#19 “An elite, intimate, collaborative MBA” – ESADE MBA Admissions Q&A with Mr. Keegan Pierce
“You’re not alone when you’re an MBA student at ESADE. You got a community of people who is always looking to add value to your experience and to have you add value to theirs. And I think it’s that same spirit that lasts not only through the entire MBA experience but through the alumni network well beyond graduation.”
Mr. Keegan Pierce, Associate Director of International Admissions, ESADE Business School, joined the show to share more about the ESADE MBA, located in beautiful Barcelona, Spain. Keegan graduated from the Full-time program in 2011 so he has firsthand experience with ESADE’s intimate size (max 180 students/intake) and culture of collaboration (over 80% of coursework is done in a team setting). The program is uniquely flexible: students can finish the MBA in 12, 15, or 18 months depending on their career goals, and have 9 months to decide how long they want to stay.
ESADE business school has 50+ years of history, and has seen improving placement rates despite Spain’s sluggish economy. 93% of graduates were placed within 3 months of graduation, with 40% of graduates working in Spain and Western Europe and the rest spread all over the world. ESADE was ranked #1 in Europe and #3 worldwide for career progress by the Financial Times – mostly due to the 50% increase in salary its graduates have seen in past years.
Due to its relatively small size, focus on collaboration and heavy international makeup, ESADE is looking for candidates with an international outlook and a strong teamwork orientation who will be great ambassadors during and after the program.
The ESADE MBA in 3 words: career-progression, international, collaborative.
Listen on for the insider’s scoop…
Touch MBA’s ESADE MBA Crib Sheet
Program Highlights (2:31)
- ESADE Business School founded in 1958
- Length: 12, 15, or 18 months. Students decide how long to stay 9 months into program.
- 1 intake/year in August
- Campus in Barcelona, Spain
- 180 participants/intake
- ~50 nationalities/intake, class is ~90% international
- 80-90% of coursework done in teamwork setting
- Rankings: #22 Financial Times 2013, #6 Bloomberg Businessweek 2012 (best int’l business schools), #18 Economist 2012
- #3 worldwide for best course experience – Financial Times 2013
- Accredited by AACSB, AMBA, EQUIS
Admissions (18:23)
- 10 deadlines, Sep-Jul, decision returned in 4-5 weeks
- Apply early as bulk of applications come in during Winter
- Int’l students encouraged to apply before June for visa reasons
- Avg GMAT: 670
- Avg age: 28.6, Avg work experience: 6.1, 2 years min work experience requirement
- Interviews done by Associate Directors and Admissions Committee members
- Looking for candidates who have shown career progression, who have an international outlook, who understand collaboration, and who can communicate how ESADE fits into plan of personal and career growth
Financing (28:19)
- Full-time MBA Tuition: €59,700 (roughly $79,000 USD)
- 33% of participants awarded scholarships
- Scholarship amounts range from €5K to €20K
- Most scholarships are awarded with offer, candidates can also apply for Merit and Need Based scholarships
- Int’l students can apply for loans through ESADE’s partner banks with a 95% success rate. Loans can cover 50-100% of tuition
Career (34:13)
- ESADE MBA – Full-time placement report
- 93% of graduates had jobs within 3 months of graduation
- Graduates in 2011 experienced 50% increase in salary
- 33% of graduates work in Western Europe, 18% in Spain
- 48,000 alumni, 8,000 of which live outside Spain in 115 countries, 32 chapters around world
- Student visa allows students to stay in Spain for 3-6 months after graduation
- Ranked 3rd best programme for career progress (1st in Europe) by Financial Times 2013
Get In Touch
- Find ESADE MBA students and alumni through LinkedIn
- Contact the ESADE MBA admissions office
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