Help - Take the offer or re-apply???

Question

Hi all,

Would love some feedback - debating on taking an offer or re-applying

I'm 28 - looking for a career change - not exactly sure what
I got $$$ to my "fit" school but I'm not sure if I should just re-apply and aim for a better program (it's top 40 but not top 25)

Background - 3.2 GPA
Accounting Major
CPA
Tons of diversity work/extra-curricular experiences
Work at an I-bank
GMAT 610

teleste · Answer

Do you have some idea of what your career goals may be?

By fit do you mean hometown? Is this program where you ultimately want to live/work?

A full-ride (or close to) at a top 40 program program can be a great outcome depending on what you  want  your degree for, and  where  you want to live. That said, as a CPA with 5+ years of WE, and a lot of room for improvement on the GMAT, you definitely have the potential to get admitted to some top programs next cycle if you really want to pursue them and have compelling reasons to do so.

Since you seem unsure what you want from an MBA program at this moment in time, if I were you, I would  not  matriculate now, I would work hard to add 100 points to my GMAT score, and I would try to figure out in the coming months exactly why/where/how/what I would want from an MBA program, and then re-apply next cycle.

Good luck with the decision!

chs08008 · Answer

I have been thinking about real-estate or management consulting - I'm really all over the place

I really want my mba to expand my network and make me more marketable for jobs down the road - adding a new skillset will help me with that too
Originally I wanted to go top 25 - but I could save a lot of money by taking this offer - just worried about the brand of the school

Obviously money is a consideration too

By fit I mean I fit within their range of GMAT and GPA - the school is in NY so I'd still end up on the east coast which I prefer

ket310 · Answer

With your work experience, and 100 points more on the GMAT, you could be looking at top 15 (maybe top 25 with a lot of money). I say do more research about management consulting/other areas so you know (at least vaguely) what you want to do. And also study for the GMAT. If you think your school will get you where you want, it's fine but you don't seem to know what you want. Also, I don't think top 40 school is going to get you to MC (at least top firms). MC is tough (definitely doable) even at top 15 schools from what current students tell me.
Is deferring an option? I guess in case your GMAT doesn't improve, then at least deferring would be good but not sure if you can keep the scholarship.

Help - Take the offer or re-apply???

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