The Biggest Myths About Your Favorite Business Schools

Myth: Wharton is purely a finance school.

Reality: “Wharton is highly quantitative and trains you to think through problems with an analytical and data-driven mindset, but there are people from a wide variety of backgrounds here. Sure, you have people who are planning on going into traditional finance and consulting careers, but you also have students going into tech, entrepreneurship, social impact, healthcare, you name it. We even have an aspiring astronaut in my class! That is what I love about Wharton: there are so many interesting people here with varied pursuits and backgrounds that you can always find people with similar career aspirations.”
Andrea Madu, Wharton School

 

Myth: Aggies are brainwashed.

Reality: “I completely understand thinking this because I had a lot of friends who went to Texas A&M before me. Aggies have so much school pride that from the outside it seems this way. After being a student there, I know Aggies aren’t brainwashed. Aggies have so much to be prideful about that they can’t help but enjoy and brag about the university and traditions that have been instilled for decades.”
Colby Morgan, TX A&M (Mays)

 

Myth: Sloan is only for people with a technical background.

Reality: “One of my favorite things about Sloan is the wide variety of classmates I have from all sorts of industries, in particular, that includes the large number of dual degree students with HKS studying government who have been a huge influence on me personally. In fact, Sloan is on the cutting edge of a lot research in sustainability and social impact, something that can only be successful if we incorporate knowledge from across the social sciences and integrate it with the wealth of technical knowledge at MIT.”
Jordan Dominguez, MIT (Sloan)

 

Myth: The Seattle Freeze – Locals aren’t friendly to those from out-of-state.

Reality: “I found that a majority of the students attending wanted to get to know me beyond networking. I think that we all have a common desire of wanting to be in Seattle and enjoying what it has to offer, so I have not found myself in a predicament of not getting to know my classmates.”
Christine Pham, University of Washington (Foster)

 

Myth: Most Ross grads stay in the Midwest.

Reality: “While around 30% of Rossers remain in the Midwest, mainly Chicago, after graduation, about 21% and 30% end up in the Northeast and West Coast, respectively. After graduation, I am relocating to Washington D.C., where I will have a great cohort of classmates making the same move. We have a saying at Michigan, “Go Blue, Go Anywhere!” and it rings true. Whether it’s for post-MBA job locations or while you’re walking through an airport halfway around the world, wearing the classic block M, you’ll hear a “Go Blue!”. The Michigan and Ross networks’ strength and reach are far and wide.”
Alexia Sabogal, University of Michigan (Ross)

 

Myth: Wisconsin is a party school and there’s nothing fun to do because of the harsh winters.

Reality: “The reality is that MBA students at Wisconsin get the best of both worlds. Wisconsin is a great place to socialize, attend Thursdays after professional studies (TAPS),  but it’s also the perfect place to focus on school, succeed academically and explore the lakes, parks, Capital Square, and so much more. As a Wisconsin native, I am used to the cold winters, but I must admit that I hadn’t explored the hidden gems that Wisconsin has to offer until I moved to Madison. For example, I’ve done cheese curd tastings, hiking on Devils Lake, ice skating at Tenney Park, watching movies at the Memorial Union Terrace, and attending art exhibits at various galleries throughout Madison. I am living in a city where food is plentiful, concerts are fun and within reach and lot of biking and hiking trials are everywhere; I took full advantage of what Madison has to offer. Wisconsin is the perfect place to enjoy all four seasons, nature, water, food, and entertainment of all sorts. The opportunities of fun are limitless in Wisconsin!”
Renita Clayton, Wisconsin Business School

 

Myth: Darden is all work and no play.

Reality: “While the academics certainly are challenging, our community of clubs and the events they put on is extremely active. You can have something going every night of the week if you so choose. I have done so many interesting things that I never expected to do in business school since arriving here. Did I ever think I would find myself white water rafting in West Virginia? No, but it was one of the most memorable experiences of the last two years and I can thank the Darden Outdoors Club for pushing me to come along. “
Isabel Fortuño Seitzer, University of Virginia (Darden)

 

Myth: Georgia Tech is a top engineering school, so you have to be an engineer or have some technical background to be successful at Scheller.

Reality: “That isn’t true! The MBA cohort consists of people from various backgrounds; getting to learn from their diverse experiences and schools of thought is one of my favorite things about the program. The first semester at school is all about leveling the playing field so no matter what your background, you will learn all the skills you need to succeed both at school and out in the real world.
Nammu Kumar, Georgia Tech (Scheller)

 

Myth: INSEAD is a 10-month program, so you won’t get to enjoy your MBA experience that much.

Reality: “People generally tend to assume that the workload won’t let you live the experience in the same way you would in a different school. However, I can assure you that there is time for absolutely everything, and even though it is a demanding year, you have time to live the experience to the fullest without a doubt.”
Joel Garrido Gallardo, INSEAD

 

Myth: Alligators roam about the University of Florida campus freely.

Reality: “While gators do live in the lakes on campus, they are rarely active. As a native Floridian, it is fun to witness the first time someone sees an alligator in the wild.”
Jazz Naglee, University of Florida (Warrington)

 

Myth: Fordham is best for people looking to get into finance.

Reality: “While there are a decent number of students who have gone down the finance route, the school is beneficial for those looking in many different directions. In my cohort alone, I know people that have interned in, and subsequently will work in, programs for marketing, commercial real estate, consulting, strategy, accounting, luxury retail, and so much more. Fordham is diverse not just in its student body, but also in the industries it can connect you to. In addition to that, you will graduate with a real estate agent, an accountant, a marketer, and someone that can get you on the list for a Birkin bag in just two years! “
Ayanna Egbarin, Fordham University (Gabelli)

 

Myth: Georgetown is for politicians, diplomats, or lobbyists – but not for business due to its location and reputation in foreign service.

Reality: “It is true and also not true. It is true in the sense that the MBA program does offer classes such as Structure of Global Industries and Business and Policy in Global Economy, along with a nonmarket strategy certificate for those who would like to pursue a career in the intersection of business and politics.

[This myth] is not true because everyone can find what they would like to develop in the program: entrepreneurs can take advantage of the InSite Fellow and Venture Fellow programs to involve with the entrepreneurship and Venture Capital community; for those who would like to involve with international development and non-profit, Impact Fellow and the Business for Impact Center are great opportunities. Georgetown also has strong training for careers in consulting and recently was ranked #6 in the U.S. by The Princeton Review.”
Olivia Qi Zhang, Georgetown University (McDonough)

Next Page: Stanford GSB, Dartmouth Tuck, NYU Stern, and Yale SOM