Hi! I know that this has been discussed a lot before but I would really like to see various opinions.
My application for a full time MBA programme has been accepted both by Manchester Busienss School and Cranfield School of Management; and it seems really hard to choose between these two.
I plan to work in the UK after graduation and my primary interests are consulting and entrepreneurship.
What are your suggestions and why?

What's your background? Obviously an MBA isn't a great preparation for entrepreneurship since it will start you off in debt. Look at the MBS Masters in Enterprise and the Babson-EM Lyon MSc in entrepreneurship.

If you have a background in strategy consulting already, then Cranfield is a great choice. But, if not, then MBS is best since it has an internship. If you're unsure, then Manchester is the safer choice.

Thanks, Duncan!

Why do you think Cranfield is a better place for people with strategy profile?

If you already have a background in strategy consulting, then you won't need an internship in strategy or electives in strategy. MBS has an internship and more time for electives, and Cranfield does not.

Hi John,

What I know about MBS is from conversations with friends and business partners and it is certainly a good school - though not my first choice for Entrepreneurship. But then, I'm biased...
I did the Cranfield MBA in 2006/2007 and I believe it was one of the best decisions in my life.
When I started the programme, I had already started a my consultancy business in Germany (SAP) and grown to 1.5mn revenue (>2mn now that I'm selling my last stake). But the Cranfield programme (not just the entrepreneurship elective) taught me an awful lot about starting and growing a business and about myself as an entrepreneur. An invaluable armoury, which helped my through the tough times right after I started my second consultancy business in London with 2 fellow students (reaching 3mn revenue now and profitable). We also started another business this year (not a consultancy) which looks promising. The course completely changed my perspective on entrepreneurship from "I start a business to create a job for life for myself with some degrees of freedom and good fun" to "I start businesses as and when opportunities come up and work on them rather than in them as far as possible to grow them to a point where they can be sold or floated profitably. Even more fun as much more diversity and the act of creating sth. valuable new is experienced not just once".
And the course also gave me a lot of the confidence, tools and contacts to see it through.
Well, I'm already pushing the wordcount limit - you'd not be the first person to regret asking me about Cranfield as I just love sharing this great experience. Hope I could help you a bit anyway.
All the best, no matter which way you go!
Sven

Thank you Sven... I've talked with different schools and I had the impression that Cranfield is one of the best one in term of program, opportunieties and organization (they even pay lots of attention to your family). I admit that I didn't talk with Insead of LSB (Actually it would be quite impossible for me to entry there).
Can I ask you just your impression about the career service? Employment results are very good but I read some bad comments on this aspect (Businessweek comments).

Personally, I did not use the career service in the "normal" way, as I wasn't looking for a job. However, I have to say they helped me very much in my long term career/life planning and in getting clarity about my own goals.
All my friends who did look for a job were very happy with the career service. Also I think the real world AC they do in the second half is very helpful for practise as well as for understanding one's strengths and weaknesses and how they are perceived.
Bear in mind that the service has some limitations, if you are sponsored by your current employer. In that case they cannot actively get you a new job outside.
Also: they require you to be very actively involved. It s not a "I lean back and wait for the interviews to come along" type of service.

Ah yes: I also used Cranfield careers dpt as an employer since leaving the school and they do a good job from that persoective as well.

best wishes
Sven