Hey all,
BeatTheGMAT was so helpful for me during my test and application process, I thought I'd get some advice from you guys on making my final school decision!
First I want to give you a little background. I grew up in San Diego and graduated from UC Irvine with a Poli Sci degree in 2008. I had a mediocre GPA and no work experience so I worked for a few years before applying for B-school earlier this year. I've now heard back from most schools and the 3 I'm most seriously considering are as follows:
Rady Part-Time (UCSD) (Was declined for Full-Time program)
Weatherhead Full-Time (Case Western) (40% tuition scholarship)
W.P Carey Full-Time (ASU)
Ive been accepted to both Rady Part-Time and Weatherhead Full-Time already and have been wait-listed at Carey (should hear a final decision within a few days).
I am currently working part-time in my father's medical office so I have no real career to speak of right now. If I were to attend Rady Part-Time, I would most likely look for a job to take advantage of the time during the day. My dream job is to get into the sports business in either the management or marketing side of things. I would look for a job in these fields but I see a career switch upon graduation being much more likely. Because of this, I'm leaning in the direction of one of the full-time programs. The prospect of attending a fantastic school like UCSD, being able to stay in my hometown, and make some money during my education is extremely tempting though. I should also mention that my tuition will be completely covered thanks to a generous savings from my grandparents, so while money is a factor, it's not a very big one.
I guess what I really need answered by someone with information or experience is this; with a career change likely coming after graduation, will a part-time MBA offer me the same kind of opportunities that a full-time would? I am concerned that I will have a much harder time finding employment in my desired field should I choose to attend a part-time program. I've been assured by the Director of Admissions that I will have the same access to the career center and recruiting events as the full-time students, but will companies value me the same?
Thank you,
Shane
BeatTheGMAT was so helpful for me during my test and application process, I thought I'd get some advice from you guys on making my final school decision!
First I want to give you a little background. I grew up in San Diego and graduated from UC Irvine with a Poli Sci degree in 2008. I had a mediocre GPA and no work experience so I worked for a few years before applying for B-school earlier this year. I've now heard back from most schools and the 3 I'm most seriously considering are as follows:
Rady Part-Time (UCSD) (Was declined for Full-Time program)
Weatherhead Full-Time (Case Western) (40% tuition scholarship)
W.P Carey Full-Time (ASU)
Ive been accepted to both Rady Part-Time and Weatherhead Full-Time already and have been wait-listed at Carey (should hear a final decision within a few days).
I am currently working part-time in my father's medical office so I have no real career to speak of right now. If I were to attend Rady Part-Time, I would most likely look for a job to take advantage of the time during the day. My dream job is to get into the sports business in either the management or marketing side of things. I would look for a job in these fields but I see a career switch upon graduation being much more likely. Because of this, I'm leaning in the direction of one of the full-time programs. The prospect of attending a fantastic school like UCSD, being able to stay in my hometown, and make some money during my education is extremely tempting though. I should also mention that my tuition will be completely covered thanks to a generous savings from my grandparents, so while money is a factor, it's not a very big one.
I guess what I really need answered by someone with information or experience is this; with a career change likely coming after graduation, will a part-time MBA offer me the same kind of opportunities that a full-time would? I am concerned that I will have a much harder time finding employment in my desired field should I choose to attend a part-time program. I've been assured by the Director of Admissions that I will have the same access to the career center and recruiting events as the full-time students, but will companies value me the same?
Thank you,
Shane
