yellowrose wrote:
I'll start with where I stand right now:
BA in Music from Texas Lutheran University (I know, I know...)
UGPA: 3.8
GMAT: 690 overall, 42 V, 41 Q, 5.5 AWA
Work experience: 4 years USMC (enlisted), 2+ years National Guard, the rest really isn't worth mentioning
What's in the works:
I'm starting an MS in Information Technologies program in the fall at the University of North Texas. Since most of their classes are in the evenings, I will probably try to work during the day to build experience. I am confident that this will get my foot in the door in IT, but I am also expecting that I will probably need an MBA from a decent school to take my career to the next level.
Where I hope to be headed:
I fully expect that I will need to get in at least 2-3 years in my new career to be taken seriously anywhere and that I will need to retake the GMAT, boosting that quant score in particular. While I am getting my MS, is it more important to get job experience ASAP or to participate in extracurricular activities? Obviously, it would be ideal to do both, but which should be given priority?
There's another issue: the age factor. Because I twiddled around a bit after graduating college and after getting out of the Marine Corps, I will be 33 when I finish my MS, which will probably put me in the 35-36 region for an MBA. How much of a liability is that going to be? Am I consigned to regional schools for the rest of my life?
Thanks in advance,
Rose
Rose,
Given that you lack business experience, I would put higher priority on getting a good job while you pursue your master's rather than extracurriculars. Of course, strengthening both would be ideal. But your profile already seems distinctive (female, Marine, music) so you may want to concentrate on getting the good business experience rather than adding extracurriculars. Not sure you need to retake the GMAT. Your profile and GMAT are strong enough that you don't have to settle for a regional B-school but you are making it tougher on yourself by waiting until you're 35-36. That's definitely out of the middle 80% range of most B-schools. So if you think the MBA is really what you need you may want to reconsider the MS in IT and move up the B-school application process. B-schools value military backgrounds, especially when they show leadership.
Good luck,
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30 May 2007, 12:28
