选择B-School的困惑: USA or China, 请指点!

最近考虑读MBA，但在选择学校上有些迷茫，希望得到有经验的高人指点。

本人背景：现在美国工作，4+ years, IT industry. 出国前在国内有5年Telecom/IT MNC经验.国内二流本科, GPA一般, 后出来在美国读了个小学校的master. GMAT 730/5.0.  

我读MBA的目的想通过它转换工作职能, 提高career level, 我现在/以前主要是做technical方面的, 想转向管理方面. Post-MBA想往Management Consulting或Technical Management发展, 而且想在中国发展, 起码工作的重心在中国, 海龟的优势大家都清楚. 再说美国呆烦了, 不想再长呆了.

自己在选校上有两个考虑：

1. 选择美国的Top B-School, 自信好好准备的话, top 5不敢说, top 10应该没什么太大问题. 问题是US top b-school的费用实在是太高了. 可能有朋友说了, 读top b-school就不要在乎钱. 呵呵, 我想大多数人对$100K - $140K还是要掂量掂量的, 虽然MBA, 尤其是top program的回报也是很高的. 但是如果读完就会中国工作的话, 我不知道这个回报有多高, 虽然我知道也有top b-school的中国人读完就回中国的. 请有这方面信息的朋友不吝赐教! 当然, 读MBA也不是单单用钱就能来衡量的.


2. 选择中国的一些有国际背景的B-School, 如中欧, 长江等. 这些学校在亚洲, 特别是中国的名声很不错, 在中国的MNCs应该会比较看重. 而且相对而言我已经有美国的经验, 如果再有一个China economic environment下的MBA, 会不会对以后在中国的发展更加有利呢? 另外一个特殊的情况是, 现在这个时间想申请今年(06)美国top MBA基本上不可能了, 大部分学校已经过了deadline了, 而中欧我还可以够得上第三轮, 况且中欧MBA只有18个月. 对我越早越好, 因为年纪已经不小了. 当然, disadvantage是如果以后在和US top b-school出来的人竞争的话可能处于劣势. 不过, 凡事有得必有失. 也请有经验的朋友指点!

另外有个问题, 我已经有绿卡, 如果回国读MBA的话, 绿卡怎么保持? 还有如果以后在国内工作呢, 会不会比较麻烦?

其实说了一大堆, 我自己有一些idea. 只是想通过这里的朋友得到一些信息和指点, 毕竟这是人生的一个重大决定, 况且我已经不年轻了, 没有太多的机会try了, 呵呵. 先谢了!

楼主的情况建议选择：harvard, kelloge,Michigan,Darden and Maryland, all these are good at genernal management

前五中stanford喜欢小的创业的，wharton, MIT, chicago, columbia　都是倾向与金融的

Maryland's tagline is digital leader which fits LZ's backgroud, you can use it 保底.

You can try wharton if you want, they like more experience guys.

Well, graduate from top school in US and come back to China in industry, you probably will get 40K US$ - 50K US$, given technical ground you cannot get to senior level directly. If you work in consult industry, you can probably get 80K US$ (my guess, consultant guys correct me if I am wrong)

Graduate from CEIBS, your salary level will be 25K- 40K. So - higher investment with higher return, vise verse. It's all your own choice.

Come on, man, this is no brainer decision for you: Apply to a TOP 10 in USA.

Your background is pretty strong, but you are not young (guess you are around 32?), so you definetely need a higher starting point when you consider your postMBA career in China. A top 10 US MBA would give you more opportunities than CEIBS or CKGSB. plus you have already got a Green card, there is nothing to worry about, I mean you will get those jobs requiring GC status. Admittely, You will get a very strong network in CEIBS or CKGSB, but you cannot get in the more prestigeous network of the US top 20 MBAs (say over 200 chinese each year); you will get more jobs in China's B-schools, but you ain't get a salary above $50k ( I know some of them are getting higher than this number, but I bet you won't be like them cause you are not a former I-banker). Studying in China, You may get in a top consulting firm like MKC, but you will get a local pay while other US top 10 MBAs get a global pay (but all of you are doing the same craps). Anyhow, if you are confident to get in a top 10 in US, go for it,  you will have no regret, it is just another 2 years.....MIT, Stanford, UMichigan, Duke, Kellogg & Wharton are all good for IT guys!

Actually I have a similar situation as you, after working in US for three years as an engineer(non-IT& no green card, see how poor I am),  I am heading for an MBA this summer. I only got an admit from a top 15 so far, and I was hesitating and thinking about CEIBS & CKGSB in Shanghai, but finally I vote for a top US MBA cause I believe that higher risk will bring more return. MBA is a risky step for every one, once you decide to take this step, you got to be more aggressive, othervise you will have regrets in the future.

If I were you, I will try the schools in USA or get a new job to have some freshing air, until get the US citizenship.

Choosing back China right now, you can't maintain the requirement that you should stay 183 days in USA each year. Without a foreigner citizenship in China, you will face a huge competition in long term run.

When you are over 30's, you can't just consider your career developmet. You have to balance your career, your family and your child education. Sometimes, you should gradually consider your retirement plan, house morgage, ...

The saying "High risk , high return" means, in other words, 95% will fail...

Thanks zxsteven. Are you sure US top 10 MBAer can get global pay in China? Do you have real life examples? Somehow I had the impression that they may earn 20% to 30% more than those local MBAers, maybe I am wrong.

Congrats on your offer!

I have a lot of friends in consulting firm, graduates from US top 10 MBA will get the double payment compared with the China local MBA (that is the gobal pay vs. local pay). Also, it is almost impossible for China MBA to go to top consulting firm now.