sehamm10 wrote:
I am new to this forum and just wanted some advice. I graduated in May 2010 from Auburn University in Industrial Engineering with a GPA of 3.11. This includes courses that I have done Grade Forgiveness on that were not even in my major (Biology classes from a previous major). My GPA without the Grade Forgiveness is a 2.99. My first two years of college I made the Dean's list both times and had a GPA of around 3.8, but then my mom passed away and I went through a rough time and didn't put much effort into school. I now work as an Industrial Engineer in manufacturing plant in Alabama. Working as an engineer I really do not gain any management experience, but rather implement projects to increase efficiency and productivity. My goal is to eventually move into operations and Maybe become Director of Operations at a company. I have not studied at all for the GMAT and took the GMAT'S practice test and scored a 710 (49Q 38V). I am thinking about doing a masters degree of operations management from Arkansas through distance learning, which I can do while I still work (company would pay for it where I work). This degree really is not prestigious at all, but I could get a high GPA in that degree. Should I just wait and study really hard for the GMAT, or do this masters program and get a really high GPA? I am leaning toward schools like Emory, GT, and Florida, although I might consider a top 10 school.
Hi,
It would be great if you could define the path that you would like to take to become the Director of Operations. You could have two options - grow internally within the company or work for some time in the area of operations, complete your MBA and join at a managerial level in the companies that you would be interested to work in.
For internal growth path, a distance learning program sounds practical. However, regarding the program in Arkansas, there should be some other motivation behind doing the Masters Course other than to just to get a good GPA.
In the case that you want to pursue some higher education in management, you could appear for the GMAT. A score of 710 at the first go without any preparation seems promising. However, it would be a good idea to give the tests that come along with the GMAT prep CD when you enroll for the exam. Also, depending on the requirement of the schools and their areas of focus (operations, finance, entrepreneurship), you can decide when and to which schools to apply.
Regards,
Neha Singh
General Education
https://www.general-ed.com
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31 Jul 2011, 10:38
