Urgent help in selecting MBA school in UK

grvbareria

12 24

Posted Jun 24, 2018 10:35

Hello Guys,

I need to finalise among Aston, Loughborough, Southampton and Brunel for MBA starting this September.
Please help asap.
I have been looking at the rankings, but all have mixed reviews. Which rankings should I consider?..Guardian,FT,QS Global are few that I have been following.

Guys, I need to decide in another 2 days.

Thanks in advance !
Gaurav

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Duncan

14.013 15.475

Posted Jun 24, 2018 16:16

What are your goals. FT is the most relevant, then QS. Guardian and CUG are about undergraduate courses.

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grvbareria

12 24

Posted Jun 24, 2018 19:57

Hi Duncan,

Since I have an IT experience if 5+ years, I plan to get into a management role post MBA.
University wise Lboro is ranked higher and MBA wise it varies .

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Duncan

14.013 15.475

Posted Jun 25, 2018 06:30

The Loughborough MBA is not ranked higher. If you were picking an undergraduate degree then it could be better.

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Duncan

14.013 15.475

Posted Jun 25, 2018 06:35

'Management' seems very broad. See https://www.topmba.com/mba-rankings/europe/2018 for the QS ranking.

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grvbareria

12 24

Posted Jun 25, 2018 07:03

'Management' seems very broad. See https://www.topmba.com/mba-rankings/europe/2018 for the QS ranking.

Thanks Duncan . I checked this url.
According to this:
Strathclyde - 30
Aston - =33
Birmingham Business school - =37
Loughborough - 66+
Birmingham Business School - =37
Southampton - not present
Brunel - not present

FT 2018 shows only Strathclyde as 98(80 in 2017)

The point is I have no scholarship from Strathclyde which will cost me 30000 GBP only for the tuition. Others' tuition fee are as follows:
Aston(25% scholarship) - 19350
Loughborough(40% scholarship) - 16200
Southampton(25% scholarship) - 17500
Brunel(30% scholarship) - 17000
Birmingham(conditional offer) - 25350

[quote]'Management' seems very broad. See https://www.topmba.com/mba-rankings/europe/2018 for the QS ranking. [/quote]
Thanks Duncan . I checked this url.
According to this:
Strathclyde - 30
Aston - =33
Birmingham Business school - =37
Loughborough - 66+
Birmingham Business School - =37
Southampton - not present
Brunel - not present

FT 2018 shows only Strathclyde as 98(80 in 2017)

The point is I have no scholarship from Strathclyde which will cost me 30000 GBP only for the tuition. Others' tuition fee are as follows:
Aston(25% scholarship) - 19350
Loughborough(40% scholarship) - 16200
Southampton(25% scholarship) - 17500
Brunel(30% scholarship) - 17000
Birmingham(conditional offer) - 25350

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grvbareria

12 24

Posted Jun 25, 2018 07:05

'Management' seems very broad. See https://www.topmba.com/mba-rankings/europe/2018 for the QS ranking.

I would want to move towards the management side of a project. For example, in an IT organisation project management is an example. Lboro has a similar elective but I could not find it in Aston. Any suggestions?

[quote]'Management' seems very broad. See https://www.topmba.com/mba-rankings/europe/2018 for the QS ranking. [/quote]

I would want to move towards the management side of a project. For example, in an IT organisation project management is an example. Lboro has a similar elective but I could not find it in Aston. Any suggestions?

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Duncan

14.013 15.475

Posted Jun 25, 2018 09:38

You won't learn anything deep on project management in an MBA. If you want to do IT project management, take an MSc more foucssed in that (rather than an MBA), and look at a school with great career services. The quality of the schools relationships with employers with those roles is more important than an elective.

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grvbareria

12 24

Posted Jun 25, 2018 10:01

You won't learn anything deep on project management in an MBA. If you want to do IT project management, take an MSc more foucssed in that (rather than an MBA), and look at a school with great career services. The quality of the schools relationships with employers with those roles is more important than an elective.

I get your idea but since if I look for opportunity back here in India, MBA is more recognised and more than that I want to learn more about management aspects than particularly about project management(was an example)

[quote]You won't learn anything deep on project management in an MBA. If you want to do IT project management, take an MSc more foucssed in that (rather than an MBA), and look at a school with great career services. The quality of the schools relationships with employers with those roles is more important than an elective.[/quote]
I get your idea but since if I look for opportunity back here in India, MBA is more recognised and more than that I want to learn more about management aspects than particularly about project management(was an example)

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Inactive User

728 405

Posted Jun 25, 2018 13:31

For Project Management, you should rather do a PMP or Prince certification. Cheaper and relevant. If you want International education and experience then try for brand name schools.

If you feel that your GMAT is less, and you cannot afford tuition fees, then going to the schools you mentioned isn't the work around, you won't get any ROI. Instead go for a 1 year PGPM type of program in India that has international exposure.

If you want to use education as an immigration tool, then you need to do a lot of soul searching and research.

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Duncan

14.013 15.475

Posted Jun 25, 2018 16:27

Ayon has a great comment there. You need to prioritize: either select something that will get you the role you want in the UK, or the role in India. The compromise choice will be sub-optimal.

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grvbareria

12 24

Posted Jun 25, 2018 20:34

Thanks Ayon and Duncan ! You are absolutely correct in that respect.
However, I wanted to experience the international exposure and brand wise Aston and Strathclyde seem pretty good.
Moreover, the fee back here in India for MBA is approximately the same. So I just need to finalise now with Aston or Strathclyde.
Thanks !

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Duncan

14.013 15.475

Posted Jun 25, 2018 20:47

Your class in the UK will still be full of Indians, you do appreciate that?

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Inactive User

728 405

Posted Jun 26, 2018 03:50

Thanks Ayon and Duncan ! You are absolutely correct in that respect.
However, I wanted to experience the international exposure and brand wise Aston and Strathclyde seem pretty good.
Moreover, the fee back here in India for MBA is approximately the same. So I just need to finalise now with Aston or Strathclyde.
Thanks !

I don't agree with the argument that MBA fees in India is approximately the same. For Aston tuition fees post scholarship - as you stated is GBP 20,000 which is INR 18L. However, a sizable amount will go towards your cost of living in UK, unlike in India where cost of living is cheap. Tuition fees alone for Strath will be INR 27L. Regardless I don't need to agree on the argument.

Given the information, if I were to select between Aston n Strath, I would select Aston. It's a cheaper option with no substantial or statistical difference in career outcome (couldn't find any data points).

[quote]Thanks Ayon and Duncan ! You are absolutely correct in that respect.
However, I wanted to experience the international exposure and brand wise Aston and Strathclyde seem pretty good.
Moreover, the fee back here in India for MBA is approximately the same. So I just need to finalise now with Aston or Strathclyde.
Thanks ![/quote]

I don't agree with the argument that MBA fees in India is approximately the same. For Aston tuition fees post scholarship - as you stated is GBP 20,000 which is INR 18L. However, a sizable amount will go towards your cost of living in UK, unlike in India where cost of living is cheap. Tuition fees alone for Strath will be INR 27L. Regardless I don't need to agree on the argument.

Given the information, if I were to select between Aston n Strath, I would select Aston. It's a cheaper option with no substantial or statistical difference in career outcome (couldn't find any data points).

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Larry

556 212

Posted Jun 27, 2018 19:26

Given the information, if I were to select between Aston n Strath, I would select Aston. It's a cheaper option with no substantial or statistical difference in career outcome (couldn't find any data points).

Well the big 'data point' is that Strathclyde is ranked in the Financial Times, and Aston isn't. Shouldn't that make a difference?

[quote]Given the information, if I were to select between Aston n Strath, I would select Aston. It's a cheaper option with no substantial or statistical difference in career outcome (couldn't find any data points).[/quote]
Well the big 'data point' is that Strathclyde is ranked in the Financial Times, and Aston isn't. Shouldn't that make a difference?

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grvbareria

12 24

Posted Jun 27, 2018 22:17

Given the information, if I were to select between Aston n Strath, I would select Aston. It's a cheaper option with no substantial or statistical difference in career outcome (couldn't find any data points).

Well the big 'data point' is that Strathclyde is ranked in the Financial Times, and Aston isn't. Shouldn't that make a difference?

Hi Larry,
I get your point but the ranks vary all over the internet and the criteria for ranks not only depends on class strength (and other trivial things as well) and not only the course structure.
Currently in 2018 FT rankings Strath stands on 98 and in 2017 it was 80. While Aston is not present.
In the QS rankings Strath is on 30th and Aston is on 33. Strath would cost me about 30000 and Aston about 19350. In respect of jobs, the scenario all around UK is the same because of the sponsorship issues. What are your thoughts?
Please advise.

[quote][quote]Given the information, if I were to select between Aston n Strath, I would select Aston. It's a cheaper option with no substantial or statistical difference in career outcome (couldn't find any data points).[/quote]
Well the big 'data point' is that Strathclyde is ranked in the Financial Times, and Aston isn't. Shouldn't that make a difference?[/quote]
Hi Larry,
I get your point but the ranks vary all over the internet and the criteria for ranks not only depends on class strength (and other trivial things as well) and not only the course structure.
Currently in 2018 FT rankings Strath stands on 98 and in 2017 it was 80. While Aston is not present.
In the QS rankings Strath is on 30th and Aston is on 33. Strath would cost me about 30000 and Aston about 19350. In respect of jobs, the scenario all around UK is the same because of the sponsorship issues. What are your thoughts?
Please advise.

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Duncan

14.013 15.475

Posted Jun 27, 2018 22:29

Aston isn't on 33, it's on 33= with several other schools. The FT ranking is head and shoulders above the QS.

Nor is there any disagreement in any ranking about which school has the better MBA, and when you look at the decades for which Strathclyde has outperformed Aston, it is no accident.

Nor it is the case the situation is the same. LBS students do not face the same situation as Westminster students, even though they are also on Baker Street. Strathclyde is best-in-class excellent at placing international students into work. That is why Strathclyde deserves to be 50% more than Aston.

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Inactive User

2.941 1.801

Posted Jun 28, 2018 21:33

In the QS rankings Strath is on 30th and Aston is on 33.

The QS ranking is not a reliable indicator of quality. The FT rankings are the gold standard.

In respect of jobs, the scenario all around UK is the same because of the sponsorship issues. What are your thoughts?

Not necessarily the case. Those who attend stronger schools are more likely to find work. That's a fact that's been proven by the careers data. But typically, stronger MBA programs will be more expensive.

[quote]
In the QS rankings Strath is on 30th and Aston is on 33.[/quote]
The QS ranking is not a reliable indicator of quality. The FT rankings are the gold standard.

[quote]In respect of jobs, the scenario all around UK is the same because of the sponsorship issues. What are your thoughts?[/quote]
Not necessarily the case. Those who attend stronger schools are more likely to find work. That's a fact that's been proven by the careers data. But typically, stronger MBA programs will be more expensive.

quote