OT- Ross and other MBA programs
Requesting some advice from the MGoBlog community, and specifically MBA program students/graduates.
I'm planning to go back to school in the fall of 2015 for a full time MBA...long story short I am both desperately in want of a career change and also want to beef up my resume/business knowledge. A little further background, I am in my mid 20s, in-state with I'd say average work experience and undergrad GPA. My GMAT right now is a 650 and I am taking it again in one month to try and boost it into the 680-690 range, with the benefit of some quant tutoring. My dream school is Ross: one of my parents went there, it's a highly ranked school and I have always wanted a degree from Michigan. If I can't get into Ross, I really love Seattle and am looking at UW-Foster, otherwise I'm looking at mostly Big Ten schools where I'd qualify for scholarship money.
I came to this decision a bit late in the game as I am obviously hoping to still get in to a school in Round 3 so I can enroll in the fall. I'm hoping for answers to a couple questions:
1. What was your admissions process/experience like at Ross or other MBA programs?
2. What were some other schools you considered, or think I might want to look at?
3. What's some advice you have in choosing programs, getting admitted, making the most out of B-school, etc.
I've posted on a couple boards like beat the GMAT, etc about this but wanted to ask for your advice/opinions. Thanks in advance.
Mods feel free to take down if this is too OT.
February 16th, 2015 at 6:50 PM ^
Amen, spread the word. I did my best to spread the word to those applying. Full disclosure i am puerto rican, but you don't have to be a minority! I asked that question specifically to the Consortium folks.
February 16th, 2015 at 12:29 PM ^
Ross 2013 MBA grad here.
1. The experience is basically the same everywhere. Every school is looking for more or less the same thing.
2. I tiered my applications, applying to Harvard, Ross, Texas (McCombs), and Notre Dame (Mendoza). I had no idea how competitive I actually was, so I tried to focused on what you could call mini-tiers in the better schools. I didn't get into Harvard, got into the others.
3. The single most important question to ask is what are your goals from an MBA. Career switching is a common goal in MBA, so that's fine.
The critical question for you is where do you want to work? Your profile is weak for Ross full-time, especially for 3rd round admissions. If you want to work in the midwest, try Notre Dame. It's a good school with a rising profile, a great on-campus experience, and a great network. They also punch above their class in terms of access to places like New York. Don't go to Foster unless you want to work in the Pacific Northwest.
An MBA can be great or shitty, depending on your goals and where you go. Anywhere below the top tiers will get you fewer employment opportunities and a smaller pay package. Ross is great because you can go more or less anywhere in the country. I'm at a "hot" Silicon Valley company and have friends more or less everywhere typical MBAs want to go. A place like Foster will provide you far fewer opportunities. Places like Boeing and Microsoft (great places to work) may hire there, but you probably won't find better consulting firms, banking, or Silicon Valley. There's nothing wrong with that, you just need to have your eyes open.
Someone mentioned the Ross weekend program. This is a FANTASTIC option that you should strongly consider. You have all the same access to future employers (especially in Ann Arbor), an easier go for admissions, you can keep your income, and you get the SAME DAMN DIPLOMA.
February 16th, 2015 at 12:45 PM ^
February 16th, 2015 at 1:09 PM ^
Thanks for the response. Do you think that another year of experience will help my case at admissions?
For perspective I'm an accountant at a large public company, and my undergrad was a double major in finance and history from a small liberal arts school in Michigan. I really dislike accounting but that was the job that was available when I graduated. Is it a better idea to find another job and try something else in the meantime than it would be to squeak into an MBA program right now?
I am set on getting an MBA at some point, and want to go full time when I do go back.
February 16th, 2015 at 1:31 PM ^
I can't answer whether or not another year improves your chances, but I can say a 650 GMAT isn't going to fly at Ross unless you're doing something pretty cool outside of work. At some point, you will become older for an MBA--probably in your late 20s.
The bottom line is you need to know what you want to get out of your MBA. If you just want to change careers, want a Ross degree, and don't want $150K in student loans then part-time may be a great way to go. If you want two more years of partying, go with full-time. You'll have more or less the same job opportunities either way.
Also, no one has part-time jobs in B-School outside of occasional low-paying "consulting" gigs and TA positions. There simply isn't time. There are 4 semesters at Ross:
1st semester: 60-70 hour weeks trying to get started and attend corporate events
2nd semester: 70+ hour weeks trying to get an internship for the first half. The second half you're somewhere on MAP
3rd semester: 70+ hour weeks trying to secure employment and run whatever conference you volunteered to lead in the first week of your first semester
4th semester: 20+ hour weeks taking your last couple classes
I had a great experience at Ross, but I really wanted to learn a lot and really needed to develop contacts. If you've got something "lined up," try to transition to it now and take a much less costly route to the degree. The minimum cost at Ross is about $70K / year once you factor in cost of living. Reality is people spend absurd amounts of cash going on trips, partying, and living like they're working and have disposable income.
February 16th, 2015 at 1:56 PM ^
1st semester: 60-70 hour weeks trying to get started and attend corporate events
2nd semester: 70+ hour weeks trying to get an internship for the first half. The second half you're somewhere on MAP
3rd semester: 70+ hour weeks trying to secure employment and run whatever conference you volunteered to lead in the first week of your first semester
4th semester: 20+ hour weeks taking your last couple classes
This is exactly on the money. I took out loans to avoid woring part-time. You just can't do it and do well and get anything out of the program.
I was still paying off student loans in my 30's, but it was worth it. I had a very good MBA-level job to do it with.
February 16th, 2015 at 1:56 PM ^
OK, good to know. Thanks for perspective on the experience.
My biggest worry in holding off to apply for 2016 is that it won't change the type of programs I get into...I suppose I am in a decent position to max out my quant and get a 700+ GMAT, but at the same time I don't see my work experience improving and my undergrad GPA is what it is. If that's still a stretch for Ross in 2016 admissions, then I'm not sure I want to delay the inevitable, which is going to be landing at a not-elite school anyways.
February 16th, 2015 at 12:30 PM ^
February 16th, 2015 at 1:39 PM ^
I am a umich engineer undergard and went to UNC for my MBA as well - loved it.
One thing people havent mentioned much is that people should research HOW the MBA program is taught. All case studies, most individual, more team oriented, what percent of your classes are"core" versus elective etc.
UNC's team system-basically you do your first year with a group of 4 to 5 other students together (not unlike many other schools) -was amazing. I loved the entire experience.
I had no interest in Ross only because I wanted to experience a different campus. Glad I did.
Good luck.
February 16th, 2015 at 1:56 PM ^
February 16th, 2015 at 2:31 PM ^
Dont go back very often, but live in Raleigh...so can go anytime I want-just dont for some reason.
Was a good time...the foreign kid in my group (from Japan) spoke almost no English - not sure how he got in, otherwise I had a great first year group.
Cheers.
February 16th, 2015 at 1:56 PM ^
February 16th, 2015 at 1:56 PM ^
February 16th, 2015 at 12:43 PM ^
OP, it seems we are the exact same age and are looking at a similar type of situation, so hopefully my advice is useful. Just for background, I graduated Michigan undergrad b-school in 2011 and will have worked for about four years before starting business school in the fall. I applied Round 1 to Harvard, Stanford, Wharton, and Columbia and got denied by Stanford, waitlisted at Harvard, and accepted in Wharton and Columbia. I will most likely be attending Wharton in the fall.
A couple things standout to me:
- You seem in a rush to go to MBA because you hate your current job
- Your GMAT is low
- You have not stated what you want to do coming out of MBA
- You are considering MBA programs lower-tier than Ross
Given these things, here's my advice to you, in order of priorities:
- Figure out what you want to do, at least directionally. You seem to just want a career change but don't really know what your goal is. This will get you slaughtered both in the admissions process and while at school, because your admissions story won't be all that cogent and even if you get in, you will have a hard time prioritizing what to do / how to spend time etc. and could very well potentially end up in a job you don't actually like (or can't find a job because you aren't focused enough). I think this is extremely important and I am a firm believer that no one should go to MBA just to get away from their current job and without knowing themselves enough to know what they want (not that it can't change later).
- Get your GMAT score at least to 700. This will make you at least competitive at top schools - you want the GMAT at least to be a reason not to go against you (even if it doesn't directly help you). I firmly believe the GMAT is not a test of intelligence, it is a test of memorizing random tricks and applying them under time pressure. If you study enough, you absolutely CAN get a score of over 700. When I first started studying I got a 670 - through concentrated studying, I raised it 100 points. This is possible if you put in the effort.
- Narrow down your schools based on a few criteria - I think the two most important are what kind of career you want coming out and if the right people recruit at that school (notice that figuring out what you want is the number one priority), and the location that you want to be in post-graduation. Now the top schools will allow you to largely go anywhere (e.g., if you go to Stanford you can still get jobs in NYC), but if you are planning to look at lower schools then choosing a school based on where you eventually want to live is more critical because they don't have national reputations.
- I would rule out schools ranked lower than Ross. I think Ross is a good option because basically most of the good companies who would recruit at a Harvard still come to Ross, and the power of the Ross alumni network is still decent nationally. Now, once you go lower than that, you are losing these two pieces - you mentioned UW - Foster but I really think that's burning money and would just simply focus my efforts on getting a job / changing careers without MBA. In business and law schools, the level of "prestige" matters incredibly (in contrast to, say, medical school - you can still be a doctor going to any medical school).
Given these things and just how hard it is to get into anywhere decent during Round 3, I would absolutely urge you to suck it up at the job and wait it out and apply Round 1 this fall. First of all, you won't have the time to figure out what I stated above before Round 3. Second of all, I think you should consider the longer-term implications of your decision rather than just running away from something. I know the current job sucks (I'm in one I hate as well) but the risk of going back to school, doing something just as bad, and burning money at the same time is too high to not make an informed decision.
Sorry this isn't all rosy, but the real world is a cold place and I want to give as real of advice as possible. Good luck with everything from a fellow die-hard Michigan fan.
February 16th, 2015 at 7:50 PM ^
Congrats on Wharton, WG '07 here, best choice you'll ever make
February 16th, 2015 at 12:43 PM ^
I recommend researching everything you can about their program and even talking to people in it right now and recent grads (there are probably a few on this blog). But don't be discouraged if you get turned down this fall as you are applying very late.
February 16th, 2015 at 12:43 PM ^
No offense, but you're applying way too late in the cycle to have a realistic shot at any program worth the money.
I think you should spend the spring/summer researching schools, thinking about what you want to do after you gradaute, and focus on getting your GMATs to the 700 mark and applying round 1 for next year's cycle.
February 16th, 2015 at 12:58 PM ^
For what its worth, applicants to the top B-Schools are routinely told "Don't apply in Round 3" as there are very few spots in the top 5 schools (Harvard, Stanford, Wharton, MIT, etc. ) available after the first two rounds. Ross is in that next tier.
What this means is that the appliacnt pool for round three at Ross will include those who want to get an MBA, didn't get into one of those schools and applies to Ross. As a result, the third round can be incredibly competitive.
I'm not saying you shouldn't apply - perhaps you should if its right for you - but you might want to take a dual track approach and apply to other jobs as well. Something that can broaden your experience. Then you can apply next year in the first or second round with a more well-rounded resume (if you don't get accepted this year).
This is also beneficial as having more pre-MBA experience often leads to a better MBA experience and outcome (i.e. post-MBA jobs).
Hope that helps. good luck!
February 16th, 2015 at 12:55 PM ^
You have plenty of good feedback here. One thing I didn't read that you will want to be thinking about is that top schools like to see a thoughtful approach to Business School. You should know why you want your MBA, how the MBA (and the school itself) support your career path, etc. Applying in Round 3 does a lot to undermine that, and that will be working against you. It will appear you are making a last-minute, impulse decision, and that's the opposite of what they want to read. I'm not sure I'd address that directly in your application (not saying I'd recommend against it, either; it's been a long time since I reviewed MBA applications), but I'd be very conscious of that.
February 16th, 2015 at 1:04 PM ^
Thanks,
Yeah, it certainly does seem like the advice here is to perhaps hold off on an application til the 2016 class.
I wouldn't say it is totally an impulse decision, but the way I have approached it probably isn't as thoughtful as an admissions person might want it to be. An MBA has always been a top consideration for me after college, to boost my earning potential and also give me valuable business knowledge and contacts. I think right now though I probably don't have the clearest vision of my post-MBA plans or job field, and that planning ahead is probably pretty critical at this stage as I go into an interview.
February 16th, 2015 at 2:57 PM ^
Even though delaying a year sounds painful, you can certainly use that time to get a better understanding of 'what you want to do with the rest of your life,' which creates a much more compelling narrative for your application, too. If you don't know what you want to do when you graduate with your MBA, spend some time talking to people in different fields and get a better understanding of what you might like. This doesn't mean you can't deviate or explore other things while in Business School - but during the application process you need to come across as much more certain and purposeful (and as others have mentioned, there will be enormous pressures on your time, so the ability to prioritize what you DON'T have time for is critical as soon as you show up on campus).
Not to dissuade you from applying. Even if you do and don't get in, you're not precluded from applying again. Which might be worth considering instead of going to UW. Only you know the best decision for yourself, but Round 3 has very low odds and it doesn't mean that getting dinged now means you'd get dinged in the 2016 cycle.
February 16th, 2015 at 1:00 PM ^
Appreciate the thread and the responses above. Has only validated my decision to apply to the Weekend Program starting Sping 2016.
I live in Cincinnati, but a 4 hour commute to AA twice a month for 2 years sounds like a blast to me. I don't have the most competitive resume but my strength lies in my work experience:
- Army Officer 4 years (deployed to Afghanistan 2011)
- Landed a great job with a Fortune 500 company as a Project Manager two years ago and recently promoted to an Account Manager (1 of the top 3 accounts for the company)
- 3.3 Undergrad GPA (Liberal Arts) and currently studying for the GRE.
Because of the military, I qualify for the Yellow Ribbon Program which means if I get in, I won't pay a dime. I'm hoping this helps a little on admissions because the school knows Uncle Sam will be footing the bill and I won't need loans, scholarships, etc.
Good luck to the OP!
February 16th, 2015 at 1:02 PM ^
FYI, the school won't care about the Yellow Ribbon program because of the financial component - the school has virtually no financial risk, regardless - BUT, military experience is definitely something valuable to the Admissions Committee. Best of luck to you.
February 16th, 2015 at 1:11 PM ^
Yea, thanks for pointing that out. I guess I never realized that the school doesn't have any financial risk.
Either way, I'm excited to apply and I think about it all the time. Not saying that because I think I'm the only one who does or anything - this thread is an obvious example that I'm not. Hearing the same from others just shows the passion we have to not only better ourselves, but rally around a common component - Ross.
February 16th, 2015 at 4:07 PM ^
Let me know if you have any questions. I'm a former WMBA student and I'd be happy to help in any capacity that I can.
February 16th, 2015 at 7:26 PM ^
Absolutely! I do have one question. I'm married with two young children and my career definitely can't take a back seat for two years. I have the support of my boss who happens to be our President and of course the thumbs up from the wife. Going through the WMBA yourself, no one can provide me with the framework of the program better than you. Obviously time management will be critical.
Was your life situation similar when you went through? If so, any lessons learned you'd like to share?
February 17th, 2015 at 4:18 AM ^
February 16th, 2015 at 4:20 PM ^
Best of luck to you.
FYI, when I recruited at Kraft, we loved military officers. If anyone can deal with complex stress situations, follow directions explicitly, and work as a team it is you! If you can tie that experience with an MBA you will be golden.
February 16th, 2015 at 7:36 PM ^
Thank you Sir. It was a privilege to serve our country and I'm grateful for the opportunity to have led American Soldiers.
I had no idea that Military Officers could transition well into Corporate America before I joined the service. As for the MBA, I'm looking to improve upon an obvious weakness. I have no formal education in Business especially with Finance and Accounting.
To graduate from UM, would be one of the proudest things in my life outside of my children and my time in the military.
February 17th, 2015 at 9:04 AM ^
weren't accounting or finance wizzes at first, but like learning a new foreign language, if you go into it with a good attitude and not be afraid to make mistakes you can get "proficient" quickly. If you get an MBA you'll have all the basics covered (assuming you would major in something else).
The hardest challenges some military guys had was the creativity side of business. When one is used to no shades of grey and following orders without question, getting into thinking outside the box environments could be a challenge.
It's real important down the road that you, or anyone for that sake, make sure you have a mentor where you work to help with issues like these, unique office politics, or just someone to confide in when you get into situations that will be totally different than anything you have been trained for.
We all enter the business world with unique talents and weaknesses. Making weaknesses into strengths will serve you well in business and life. Sounds like you have a promising future.
Again best of luck!
February 16th, 2015 at 12:57 PM ^
... Is a great school and only going to get better with the talent in the Seattle area and the money. And this is from a double dip UM BBA MBA.
February 17th, 2015 at 2:16 PM ^
UW Foster does have serious Microsoft money coming in.
February 16th, 2015 at 1:05 PM ^
I got a 680 test score and had probably average work experience prior. It was a front but the benefit of the part-time gig is directly applying what you learn. I am an engineer so I did a focus in management.
The faculty is in the industry - automotive current or former workers. And, because it is evenings and weekends, you only get the sepoys types with other time obligations. I hated the classes with the kids who had 24 hours a day to do group work. It was easier dealing with adults who had kids and jobs making the amount of time to meet in person at the library limited. It meant greater efficiency in a smaller period of work.
Those are just my thoughts. It would have been cool doing it full-time and kudos if / when you get in to Ross.
February 16th, 2015 at 1:07 PM ^
February 16th, 2015 at 1:05 PM ^
Thanks to all that have responded so far, appreciate your insight. The consensus opinion seems to be that waiting another few months to get a good shot at Fall 2016 might be best in my case and I'll definitely take that into consideration.
February 16th, 2015 at 3:56 PM ^
UM BS and UCLA Anderson MBA here. You've received some really great advice on here, and I'll reiterate some points and maybe add a couple:
1. This has been mentioned ad nauseam, but it cannot be emphasized enough: having a good idea of what you want to do with your MBA rather than just getting out of your current situation will allow you to get so much more out of the experience. Like everyone has said, round three at top 15 programs is tough, and your credentials likely aren't getting you into Ross unless you get that GMAT well over 700. You've mentioned that you think you need an MBA to make the career switch you're looking for. You should strongly consider taking the next 6 months to explore whether that's truly the case. Work your networking, apply to jobs that interest you, try to make that job switch without the 2 years of lost income and massive student loans. Worst case scenario, you learn about what you really want to do, find out what you need to do it, and bolster your story of how you plan to get there for admissions next fall. Any program that isn't just interested in your tuition will eat you up without a good plan and reason to want to go there.
2. Outside of the top 15-20 programs, you're really getting a regional degree (and with it, the regional network which is the most valuable thing that comes directly from your MBA). I am certainly not an expert about UW - Foster, but attending some west coast events with them, they seemed like a great option for tech and Seattle based recruiting. Microsoft, Amazon and T mobile (and maybe Boeing and Costco?) were major reciruters there. This probably goes for all tier 2s, but your MBA will have a lot of value in the state/region in which you obtained it (because the network of grads tends to be highly concentrated there), but little value outside of that region in terms of network. So you may be wasting your time and money at a tier 2 if it isn't in a place where you'd want to live with companies nearby that you'd want to work.
3. Given everything that's been said about number 1 and 2, if you are young and can afford to explore for a couple years, the full-time MBA is a great "adult camp" during which time you'll meet a lot of great people, and be given a lot of opportunities to grow - take advantage of them. Your class work is probably the least important thing you do while in business school (and your honest professors will admit this). You won't actually spend much time in class, and you shouldn't fill the all rest of your time on classwork. I specifically wanted to do my MBA in a big city with lots of employers and diverse industry because while you won't necessarily have a paying job while in school, there are lots of chances to do "academic internships" in which you can help out local companies for a day or two a week. I worked with a local CPG start-up for a quarter, a hedge fund for a quarter, participated in case competitions, did consulting projects, etc. These were all more meaningful experiences than any classwork I did. Those kinds of opportunies should be of high interest as you decide on which school to attend. Ask about the extra-curriculars. The classes and the books and the Harvard cases you study are pretty much the same everywhere. Take full advantage of every learning opportunity. It's a unique chance to be around really smart, energetic, motivated people with whom you might hatch a plan to take over the world. If you don't come in without a clear focus, it can still be a great learning and growing experience (again, if you can afford to spend that kind of money and time on adult camp).
February 16th, 2015 at 4:11 PM ^
UM and UCLA were my 1A and 1B, but I had a home town honey in Michigan and it would have been over had I gone to UCLA (for many reasons). We didn't get married but everything worked out well, but sometimes decisions are made for emotional reasons.
What is like 80 degrees today in SoCal? ugh!
February 17th, 2015 at 12:06 AM ^
in the beach cities. It was 80s the few days before today, though. Glad everything worked out well for you.
February 17th, 2015 at 8:48 AM ^
I can't imagine a warm weather recruit coming to the midwest or northeast now and thinking "this looks like the preferred option!".
February 16th, 2015 at 1:11 PM ^
I didn't get an MBA, though I did get a JD (and my brother got an MBA at Oakland), but I think the general rules apply across the professional degrees.
If your goal is to work at a major investment firm/hedge fund/accounting firm/bank, then I think the name of the school you attend is absolutely essential, and so you might as well take a year off if possible (sounds like you hate your job) and apply to Ross if that is your goal. As someone who graduated from a lower-tier law school (even with scholarship money, it still cost me 10s of thousands of dollars), you'll find that the bigger firms won't waste their time with you, and while the education is probably similar, that is rarely what is relevant to high-end employers.
Now, if you already have a job lined up afterwards, and you don't foresee yourself wanting to go the large corporate route, then apply away and go to the school that makes sense to you and will minimize your debt. As a word of warning, though: don't underestimate the admission requirements and caliber of students at the "lower-tier" schools. I knew a number of people who went to my law school (MSU) that thought because they graduated from UM they'd dominate with minimal effort; they wound up with mediocre grades from a mediocre law school, which is kinda the death kneel for you at some places.
Anyway, good luck.
February 16th, 2015 at 3:05 PM ^
I agree with what you said 100%. If your MBA is about the education only, and you don't need the networking or "high-profile" employers, then going to a top school is a really expensive proposition that may not pay off well.
Your comment about "lower-tier" made me think of a growing body of evidence in the world of academics: that being a big fish in a little pond is better than being a small fish in a big pond. Where fish = students and ponds = schools.
February 17th, 2015 at 12:08 AM ^
David and Goliath?
February 17th, 2015 at 9:06 AM ^
I've read that (good, fast read), but am generally interested in this and have read various other studies on the topic. For anyone else interested, here's a paper that isn't too technical of a read:
http://www.nber.org/papers/w17159.pdf
It finds that the long-term impact on your earnings has less (i.e., virtually zero) basis on whether you attended a highly selective school and more to do with whether you could have attended a highly selective school. i.e., if you applied to Harvard but chose to attend UMass, your long-term earnings were the same as whether you had matriculated at Harvard. The interesting exception was generally for minorities, where the author's postulated that groups of individuals who came from disadvantaged backgrounds had more to gain from the networks available at highly selective schools, whereas the non-minorities at those schools usually already had those networks in place through families and friends and thus gained nothing additional from attending the highly selective school.
February 17th, 2015 at 2:32 PM ^
I'm interested in the topic as well. To that point, I always thought that if the same person was top of their class at a mid-level school or middle of the class at the top end of the school, they'd end up just as well off either way. It's more about the person than the school, at least for one's first job. Having gone to Michigan, though, the longer I've been out of school (and the less actual performance in school matters) I do think there is an advantage to the fact that my UM friends are all really successful, amazing people and that if I ever needed a job, business partner, etc. I would have a lot of people to choose from. I do think my fortunate upbringing provided a lot of that too, and am highly supportive of allowing and facilitating access to good networks for people of all different backgrounds.
February 16th, 2015 at 1:30 PM ^
Thanks. Yeah, I'm not looking to work on Wall Street or even with a hedge fund or high level corporate finance. The opportunity for me after school is at a company essentially with a graduate rotation type program with exposure to sales, marketing, finance etc.
Like I said Ross/Michigan in general has always been a dream school, even though I chose not to go in undergrad just because the size of campus at the time seemed overwhelming and I thought a smaller school would be better then. For grad school I am pretty much considering large schools to have that networking potential.
In my mind I'm also considering a joint JD/MBA wherever I do go which narrows down my MBA choices quite a bit.
Edit: this in respnse to bronxblue.
Sent from MGoBlog HD for iPhone & iPad
February 16th, 2015 at 2:09 PM ^
Truthfully, your current background is not ideal to get into Ross.
The good news for you because you have an opportunity already lined up, is that while you would like to go to Ross, you do not need to go to Ross. It might even be overkill if you can realize your opportunity easier and cheaper somewhere else.
Definitely apply to Ross and see what happens, but also apply to a place more directly tailored to realizing your opportunity.
February 16th, 2015 at 2:24 PM ^
Thanks M-Dog, appreciate your insight.
I do feel like I need/ it's expected to get an MBA to facilitate this change, but the opportunity isn't contingent on getting an "elite" MBA...as long as I'm not University of Phoenixing, I should be good from that standpoint. I'd like to go to a larger school with as much networking potential as possible and prefereably at least a midtier (top 40 or so) school. The opportunity also isn't necessarily time-sensitive...if I want to come to it five years from now, that's fine. I want to head into it though with valuable, pertinent experience in management.
I'm very fortunate not to have the ridiculous loan debt some students do heading into the decision, and would much prefer the full time experience, wherever I go. I think I'll still take my shot at Ross, but if it doesn't work out...hey, I can still get back for a tailgate or two.
February 16th, 2015 at 5:30 PM ^
February 16th, 2015 at 6:36 PM ^
You are actually in a very nice position to be for someone who is looking to make a change.
February 16th, 2015 at 1:25 PM ^
1. What was your admissions process/experience like at Ross or other MBA programs?
I went to M undergrad, so I demonstrated my passion for Michigan, why I wanted to get my MBA (career switch/pivot) and how Ross would get me there. I spent a great amount of time obviously on GMAT, and essays. I also met w/ admissions officers at career fairs & students (especially on campus visits.) I can go on about my approach but it was quite deliberate and time consuming, but very worth it.
2. What were some other schools you considered, or think I might want to look at?
I applied to 7 schools: Columbia, Kellogg, Tuck, Darden, Cornell, Ross, Emory (Goizueta). Got into all but Kellogg.
You may want to also consider: Texas McCombs, Goizueta (Emory), Notre Dame Mendoza (network is quite strong) and Kelley (Indiana) if you're into B1G schools.
3. What's some advice you have in choosing programs, getting admitted, making the most out of B-school, etc. Take the trips with classmates... the MBA is at least 75% about the network (IMO). Join crazy/unrelated groups... I play rugby (for the first time) with my school- love it!
I'm in class (whoops) so I can elaborate more if you have more Q's.