Ask Stacy Blackman

Hi Stacy,

I am a third year undergraduate at Stanford, and I hope to pursue an MBA at some point in the future. Currently, I am trying to decide what to do after finishing my undergraduate studies in June 2007. I can either join the one-year Master's program in Management Science and Engineering at Stanford or I can start working. I am leaning towards the MS in MS&E program, but if I do get a good full-time job offer next fall (I am interested in investment banking or consulting), I am at odds at what path to take. I will be interning at Morgan Stanley this summer, and I have a 3.6 GPA, so the chances of me getting a full-time offer next fall at a top management consultancy or investment bank are pretty good. However, if I do take the Masters path, I can still get a good job after finishing that program, just one year later. Which path do you think would put me in a good position for future acceptance to a top MBA program? Do you think the MS in Management Science & Engineering is redundant for someone who wants to eventually go to business school?

Vik