Hi Everyone,

This is my very first post on this website.
I have gone through many forums here, however after being unable to decide, I am requesting anyone to give me some guidance.

I have Unconditional Offer for Full Time MBA from Exeter, Leeds, Strathclyde, Lancaster, and Interview for Durham is planned.

I am ruling out Exeter and Leeds.
**But I am confused between Lancaster, Strathclyde and Durham(assuming my interview gets converted into an offer).**

My main target is to increase my employability and switch my profile focused to get a decent job in the UK.

I am an Engineer by education and working in Techno Mangerial role in automotive industry for past 6.5 years.

I want to switch to Engineering Consultancy, or Strategy Management, or Technology Profiles.
Keeping these options open for flexibility.

**With all of above in mind which one should I chose from the three? **

Additionally, I have applied for MiM in Warwick, Shall I keep that option open as well?

Lancaster and Durham were among the 8 schools in the FT top 100 for 2022 with the lowest placement. Both this year and last Lancaster scored much more highly than Durham but neither were close to average in either year: https://rankings.ft.com/rankings/2866/mba-2022 A better school would be better.

I assume you are mistakenly avoiding the GMAT. 

You have too much work experience for a MiM and would not be admitted. 

Thank you so much Duncan for your valuable input.
I myself feel the weak point in GMAT, I had taken the GMAT and could not manage to get a high score, I decided to go through with the current capabilities. 
However, due to my personal constraints, I need to either get into an MBA this year or drop the idea altogether, since I want to add some value to my profile, I am trying to get the best out of available options.
Since both Durham and Lancaster have lower placements, and you didn't mention strathclyde at all (I also feel that at least Lancaster and Durham are better than Strathclyde), I think if I get an offer from Durham, I will re-look deep into details before taking any final decision. 
PS : Though I completely missed to mention that I have applied for Cranfield as well, though have little hope of getting any offer.If that goes through, I would be grateful if you could let me know if below selection ranking makes sense? 
Cranfield > Durham ~> Lancaster >> Strathclyde

I have no idea what you consider to be a high score. I suggest you follow up directly with Cranfield and Strathclyde after reading https://find-mba.com/board/europe/the-fts-hidden-ranking-of-second-tier-mbas-60514 

[Edited by Duncan on Mar 29, 2022]

Thank you so much for the inputs Duncan.
Will do as advised. 

Thanks again for the information. 

Durham will be the Obvious choice for most of the students.
Followed by Lancaster and Strathclyde.

Why do you believe that? From the employment data I cited above,  Lancaster may be better for this persons placement goal. 

I think we should look holistically. Not just one year MBA Rank.
Holistically Durham is a far better MBA than Lancaster which is dominated by Indians mostly.
If you look FT 2021 Rank Durham Average Salary was: 111213 and Lancaster was: 97067
This year it is 101326 vs 110094. 

Also we should look at the Audit Year Durham was Audited in 2017 and Lancaster was Audited in 2018 so the base of comparison is not same.
No doubt Lancaster has climbed the Ladder in One MBA Ranking Website but we should look at Larger perspective.

Those are excellent points, other than the audit year. The data are collected every year, not only in the audit years. However, you need to factor in that this person's focus is not high salary but high confidence in finding employment. 

Duncan if we look at the Aims Achieved (%) for both Durham Vs Lancaster it is 82% and 85%. This shows "the extent to which alumni fulfilled their stated goals or reasons for doing an MBA.#" as per FT methodology. Here both colleges are almost at same level. Hence cannot be a point of differentiation.

Also if we compare Career Progress Rank it is 30 and 55. This shows "calculated according to changes in the level of seniority and the size of the organisation alumni work in now, compared with before their MBA.#" as per FT methodology. Here Durham is above Lancaster and is a point of differentiation. 

Also if we compare International Mobility Rank it is 36 and 50. This shows "based on alumni citizenship and the locations where they worked before their MBA, on completion and three years after." as per FT methodology. Here also Durham is above Lancaster and is a point of differentiation. 

These Data is of FT100 2022 rank.

I think we have an obvious answer for "high confidence in finding employment" question raised above.

Sorry, I am just not making my point very well here. Imagine the idea of an efficient frontier in portfolio theory, where the person is trying to maximise salary at given levels of selectivity/seniority. In that context, Durham is the better choice. I wrote a post to discuss that at: https://find-mba.com/board/general-forum/is-there-an-efficient-frontier-in-mba-selection-45894 

Now, instead imagine a setting where someone was focused not on salary but on confidence in finding employment quickly. Durham places around half its students quickly. Lancaster places more than three-quarters quickly. If that was the key criterion, then the other person should select Lancaster or better schools rather than Durham. 

Yes in terms of quickness it is quite evident from the FT100 2022 ranking that 77% of Lancaster students got placed compared to 53% for Durham. 
But that's only first 3 months data and a very narrow perspective. 

Employability isn't a *very* narrow criterion, but the important thing is that it's the criterion of the person asking the question. Lancaster is better on that criterion in the 2022 and 2021 rankings. It is certainly not the only thing that matters. However for this person, we have to admit that a 53% chance of finding work within 3 months is not what they are looking for.

[Edited by StuartHE on Apr 02, 2022]

Employability isn't a *very* narrow criterion, but the important thing is that it's the criterion of the person asking the question. Lancaster is better on that criterion in the 2022 and 2021 rankings. It is certainly not the only thing that matters. However for this person, we have to admit that a 53% chance of finding work within 3 months is not what they are looking for.

[Edited by greatans on Apr 02, 2022]

Yes in terms of quickness it is quite evident from the FT100 2022 ranking that 77% of Lancaster students got placed compared to 53% for Durham. 
But that's only first 3 months data and a very narrow perspective. 

Yes in terms of quickness it is quite evident from the FT100 2022 ranking that 77% of Lancaster students got placed compared to 53% for Durham. 
But that's only first 3 months data and a very narrow perspective. 

Nothing you have said make a good case for Durham being a better choice and have done a lot of works to show Lancaster is probably not stronger than Durham


Both schools are regional schools and Lancaster is a more established business school and MBA 
 
Go Lancaster they also are more generous.

[Edited by greatans on Apr 03, 2022]

Yes in terms of quickness it is quite evident from the FT100 2022 ranking that 77% of Lancaster students got placed compared to 53% for Durham. 
But that's only first 3 months data and a very narrow perspective. 

Nothing you have said make a good case for Durham being a better choice and have done a lot of works to show Lancaster is probably not stronger than Durham


Both schools are regional schools and Lancaster is a more established business school and MBA 
 
Go Lancaster they also are more generous.

Its better if we stick to facts and make arguments that are based on solid evidence, and not on emotional contents as you are showing.
"Generous" --> What for....... haha

Nothing you have said make a good case for Durham being a better choice and have done a lot of works to show Lancaster is probably not stronger than Durham


Both schools are regional schools and Lancaster is a more established business school and MBA 
 
Go Lancaster they also are more generous.

Its better if we stick to facts and make arguments that are based on solid evidence, and not on emotional contents as you are showing.
"Generous" --> What for....... haha

I dont know what you do but you have very little understanding of data and facts.

The teaching of these is dismal I know you suffer

It does not mean to make your lif and others more disguided though

Lancaster is a better MBA choice than Durham but the margin is not as glaring obvious.

[Edited by greatans on Apr 03, 2022]

I don't think it makes sense to describe these as regional schools. Certainly, neither of these is the best UK business school for people seeking an MBA to transition into the UK labour market. But these schools are in 'county towns' in primarily agricultural regions. They place fewer people into their local regions than into London, and most of their alumni are outside the UK. 

I think it could well be true that Lancaster is a larger school than Durham, but they both have areas of strength. Durham is a very strong school for accounting and finance. Lancaster is well respected for marketing and entrepreneurship. 

Its better if we stick to facts and make arguments that are based on solid evidence, and not on emotional contents as you are showing.
"Generous" --> What for....... haha

I dont know what you do but you have very little understanding of data and facts.

The teaching of these is dismal I know you suffer

It does not mean to make your lif and others more disguided though

Lancaster is a better MBA choice than Durham but the margin is not as glaring obvious.

You sound like a paid sponsor of Lancaster MBA. Lol. Bring facts and figures else No body is going to believe you and get convinced. Data and its explanation is there on the internet and it is for free. Its not a rocket science.  
U seem to be a sufferer. Big time.