the admissions office and their commication. It feels very callous as if I'm a statistic. ESADE seems a lot more friendly and they are quick to support and help.
Does anyone here know if IE is truly better or which is recognised better an over Europe?
Any alumni here for feedback?
Ie vs ESADE
Posted Jul 08, 2022 00:02
Does anyone here know if IE is truly better or which is recognised better an over Europe?
Any alumni here for feedback?
Posted Jul 08, 2022 00:23
What are your goals? The friendliness of the admissions team has no impact on most goals.
Posted Jul 08, 2022 09:00
What are your goals? The friendliness of the admissions team has no impact on most goals.
Hi Duncan, I have an engineering background and business development experience. I do not have formal business education. My ultimate goal is to learn and develop my financial and business skills. Strengthen my leadership skills. I'm already at middle management. I handle C-suite team on a daily basis. Looking to move to director role in next 2-3 years in my company.
I'm not looking to switch companies as of today as my company will co sponsor my course. I'm not planning to start my own business either. I looking to move up the corporate ladder. My company is a MNC and OEM. I can move globally within the company as long as I have the an MBA.
ESADE pros -
- I have a scholarship from them and company pays the rest. So financial burden is less on me.
- Hybrid program
Esade cons-
- I talked to a friend who did emba in ESADE. His experience was good but not great. He said it felt just like another emba. So I think that had me questioning ESADE a bit.
IE pros-
- hybrid program and shorter program- ranking is great both European and global. Good reputation both in and outside Spain.
- course structure is good.
IE cons--No scholarship so personal financial burden is higher
Note - I checked the ranking of both IE and ESADE. In European ranking (https://rankings.ft.com/rankings/2869/european-business-school-rankings-2021) for emba IE is at 9 but ESADE has no ranking. But global ft ranking ESADE is 22 and IE 4.
[Edited by MBA newbie on Jul 08, 2022]
Posted Jul 08, 2022 14:40
Why are these the two programmes you have focussed on? Are you in Spain?
Posted Jul 09, 2022 15:42
Not sure about your goals but I have more confidence in the quality of the education at ESADE. Plus, Barcelona is more fun than Madrid. Hope it helps :)
[Edited by Andy776 on Jul 09, 2022]
Posted Jul 10, 2022 01:04
Why are these the two programmes you have focussed on? Are you in Spain?
Hi Duncan, my selection is based in course structure, methodology, focus areas I'm interested in which are general management, strategy and finance. I also wanted a flexible program. I travel almost all the time for work. Program needed to be flexible to accommodate that.
Additional selection criteria was also ft ranking and recognition of the school within eu and global.
Eg- I have a few executives from my Company in different regions from those schools.
No I'm not in Spain.
Posted Jul 10, 2022 01:07
Not sure about your goals but I have more confidence in the quality of the education at ESADE. Plus, Barcelona is more fun than Madrid. Hope it helps :)
Hi Andy, thanks for the insight. Why are you sure about quality of ESADE? Is there a reason? Do you have any red flags you noticed in IE that makes you Confident for ESADE. I'm asking because I'm laying towards IE and would appreciate your views.
Posted Jul 10, 2022 23:30
Nothing against IE. I just believe that the extraordinary high fees that the school asks for is not justified compared to schools of similar level. Thus, not happy of unis that make students pay so much (little unethical considering they are in Spain where living/salary expenses are lower).
[Edited by Andy776 on Jul 10, 2022]
Posted Jul 11, 2022 00:51
Nothing against IE. I just believe that the extraordinary high fees that the school asks for is not justified compared to schools of similar level. Thus, not happy of unis that make students pay so much (little unethical considering they are in Spain where living/salary expenses are lower).
Ah ok. It's the fees. I can understand. I looked at some schools. They are very expensive. Btw esade updated their fees. It's a little over 65k now for emba.
Posted Jul 11, 2022 13:16
These are very different schools in culture, but similar in standing. The FT ranks them almost identically in the European, MBA and MiM rankings. ESADE leads in the executive education ranking, but overall one can be assured of a strong education at either. ESADE is clearly a highly selective, research-intensive non-profit university, led by egalitarian Jesuit values, while IE has a for-profit culture, and - putting it politely - its selectivity is based more on the capacity to pay than on academic rigour.
I think the absence of the ESDAE EMBA from the FT ranking is because of data volume, i.e. class sizes. It has a handful of EMBA formats, including the joint programme with Aalto, and no single format might be large enough to secure enough responses year after year.
PS QS ranks ESADE and IE EMBAs almost identically, with ESADE one place ahead: https://www.topmba.com/emba-rankings/europe/2022
[Edited by Duncan on Jul 11, 2022]
Posted Jul 12, 2022 10:41
These are very different schools in culture, but similar in standing. The FT ranks them almost identically in the European, MBA and MiM rankings. ESADE leads in the executive education ranking, but overall one can be assured of a strong education at either. ESADE is clearly a highly selective, research-intensive non-profit university, led by egalitarian Jesuit values, while IE has a for-profit culture, and - putting it politely - its selectivity is based more on the capacity to pay than on academic rigour.
I think the absence of the ESDAE EMBA from the FT ranking is because of data volume, i.e. class sizes. It has a handful of EMBA formats, including the joint programme with Aalto, and no single format might be large enough to secure enough responses year after year.
PS QS ranks ESADE and IE EMBAs almost identically, with ESADE one place ahead: https://www.topmba.com/emba-rankings/europe/2022
Thank you Duncan. I'll keep this in mind when I'm deciding the schools.
Posted Jul 12, 2022 12:27
Speaking frankly, I think it's not hard to sense a tone of caution when I and others write about schools that are deeply impacted by the for profit culture, like IE and Hult. The long rise of GWU proves the value of that template for universities: high fees but not high selectivity attracts people with access to resources. Those fees provide a more supportive pedagogy. Hand holding has always been a trademark of private undergraduate schools in Europe like EBS, Schiller, Webster etc. Okay, at the end of the day there is still a sense that it's not meritocratic, in the way of Esade or UC3M. IE will never have IESE's reputation for rigour. But its not the edgy choice it would have been 30 years ago.
Posted Jul 12, 2022 20:37
Speaking frankly, I think it's not hard to sense a tone of caution when I and others write about schools that are deeply impacted by the for profit culture, like IE and Hult. The long rise of GWU proves the value of that template for universities: high fees but not high selectivity attracts people with access to resources. Those fees provide a more supportive pedagogy. Hand holding has always been a trademark of private undergraduate schools in Europe like EBS, Schiller, Webster etc. Okay, at the end of the day there is still a sense that it's not meritocratic, in the way of Esade or UC3M. IE will never have IESE's reputation for rigour. But its not the edgy choice it would have been 30 years ago.
I agree with that. anyone I have spoken to has not mentioned anything specifically bad about IE. It has been more neutral. ESADE is the same. I am trying to talk to more alumni but have not managed that yet. Both seem on par in terms of brand and course structure/modules. Most of them rate both the courses the same. I even had an IE alum from my company who told me to take ESADE if they gave a better scholarship since the standing is pretty much the same.
I think in the end it boils down to the scholarship I am offered. But I definitely do want to end up going to a party school as my sole purpose is to develop my skills over the next 15-18 months.
Posted Jul 12, 2022 21:11
[Quote) "global ft ranking ESADE is 22 and IE 4."
I don't understand this comment. The FT Global MBA ranking has Esade as 34th and IE as 40th
Posted Jul 13, 2022 00:17
[Quote) "global ft ranking ESADE is 22 and IE 4."
I don't understand this comment. The FT Global MBA ranking has Esade as 34th and IE as 40th
Sorry I miss quoted that data. You're right.
Posted Jul 13, 2022 18:16
Hi guys I thought I'll let you know as you have been helpful.
After careful Consideration, I decided to join ESADE for the following reasons.
- I have been going over their courses and content. It is definitely suited for my corporate growth.
- they have partnership with multiple universities of if I plan to extend my MBA by 6 months and do more e ok electives or exchange
- really good scholarship offer from them.
- decent alumni network Germany. Joined alumni network here and had a chat. They were very helpful.
I do friends in ESADE who complained about 1 or 2 professors but I believe there is going to 1 or 2 bad ones everywhere.
Thanks for all the input from you guys.
Posted Jul 13, 2022 18:52
Great choice. Well done.
Posted Jul 14, 2022 00:28
Great choice. Well done.
Hi Duncan, I got into both as well, both with scholarship, and I believe I'm about to get into Bocconi as well. I’m an American and just got into the full time MBA programs at IE, Bocconi and ESADE. Looking to pivot careers after 12 years in CPG/beauty and medical device marketing to Consulting, Social Impact or Tech and ideally looking to stay in Europe or Australia post-grad: France, UK or Netherlands due to salary/quality of life ratio. Assuming similar aid packages, which school would be best to aid in these goals? I'd love any thoughts and also experiences re: school culture/vibe too. I liked the vibe overall a bit more at ESADE but I also have heard that IE is more prestigious/has a better network in Europe, US and LatAm. Unsure of ESADE's strengths by that same token.
Posted Jul 14, 2022 11:38
I liked the vibe overall a bit more at ESADE but I also have heard that IE is more prestigious/has a better network in Europe, US and LatAm. Unsure of ESADE's strengths by that same token.
Hey I do not know about your goals but I can talk about IE Vs ESADE. I was off the same opinion that IE is better and was more inclined to IE. But talking to Alumni and ppl who worked there helped me. There is no after graduation support in IE but I agree it has a brand name recognition. One of my colleagues reached out to her friend who worked in IE. She mentioned that it has terrible after graduation attention. Her own terms. Plus I IE took a big hit after their ranking scandal which is what made me look into ESADE too.
Of course in the end I leaned to ESADE because I have the scholarship and in EU ranking they are 13. Just next to IE. If you need after graduation support I'll ask you to chat with some alumni. Join their LinkedIn groups and talk to them. They are pretty helpful.
Posted Jul 15, 2022 00:37
I don't see any material basis for saying that IE has a stronger brand position than Esade. I have no idea where that comes from.
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