When is the "right" time for an MBA?

[danielya]

Hello,

Just joined the forums and have been snooping around a bit - really looks like a terrific community that I look forward to being a part of.

I'm interested in pursuing an MBA, although I am having a few issues regarding the decision, namely "when" and "where".

I'm 1 year out of my undergrad from the University at Buffalo (BS in Business Administration with concentrations in International Business and HR) and I'm currently working in HR in NYC. One of the reasons I am interested in pursuing an MBA for HR is that I feel in order to best serve a business, that I need to understand the business units as much as possible, being knowledgeable in other areas in order to better understand the needs of my colleagues in my company. I also think it will improve my likelihood of being able to reach higher level managerial positions within HR, as opposed to an MS in HR or MA in Organizational/Industrial Psychology.

That said, I am not sure when the best time to go for an MBA is. In addition, I am planning on relocating in the near future and am not sure whether it would best to get my MBA before or after relocating (most likely west coast). Being in NYC, there are a lot of great MBA options (Colombia, Baruch, NYU), although I am not sure if those degrees will mean as much if I leave the area.

Does anyone have any advice or insight onto something like this? As a young professional it can certainly be daunting trying to navigate through all of this. Greatly appreciate any help.

Best,

Dan

[Jon@Admissionado]

Hey Dan,
Well it's always awesome to start early. So you are doing the right thing.

A few thoughts for you:
- The average Work experience for an MBA is about 4-5 years. So you will be ready to apply once you have three years in the bag. It should give you enough experience to make the MBA valuable, whilst keeping you a young, fresh, candidate.
- Start working on the GMAT ASAP. No reason to delay. Your GMAT score is good for five years. You can study on slow burn for a few months, and when you are ready take the test. If things don't go as well as you hope, you can always retake.
- Thing about how you can improve your profile - like by adding leadership, volunteer work, communal activities, other hobbies and activities (especially those with RESULTS - like winning awards, winning sports competitions, raising money, founding a firm, etc. etc.) Any and all of this stuff will help LOTS.

I think these are good places to start. If you have more questions, feel free to drop a line.

Best,
JF

[danielya]

Hi JF,

Thanks for your reply - I really do appreciate it.

I've been doing just as you've said thus far, starting to study more and more as I familiarize myself with the test and style of questions, and relearning a lot of the material I haven't seen in a while. Going to be arranging a few private tutors to help on both sides of the exam and will ramp up studying as I near my desired test date (sometime in August most likely).

Do you have any recommendations as far as how far in advance to schedule an exam? Thanks!

I have a number of leadership and volunteer experiences that I've worked on during my undergrad. Currently involved in an HR networking group, but will seek to expand to other leadership and volunteer opportunities. I contacted the youth basketball league in my town in hopes that I can coach elementary school kids.

Thanks again, really appreciate all the help.

Best,

Dan

[CriticalSquareMBA]

Hey Dan,

Just thought I'd add to some of Jon's advice. It's great to see that you've gotten a head start on the GMAT. In general, scheduling your GMAT at least 2-3 months out should give you enough time. The key is to develop a study plan, build in key milestone dates, and don't cut yourself any slack!

I think coaching a youth basketball team is a great opportunity. Do you have anything else lined up? This is a great time to reflect on what you're passions and interests are. If you can find a way to giveback or an extracurricular project to lead that is in line with you or your goals, it'll help your story tremendously (not to mention, you'll see far better results)!

Hope this helps! Happy to chat further so feel free to sign up for a free consultation!

Thanks,

Bhavik

[danielya]

Hi Bhavik,

Thanks for the tip! I'll definitely keep that in mind when I get closer to my target test date.

I have nothing else in particular lined up at the moment. I've been participating in alumni/student networking events around NYC to help students with their resumes and give career advice. Nothing else too formal at the moment. Will definitely look for getting more heavily involved with volunteer organizations as time goes on.

Appreciate the advice!

Best,

Dan

[CriticalSquareMBA]

My pleasure - good luck!