vyasar wrote:
Great post Wibble!
Would you mind sharing the reason behind applying to both full-time and part-time programs at the same time? Which would be your first choice
?
The full answer is a bit complicated, and I would suspect we all have different reasons why we apply to one school or another, but the short-answer is that I was born, raised, and currently live in Seattle and intend to remain here post-MBA. So UW makes the most sense from a regional standpoint in terms of opportunity, MBA brand, and the cost (in-state). Applying to both programs essentially gives me two chances to get in. Another reason is that our industry (game development) is so volatile that I cannot honestly tell you what my career situation is in early 2015 when I would theoretically have to make a choice between both.
I was an undergraduate at the UW School of Business (before it was renamed to Foster) from 1998 to 2002. I was also doing a double-degree in mathematics (I suppose out of sheer interest and stubbornness). During time as an undergraduate, though, I started my own video game retail business as a freshman and basically spent 100% of my time either studying for class or running my business. I never made room for the social interactions (which didn't seem all that important to me when I was 18) or even the usual interpersonal development growth that most college kids went through. Back then, I approached school as purely academic in order to gain knowledge and I foreclosed most of my social options there.
Fast forward 16 years later and I realized that I really did miss out on much more than I realized. The social development and engagement I missed out on could have made me a better speaker, communicator, and projector. No regrets though. After all, there is only 24 hours in a day and I was living a lifestyle that essentially required 30+.
For this reason, if I were admitted to the FT program, I would likely attend that. The social interaction and opportunities to change job functions and/or careers are enormous. As a PT student, however, my focus would be less on interpersonal development and more on academic training. The advantage there is that I keep my professional tenure, and the ROI if you consider opportunity costs makes the PT program the most sense. But as they say, we all have to pay our dues. I didn't years ago, and on a personal level I feel that I need the FT experience to really make a change.
Professionally, I actually want to remain in my industry (game development) but move into more of a business planning role rather than product execution. Both FT and PT programs will likely accomplish this transition, but the FT program allows me to fully engage in several entrepreneurial endeavors I've always wanted to do that would have been much harder to do in the PT setting. My reasons for the MBA isn't so much about salary or role seniority. It's about having choices and the freedom to do what you want, when you want it, and set the conditions of success on my terms.
Therefore, if I actually were admitted to both programs and had the awesome "problem" of choosing either, I would likely take the FT program.