IE Business school Global Online MBA - is it worth it?

Hi there, 

1. IE YES, targeted school

2. should not penalize you as long as it is MBA, not just a course

3. hard to answer not knowing anything closer, but at the end it depends what you look for from the job, if independency, being the leader, etc., then yes, go for your own enterprise :-)

Last but not least, it is not necessary to go for MBA as a PhD to qualify for MBB recruiting, you would already apply for an Associate position (at BCG). Feel free to reach out if interested, as I have prepared a few PhD MBB candidates. 

Good luck, 

Lucie

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You have so many fantastic options open to you! Remember there is no ‘right’ path - each choice you make will take you in a different direction, so it’s about making the decisions which feel right now. That being said, a few thoughts:

1. It’s not either or for consulting / MBA. The consulting applications for autumn / fall 2023 are opening now - as are the MBA applications for the same time. Why not apply to both? If you get consulting you can drop the MBA. To be honest the same for starting a company - you could do this at the same time but beware of spreading  yourself too thin and not doing well at anything.
2. If you want to stop being in research why are you going to spend the next two years doing it? Don’t hold off until tomorrow what you can and want to do today.
3. The same goes for starting a company - if you do it why wait? If it’s successful then you wont want to do consulting. If it’s not so successful then it’ll only boost your CV.
4. Which MBA to choose - I could speak at length on this! But to keep it brief: what do you want from the MBA? If it’s to get into consulting then you want to go to a top school - I wouldn’t recommend an online course. If it’s to open up a number of options and make some connections then it could be worth it.

This is a short answer to a very deep question. Let me know if it’d be helpful to talk more a good luck! 

Hi there,

I need to put a big disclaimer here. You should not be making these major life decisions off of just a Q&A. We know nothing about you and your situation. It's worth paying some money to speak with a career coach about these decisions - they will change your trajectory for years to come!

- Is IE business school considered a top school by MBB and other consulting firms?

Yes

- How would future employers look at the online program? Would it be viewed as a lower-class MBA compared to the full-time one?

It is definitely viewed lower. It doesn't mean you're out of the running, but it is lower impact. Be very careful when deciding to do an MBA either online or part-time (a lot of the value of the MBA comes from in-person networking)

- Although not directly linked to consulting… Do you think it would be advantageous (and worth it) if I decide to start my own company? (Opening a company will depend on the results of the next two years)

Sure! But there's so much to consider here…

Hi, answering your bullets:
1. Yes, in Europe IE is considered great.
2. Online programs have a much lower impact than full-time ones, especially for MBB.
3. It helps a lot in your cv, but entrepreneurial speaking the impact will be much lower especially for networking with mates, professors, and investors.  

If your n.1 goal now is MBB I recommend applying directly now (Including Kearney and OW too) and in case of a no, I would go for a master or a F500 to boost your profile for a future move to consulting

Best,
Antonello

Hello,

To answer your questions:

1. IE is very prestigious, certainly considered a top school

2. Online programs are not yet afforded the same credibility as in-person ones

3. Building your own company would look impressive on a resume, but is not a prerequisite for going into consulting. If your ultimate goal is consulting, I would go for that directly instead of spending your time and effort building something new. If you're challenged and excited by building this company in and of itself, that's a different question!