Profile feedback and MS v/s MBA

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by Bryant@VeritasPrep » Tue Mar 08, 2011 12:37 pm
Wow--nice work experience, and it sounds like your talents and hard work are truly being recognized and leveraged by your company. I can see why you would be questioning whether or not the MBA is a good idea, since you are already in a position which provides you access to higher-level decision making and responsibility. If you take two years out of the workplace, there could be a big, fat opportunity cost left there at your company. Many applicants use b-school as an opportunity to get the attention from and access to recruiters who will put them in a management program as you describe. Having said all this, if you are changing careers (which it sounds like you are) post MBA, you may be very pleased with what an MBA can give you in terms of access and opportunity. Also, the company you work for, as prestigious as it is, may or may not be a likely long term employer, and the MBA is something that is obviously transportable across industries and employers. In short, if you can leverage the MBA to gain access to a new career path, it's likely worth it. If you are just looking to expand your knowledge base, you may be better off leveraging the increasing leadership and responsibility your company is providing. Sometimes practical, applicable experience trumps academic experience. the question is, what will get you to your ultimate goal faster? Also, don't forget that with a few more years under your belt, you could go for an Executive MBA, which generally has students who are on the fast track in their careers and have garnered 10+ years experience. These degrees are the same as a full time MBA, but you keep working while you do the work on weekends etc.
Bryant Michaels
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User avatar
MBA Admissions Consultant
Posts: 1090
Joined: Wed May 27, 2009 4:06 am
Thanked: 175 times
Followed by:68 members
GMAT Score:750

by Bryant@VeritasPrep » Tue Mar 08, 2011 3:53 pm
1) yes, your GPA does appear to be on the lower side. Depending on how high you reach, you could face some challenges with schools who generally look to your academic record as a predictor for how well you will do in their program. As you indicate, if you get a seven handle on your GMAT score, for example, you can cover a multitude of sins as an undergraduate.

2) For consulting career, you definitely want to get the MBA, as it's the requisite punch ticket to the industry. For project management or event management, you would likely be wasting your time and money on an MBA, since you can secure good jobs in both fields without it. These are the most important questions to ask yourself before you undertake such a time consuming and resource consuming endeavor. You have the luxury right now to essentially reverse engineer your career path. Where do you see yourself in five or ten years? what's the best way to get there? What do you need education wise to smooth out the path? Once you answer these questions, you can narrow down your school search much more easily.

3) These are great options and if you were to eliminate consulting from your goals, I would say may be your best bet and best bang for the buck and time commitment. A hearty dose of introspection is the order of the day for you, since your choices vary widely (in other words, not everything you seem to be considering require the MBA). Having said that, i have found the MBA to be a great general springboard to just about anything, and is a great experience, so you can't really lose by doing the MBA, you just risk spedning extra money and time that you may not have needed to spend.
Bryant Michaels
MBA Admissions Consultant


Enroll now. Pay later. Take advantage of Veritas Prep's flexible payment plan options