Olin or Kelly?

MBA
1

Hello Puys, I have an admit from Kelly and Olin and need you help finalizing my program. I have 3 years of IT experience and want to transition to IB, with strategy consulting as a backup. I see that other puys are in a similar situation and …

2

Hello Puys,

I have an admit from Kelly and Olin and need you help finalizing my program. I have 3 years of IT experience and want to transition to IB, with strategy consulting as a backup. I see that other puys are in a similar situation and would be obliged for your input. I have some inputs but the more I think about them the more confused I get -

  1. Olin & Kelly are both ranked 22 in the US News Ranking
  2. Kelly is ranked 15 and Olin much lower in the Businessweek rankings
  3. I have spoken to alumni of both the programs and they have good things to say about them
  4. Kelly is in Bloomington, a small place, but Olin is in St. Louis, a bigger place with more firms providing better search opportunities
  5. Olin is ranked just behind Yale in the Businessweek mba placements ranking, while kelly is far below. But the caveat to this is that Kelly and Olin might not place in the same industry.
  6. I plan to return to India after a few years, so which of the schools has more prestige in India (or for that matter in the US)?
  7. Which of the programs will help me in my switch to IB and probably Consulting?
Thanks,
Rahul
3

I will chip in here for your last 2 points as i really dont look at rankings beyond top 5. If you want to return to India, leveraging on the Brand name of the B school you spend 2 yrs in, neither has a good standing here in relation to the top 5-8 colleges in US. I am talking H/W/S and their likes.
Kelley would help you better to get into IB due to their IB academy. Gives you a solid foundation and good networks to leverage on.

Just as a caveat - There are tons of ppl from IB who are employed, you will be competing against them when you enter the job mkt. Good to see you have a plan B.

4
Hello Puys,

I have an admit from Kelly and Olin and need you help finalizing my program. I have 3 years of IT experience and want to transition to IB, with strategy consulting as a backup. I see that other puys are in a similar situation and would be obliged for your input. I have some inputs but the more I think about them the more confused I get -

  1. Olin & Kelly are both ranked 22 in the US News Ranking
  2. Kelly is ranked 15 and Olin much lower in the Businessweek rankings
  3. I have spoken to alumni of both the programs and they have good things to say about them
  4. Kelly is in Bloomington, a small place, but Olin is in St. Louis, a bigger place with more firms providing better search opportunities
  5. Olin is ranked just behind Yale in the Businessweek mba placements ranking, while kelly is far below. But the caveat to this is that Kelly and Olin might not place in the same industry.
  6. I plan to return to India after a few years, so which of the schools has more prestige in India (or for that matter in the US)?
  7. Which of the programs will help me in my switch to IB and probably Consulting?
Thanks,
Rahul

Kelley is good for Finance / IB and Marketing. Other than that both are regionally good schools (although they are very much in the same area - Mid-west) and almost same in other aspects.

How is your funding scene? I am sure you must have received some scholarship at both.
5
Kelley is good for Finance / IB and Marketing. Other than that both are regionally good schools (although they are very much in the same area - Mid-west) and almost same in other aspects.

How is your funding scene? I am sure you must have received some scholarship at both.

Hello Sunil,

A scholorship from any school would have been useful in helping me decide, but I have not got any scholorships from these 2 schools. That is why I want to be very sure that I am choosing the correct school for my goals and for placement. I don't want to land up in a situation where neither was I able to transition to IB but was also having trouble with placements.
One more thing, does it make a difference if you are attending a public university or a private one. Kelly's is a public one where as Olin's is a private one. Does this effect your prospects in any way?

Thanks,
Rahul
6

No. All the same.

7

Hello puys,

any more inputs?