Hi

Thank you all for all the inputs I have received in my previous threads. Sorry to open another thread as I'm more or less more focus in my choices and hopefully someone else can also benefits from this discussion. I'm hoping now to get more advice in my choices of the following b-schools in the UK:

Bradford, Birmingham, Notthingham, Kingston,

Profile: 4 years in fnancial industry risk management, looking to switch to career in marketing
No GMAT taken
Budget: 15k ( hopefully with scholarship, that will help to stretch till 18k)
Looking for a more diversified cohort (I know Indian students tend to be the majority make-up of the international students and am not trying to be racist or whatsoever but just appreciate a more diverse international student experience, backgrounds and inputs)
Hoping to work in the UK for couple of years ( I know it's getting harder due to visa issues, hence would appreciate a school with good career placement service)

I have received offer from Bradford within 24 hours upon sending my online application. The prompt reply and the loose admission make me questions the quality of the students. Also, didn't get positive vibes and recommendations of the campus location - Bradford. But I appreciate their wide range of elective suites, and value for money.

Kingston - scheduling a phone interview with them tomorrow.
Have a few electives that interests me. Any view of their links with the industries?

BIrmingham - waiting for reply. Their concentrations doesn't seem to fit my career goals but i read recommendations from this forum. And stretching my budget a little. Their MBA coordinator is the most helpful and responsive so far in replying my emails and questions.

Nottingham - Seems to be a very well-structured program. I know notthingham is reknown as a university in general but not sure of their MBA program compared to my other choices.

Many thanks in advance for your insights!

You'll have better choices if you take your GMAT, since the graduates from non-GMAT courses tend to be weaker.

Bradford, Birmingham and Nottingham are all much stronger than Kingston. For marketing *communications*, I think Birmingham is slightly the stronger.

PS Bradford has a great range of marketing electives: http://www.bradford.ac.uk/management/programmes/mba/full-time-mba/mba-in-the-uk/

You'll have better choices if you take your GMAT, since the graduates from non-GMAT courses tend to be weaker.

Bradford, Birmingham and Nottingham are all much stronger than Kingston. For marketing *communications*, I think Birmingham is slightly the stronger.

PS Bradford has a great range of marketing electives: http://www.bradford.ac.uk/management/programmes/mba/full-time-mba/mba-in-the-uk/

Thank you for your reply. Well I have no intention of applying to the top tier schools as I can't afford it and I dont want to be in huge debt. My main motivation is a career switch, not specifically looking for a big juNmp in salary hence could not justified to be in debt. Coincidently the schools within my budget doesn't require GMAT.

Interesting I found Birmingham being recommended couple of times but the elective modules offered is not that appealing, especially with their concentration tracks are on finance, procurement and global leadership.

How would you rank between Bradford, Birmingham and Nottingham? Or any other program within my budget that I might have missed out?

I don't think there's much in it. Bradford stands out as the programme with the more alumni in marketing roles and with a good range of electives in marketing.

If you want to move into marketing, why take an MBA? Why not go to a better school, like Columbia, Cranfield or Lancaster and take a masters in marketing?

I was initially searching for master but been advised to go for MBA instead for experienced students ( I have a total of 6 years working experience) as I can benefit more from the peer rather than studying with students who most probably be fresh grads at masters without any working experience.

I seem to get the vibes that unless one is earning MBA with the Top Tier schools else it's not worth studying an MBA with the second best schools even if it's accredited. But for someone who is looking for a horizontal move in their career and a career switch, is it not ok to invest in just second tier school? My biggest expectation would be just earning more or less the same salary bracket as my previous job but in a different role that I enjoy more.

The programmes at Colombia, Cranfield and Lancaster are aimed at experienced students. Attending an MSc at these top-100 schools will be much better *for your goal* than attending an MBA at a no-GMAT school. Of course MBAs are better, especially for finance and consulting, but think about the marketing roles you want. What skills would an MBA with four marketing electives not have which an MSc with 12 marketing courses and projects would have... and vice versa.

The programmes at Colombia, Cranfield and Lancaster are aimed at experienced students. Attending an MSc at these top-100 schools will be much better *for your goal* than attending an MBA at a no-GMAT school. Of course MBAs are better, especially for finance and consulting, but think about the marketing roles you want. What skills would an MBA with four marketing electives not have which an MSc with 12 marketing courses and projects would have... and vice versa.

Hi,
Among these options I would suggest Bradford University, purely because of its wide range of electives in Marketing, and excellent faculties, as i was a part of Bradford University MBA batch 2008-09. I do understand that location is an issue with Bradford, however i can assure that it is among very few places in UK with lowest cost of living, so you can save lot of money in you accommodation. Bradford is located within 1 hour driving distance from Manchester, Leeds, Sheffield and other big cities.

Birmingham on the other side is a good B-School and more popular as a university. but what I have realized that here in UK you get job based on what you know rather than which school you have studied.

You can also consider Kent in case you prefer to have more international mix in your cohort, as in Kent MBA have very diversified profile.

I think it's a little simplistic to say that "here in UK you get job based on what you know rather than which school you have studied". Certainly it's a strong point about the UK that employers are very open here, including to foreign talent. However, while MBA graduates from different schools have similar knowledge, their outcomes vary greatly school by school.

That's why the rankings are vital.

As an employer, I certainly see the different in generally quality between schools' graduates and the weak points of candidates tend to cluster by school: the graduates of this school are weak on structured decision making; while the graduates of that school can't network; and the graduates of the other school have poor team working.

Certainly, exceptional people stand out in any context but there's a huge difference in quality, in particular between the accredited and unaccredited business schools. Graduates of 'triple crown' schools might also have weaknesses, but they are unlikely to have several systemic weaknesses.

I have received offer from Bradford within 24 hours upon sending my online application. The prompt reply and the loose admission make me questions the quality of the students. Also, didn't get positive vibes and recommendations of the campus location - Bradford. But I appreciate their wide range of elective suites, and value for money.

I have received offer from Bradford within 24 hours upon sending my online application. The prompt reply and the loose admission make me questions the quality of the students. Also, didn't get positive vibes and recommendations of the campus location - Bradford. But I appreciate their wide range of elective suites, and value for money.

I got an offer after 3 months + interview + GMAT. So dont be concerned about that 24hours offer.
ps.: I am EU citizen.

I have received offer from Bradford within 24 hours upon sending my online application. The prompt reply and the loose admission make me questions the quality of the students. Also, didn't get positive vibes and recommendations of the campus location - Bradford. But I appreciate their wide range of elective suites, and value for money.

I got an offer after 3 months + interview + GMAT. So dont be concerned about that 24hours offer.
ps.: I am EU citizen.

Thanks. Noted that it was conditional offer, so yes have to go through couple of more verification rounds.
Are you enrolled for Sept 2013 or an alumni? If latter, would you care to share your experience with the school?

I have received offer from Bradford within 24 hours upon sending my online application. The prompt reply and the loose admission make me questions the quality of the students. Also, didn't get positive vibes and recommendations of the campus location - Bradford. But I appreciate their wide range of elective suites, and value for money.

I got an offer after 3 months + interview + GMAT. So dont be concerned about that 24hours offer.
ps.: I am EU citizen.

Thanks. Noted that it was conditional offer, so yes have to go through couple of more verification rounds.
Are you enrolled for Sept 2013 or an alumni? If latter, would you care to share your experience with the school?

[Edited by nikhil88 on Nov 07, 2014]