Forum: School selection (5 Comments)

IE vs ESADE

  • Posted by - sindu - on 16 February 2012 - 7:11am

    Hi,

    I wanted your opinion regarding the Masters in International Management program at ESADE and IE Business SChool. I have done my research and seen the placement reports but I am still confused about certain things especially given the economic climate in Europe.

    Also IE has done really well in rankings this year compared to ESADE so I was wondering these things:

    1. In terms of viewpoints from recruiters/companies for MIM, which school would be a safer bet?
    2. In terms of international brand name value which would be a better option?
    3. Any idea on how these schools are performing now in terms of placement for their current batch?
    4. Which school is geared better towards a career in consulting?

    I'm not going to make my decision based on this but if someone could answer these questions, it would give me the added perspective.

    Thanks!

    • Posted by - sindu - on 27 February 2012 - 7:33pm

      All your views and suggestions are helpful and i really appreciate it.

      I am still confused! I am trying to get in touch with students/recruiters alike to get a better feel of the schools! But keep the suggestions coming guys! all welcomed! :)

    • Posted by - mimer - on 26 February 2012 - 7:36pm

      Hi Sindu,

      I am a former MIM student from IE Business School and I will try to answer your questions:

      1. In terms of viewpoints from recruiters/companies for MIM, which school would be a safer bet?
        In my opinion, both schools are equally safe bets given that both are well known business schools worldwide. So make your decision based on which one suits your interests/goals better. In my case, I didn´t consider ESADE because one of the entry requirements was to have a Business management or similar degree, and I didn´t.

      2. In terms of international brand name value which would be a better option?
        It is replied in the previous question. Take a look at the program brochures to find out in which countries and companies former students are working in order to have an idea of the international brand recognition. However, IE has the visibility of being in the top of the most important rankings worldwide, and this helps to have a better brand name.

      3. Any idea on how these schools are performing now in terms of placement for their current batch?
        I don´t know the official figures, but all of my friends from the MIM are employed in different sectors and industries. However, it could be a good idea to call the schools and ask them directly, they may have the figures because I filled a placement survey few months ago.

      4. Which school is geared better towards a career in consulting?
        I am currently working in consulting and I know that many of my former classmates of the specialization in International Business are too. If you finally join IE I recommend you to attend the meetings of IE Consulting club, where students from the MBA with previous experience in consulting will teach case interview techniques and what consulting firms are looking for.

      I hope it helps. ;)

      Regards.

    • Posted by - Sebastian Quodt - on 20 February 2012 - 11:33am

      Hi Sindu,

      My name is Sebastian and I am a current MIM student at ESADE. I certainly have empathy for your current situation. I asked myself almost the exact same questions one year ago except that the contestant for ESADE was the LSE. But now, let me try to answer some of your questions.

      First of all, I don't know a lot about the MIM program of IE. That gives you already an answer for question number 2 from my side. As a matter of fact ESADE has gained quite significant international brand recognition, as it was elected #1 MBA school worldwide on some rankings (BusinessWeek, I believe) in mid-2000. I know that IE caught up on that and is as a non-European MBA school voted #2 or #3,with ESADE following right after. But SIndu, let me tell you this: Who cares? I think Top 10 or so is important. What's happening in between is not so relevant.

      Let me get to question #1 and #4. I'm also gearing my career towards consulting, looking at the Tier-1 companies in the industry. These consultancies do highly appreciate students from ESADE. On numerous occasions during the 6 months I have been studying here, recruiters have come to Barcelona frequently to get to know us. If you earn (and I emphasize "earn", because it sure ain't easy here) good grades, your studies here in Barcelona WILL be a valuable asset in your CV portfolio. This also stems from the fact that we have many courses geared towards consulting and former partners from McKinsey et al. in the role of professors. I don't know what it is like at IE.

      And again, looking at question #3, let me stress no to pay too much attention at the rankings. Really, who cares if a school is #2, #4 or #9. I personally believe that there is just a #1-#10 or #1-#20 ranking. As long as your future school is one of these schools, you are fine. What's a lot more important is what grades you get once you are there, and most important, how you feel about being there. Try to get a sense of the vibe at the different schools and cities where you are might live in - because that also has incredible impact on what really matters, which is your well-being.

      I hope that helps.

      Best regards from sunny Barcelona,

      Sebastian

    • Posted by - Thomas Graf - on 18 February 2012 - 12:31pm

      Hi Sindu,

      thank you for your post. I think that your questions are the right ones and need to be addressed before you actually decide for a specific program.

      Having said that, answering them is not easy. In terms of the rankings, ESADE's Master in Management made it to position 12 in the current Financial Times Master in Management Ranking. This is great.

      On the other side, IE Business School has a worldwide reputation as a business school, particularly for the MBA programs, and the fact that its MIM is not in the ranking may primarily have to do with formal things such as the need to run a program for a certain time until it gets included in the ranking.

      Personally, I see the IE a bit ahead of the ESADE in terms of international reputation but I would not make my decision based on that "little bit ahead" gut feeling alone.

      If I was you, I would narrow down your potential industries and even potential future employers a bit more and then investigate in which of the two schools may be the better option for YOUR SPECIFIC target employers. For example, you mentioned consulting as a potential future field for you. A rational approach would be to

      • contact both schools, for example through the REQUEST INFO Button in our profiles of IE and ESADE
      • talk to admissions representatives and career service staff
      • and ask them about their experiences with the placement of MIM students in consulting firms in general and with graduates from your country in particular

      The goal of this investigation is not only to receive answers but also to see HOW the schools answer, for instance:

      • How quickly do they answer?
      • How friendly do they answer?
      • How serious do they take your concern?
      • How clearly and effectively do they answer you (e.g., do they provide you with an convincing and sufficient answer)?

      In my opinion, these are important indications that you can gain before you actually choose a program.

      Next, you should also ask the schools to bring you in contact with:

      • Current students
      • Alumni: people who graduated in the respective program recently

      You can ask them all of your questions and by this likely receive first-hand information on how effective the schools really are when it comes to career placement.

      Finally, you should dare to even contact some of your target employers (or their competitors :) ), for example by calling them and asking to get connected with the HR department. Just say who you are, that you are interested in their company, that you consider applying but that you want to do a Master before and wonder which school to choose. Be very polite, ask if they have 5 min time for you, and finally pose your questions:

      • Do they know the school?
      • Did they recruit from that school in the past?
      • Which experiences did they make with graduates from that school?

      I think that you get a better feeling of which school matches your needs better when you follow this approach.

      Best wishes
      Thomas