Hi there,

First of all, congratulations for the acceptance to both universities!

This is indeed an interesting question which is probably relevant for a lot of users, thus I am happy to provide my perspective on it:

• I understand that it can be tough to decide which one to choose. Here are a few things to consider as you weigh your options:
  • Reputation and rankings: Both INSEAD and Wharton have excellent reputations and are consistently ranked highly among business schools. INSEAD is particularly strong in international business, while Wharton is known for its finance program. Consider which school has a stronger reputation in the areas that align with your career goals.
  • Location: If you are interested in consulting in Dubai, it's worth considering the location of the school. INSEAD has campuses in Europe and Asia, which may be more convenient for you if you are from the Middle East.
  • Network: Both INSEAD and Wharton have strong alumni networks and can provide valuable connections for your career. Consider which school has a stronger alumni network in Dubai or the Middle East, as this may be helpful as you start your career in consulting.
  • Curriculum: Consider the curriculum at each school and how it aligns with your career goals. INSEAD has a more diverse curriculum and offers a range of business disciplines, while Wharton has a more traditional business school curriculum.
• Ultimately, the decision between INSEAD and Wharton will depend on your individual career goals and priorities. I recommend carefully weighing the factors that are most important to you and considering which school aligns best with your long-term goals.

In case you want a more detailed discussion on what to do in your specific situation, please feel free to contact me directly.

Best,

Hagen

Every year 20-30 people move directly from INSEAD to MBB or Tier-2 to Dubai.
From Wharton, you probably have 1-2 people at most.

That is because INSEAD has an established brand and position in ME (including Abu Dhabi's campus). 

Beyond that, INSEAD is a shorter (and more intense) program that let you save something like 100+ K€ (consider lower tuition fees, lower cost of living, and one year less without a salary). 

So, in particular, if you are targeting to move to Dubai, there is no comparison. It would be a diametrically different answer in case your target is to move to the USA.

Hi there,

Congratulations on being selected for both, that's a good problem to have! In terms of your question:

Q: INSEAD makes more sense from an ROI standpoint but are there any reasons Wharton might be a better fit here?

In terms solely of the goal of MBB Dubai I would go for INSEAD:

1. The program is shorter and still has an excellent brand name
2. There are a lot more INSEAD alumni in Dubai than Wharton ones (this will make it easier to get referrals)

Depending on one's goals, there could be reasons for Wharton as well (eg easier opportunity to work in the US) but just from what you shared, INSEAD seems the best choice.

Best,

Francesco

Hello,

1) It depends a lot on what do you want out of your MBA. If consulting is your end game and you do not care much about anything else that the MBA has to offer (and that is absolutely fine!), then go ahead with INSEAD. It has a stronger relationship with MBBs in Middle East.

2) However, in the long run if you wish to move out of Dubai to the US, then Wharton will have much much more value. Don't get me wrong, Wharton will also be recognised a lot in Dubai. But INSEAD has a strong ecosystem to facilitate your conversion into ME consulting, whereas in Wharton you might find yourself in a group of just a handful of people who wish to come back to Dubai.

3) Also, if you want to move out of consulting in the future, then Wharton could expose you many more industries over the longer MBA and connect you with people from those industries.

All the best!

Rushabh

Hi there,

I agree with your sentiment and would also go for INSEAD.

• Same career prospects and prestige.
• INSEAD has many more MBB consultants in their cohorts (great for networking).
• INSEAD is more affordable and shorter (lower opportunity cost).

Depending on your current resume (academic and professional experience) you do not necessarily need an MBA at all as more than 50% of MBB consultants in the Middle East do not have one either.

Cheers,

Florian

Hi there,

Well done and I'll support what other experts say about INSEAD being a no-regret move.

That being said, let's consider potential advantages of going to Wharton. An MBA from a top-tier US school will generally open the doors to having a career in the US. This is significantly harder to achieve, even if you're a US citizen and certainly if you're a non-US citizen. If that's not a criteria for you, I'd say go for INSEAD.

Best of luck!

Moritz

Hi there,

INSEAD has far higher chances for landing both MBB and getting hired in Dubai. This is because of brand/program as well as locations/connections.

Please be careful when making 1-sided decisions. I'm not saying Insead is the wrong choice, but try to take a more hollistic/balanced view of the decision.

This is a very narrow way to evaluate an MBA - please notice that many people get in with an objective, and once there they change their mind…

But to answer the question - given alumni presence, geographical proximity, peers… INSEAD will be a much better choice for your goal of getting into the Middle East. In this case, it feels like a no brainer, honestly.