Ultimate question

This is from a few weeks ago during Admit Weekend for GSB. I've been meaning to talk about this. An admit asked (I got this from my friend - an admit herself - who sat at the same table with this guy during lunch) "they say HBS trains great leaders, and GSB trains great people to work for them. What do you think about that comment?"

Hmmm... it really depends on who you ask.
Ted S: Chicago GSB is not for everyone
Julie M: Our students are doing great with recruiters
Rose M: I cannot comment on other schools
Eugene F: That's an efficient market
Dick T: That's not an efficient market
Roman W: Which accounting text book do they use?
Robert F: Does HBS have a Nobel Prize winner teaching business ethics? Do they teach ethics?
Facilitator: You need more LEAD training
IBG co-chairs: HBS graduates can't read accounting statements
MCG co-chairs: HBS graduates can't do a discounted cash flow analysis
Urban Enterprise co-chairs: Do they have a urban neighborhood to work with?

Bad Me: Did you get into HBS? Probably not because you're here having lunch with me. If that comment is true, then maybe that's an indication that they don't think you aren't going to be a good leader and that we think you are going to be a great follower. What was the comment again?

Good Me: The GSB cirriculum is all about flexibility. If you wanted to, you can always take classes that emphasize leadership. Leaders make themselves; they aren't made by this school or that school. I don't know anything about HBS classes, but GSB classes certainly include all areas of expertise. You can take the most sophisticated finance classes here, or you could take leadership classes that emphasize strategy and people. That's what's great about the GSB, it's all up to you.

A few days later (no joke), our marketing professor comments that "a great business person owns a BMW 7-series, a rolex, and a GSB analyst. Don't be that analyst."

Indeed.