I recommend you visit the schools and speak to current and past students. I think the quality of the cohort will be better in Lyon, much better, but placement here was not been great - partly because it's so entrepreneurial. If you want to work in France, then I think a top six grande ecole like EM Lyon will always be a great choice. If you're aiming outside, even then EM Lyon has a real recognition.

Could there be a third, better, option?

Duncan,

Thanks for your insight. Unfortunately, I think it might be too late in the application timeline to pursue any third option, unless I appeal EDHEC's earlier rejection. I have to give EM LYON an answer by May 20, and IAE-Aix by June 1. I had an interview scheduled with CEU for tomorrow, but I cancelled it since my real interest is being in France (French is the only language other than English I have any foundation in).

I currently work a factory production job in a medical device company based in the midwest, and one of the companies with whom EM LYON has had a previous relationship for its projects is one of our major clients. From a practical standpoint, although I don't necessarily love the medical device industry, if I could do a internship / project for this company, I have been thinking that might give me the most flexibility in terms of possibly being able to return to the area where I live now and remain in the industry (which is huge here - two weeks ago there was a 13 billion dollar buy-out, with both companies involved headquartered here in this small town of 30k people). Alternatively, it may give me the best chance to remain in France, since my present company also has a very small presence in Lille.

So, I think EM Lyon is a great choice.

General question:

My deadline for accepting or declining EM LYON, according to their letter, is May 20. They will be considering my financial aid request the day before at the earliest, and I don't know how long it takes for a decision to be made. My question is this -

is it unusual to be in a situation in which you may have to make a decision for a MBA program without knowing the financial aid, or is there a likely possibility that the school might give a day or two of a grace period from the stated deadline in order to know whether or not there is aid available? I hate to turn down an offer because of a lack of information, but on the chance I were to be offered no aid at all, then it would be impossible for me to accept.

That is not unusual. They want students who want to attend Lyon, not mercinaries.

My deadline for accepting or declining EM LYON, according to their letter, is May 20. They will be considering my financial aid request the day before at the earliest, and I don't know how long it takes for a decision to be made.

That's sort of silly, I think - an MBA is a substantial economic decision, and it's important to have all the information on the table when making it.