2008年2月23日 星期六

[Program Fitting]MBA 選校問題 Minnesota vs Colorado


Q:
諸位先進, 目前小弟申請的MBA結果都已經出來了,兩勝兩敗一和(WL) 這兩勝讓小弟陷入了難以抉擇的窘境 先介紹一下小弟的資歷資歷好了, 國立大學電機系畢業後因為不用當兵, 在IC設計公司累積了大約三年半當工程師(FAE)的經驗
小弟不是研發部門,工作的內容主要是幫客戶解決設計上問題, 所以也常常要跑客戶端,歸在行銷及業務部門 (PS.IC設計公司行銷及業務部門包含 1.技術支援 2.業務 3.行銷工程師)

在還沒知道第二勝之前,第一勝是一個USNEWS大約50多名的學校 那個時候覺得大概剩下的都沒希望了,所以也想好了之後的發展 1.暑假找有關半導體方面的Intern(包含台灣) 2.畢了業回台灣快樂的就業,作業務工程師或行銷工程師 我想這方向大致上沒啥問題,如果我想要轉換到其他領域的IC設計公司或許有點小難度(ex.手機相關=>電腦相關),不過在怎麼差小弟在本來自己的領域也認識很多人,找個年薪100來萬的工作應該不成問題
想不到就在不久前另一個USNEWS上約20多名的學校也通知小弟錄取了, 先不論一般人說的USNEWS idiot ranking,確實兩間學校在curriculum及對學生未來的積極度有很大的不同,這間學校在寄來的文件中已經開始Push學生要開始對自己畢業後的出路作規劃,跟第一間學校比起來差別不小,問題出在這是一間中西部的學校,我自己看畢業生的發展大部分也是在中西部上班,(可以看的出來是一間Regional的學校),假設這兩間學校的學費差不了多少也就算了,偏偏算起來,會差將近台幣80萬以上,這間應該會破300,第一間應該250以內就解決了

小弟目前看起來,要在這間中西部的學校找到小弟喜歡的工作機會應該不大(IC設計相關行業),假設回台灣的話,這兩間在小弟的產業大概也差別不大(聽說金融業有50門檻,但是就我的觀察,IC設計感覺不出來,除非是Harvard之類的..),所以真的頭很大不曉得自己的未來該往哪邊走,我相信這是一個很關鍵的選擇,有沒有前輩能給小弟指點迷津的,或是點破小弟看哪邊有想法的錯誤. 先謝!

回應板主: Minnesota vs Colorado 再補充一點,或許有人或覺得很奇怪,如果要走IC為什麼不去加州,當初Minnesota很吸引我的一點就是,它的exchange program有到慶應大學三個月(One semester),小弟的日文大概有二級的水準,希望藉這個機會更加磨練自己的日文.

A:
absolutely Carlson
there're something $ can't buy
and something you can never earn it back

In the States, IT is one of common industries that doesn't require spcific core school list like IB or MC
but it does select dedicated and well-trained graduates from higher tier schools like Carlson

IT career is about marketing and general management
both fields Carlson's curriculum is more than twice completed and dedicated than Colorado Colorado's marketing is frankly quite weak that only have 5 courses to choose
most of the critical parts like Consumer Behavior, Market Research, CRM, Pricing, Channel Management, Brand Management are missing.
Instead, Carlson offers all these and really completed and sophisticated

In terms of management, Carlson is very strong in general management that the curriculum is well-balanced like a small Wharton
but you can see Colorado only has entry-level fundamentals, not much committed.

You learn what you pay for.

US$90k is a pretty average spending for a competitive MBA program in the U.S.
the US$20k difference is a very small amount that you can probably earn it back in half year after graduation
and you have much better chance to earn it back after a top 20 school
it'll be much harder if you're from a #50 school

the ranking is from 3 major criteria student satisfaction, academic excellence, and post MBA outcomes
there are good reasons for the ranks they deserved
the average salary in Carlson is US$10k higher than Colorado in almost every function
while Colorado is a pretty local school that 90% work in the same region
Carlson is gerenally nationally competitive with a very decent reputation and solid training

it's not about exchange program in anywhere else
you can't learn any language in 3 months
since most of us cannot master English after decedes of study
it's about the intensity and excellency of the program
and that's the bargaining power to gain an alignment with top school like Keio University