Is it wrong not to apply to the best.

Question

Question, I applied to all the local schools in the philadelphia area except wharton due to owning a house. I had a 700 gmat and am a senior quality assurance engineer. I was a business major but have taught myself programming over the last few years after coming from a poor rural family. Is it wrong to just accept going to Temple and not try to apply to better programs. People tell me I could do so much better if I tried but I just feel I don't want to give up the house for a loss.(an ex-gf stuck me with it) Am I being stupid going to a weak program?

lagomez · Answer

Of course it's not wrong. It's fine as long as you are happy with the school. Just make sure you are realistic about your goals. Not to mention you have a better chance at scholarships.

bb · Answer

That's a tough question. Unless you apply to them, you will always think about it and nothing we can tell you will reassure you or give you that feeling. Unless you try, you will never know. Sorry but that's how it works...

tigerbeck · Answer

You're probably well on your way, but I wanted to toss in my opinion incase you were asking for next year.

I think going to a better school is financially and socially better in the long-run depending upon your goals. You can always rent out your house or let a relative live there and take care of the place. The extra earning potential and career opportunities outweigh the cost even if the house got some damage from tenants or you felt bad about paying interest on a mortgage.

Becky

pike · Answer

I think if you had a shot at getting into Wharton, you should apply. The ROI would more than compensate for your house situation.

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bakfed · Answer

I'd like to echo some other folks' saying (if you haven't made up your mind yet about going to Temple). A lot of it depend on what you want to do post-MBA. If your goal is to work at a smaller, regional position, i think Temple would do the trick for you. But if your goal is work in top consulting or banking firms, Wharton will be the best bet here. Don't think about your house as a liability, think about it as an asset. While there's debt there, there's also equity. In the long-run, the earnings you will get is greatly increased if you were to attend Wharton than Temple. So my suggestion for you is to think broadly. What do you want after MBA? What's your goal? Will Temple be able ot satisfy that goal? Are you content with the type of recruiters that show up at Temple? Are you seeing a lot more opportunity that interests you when you compare Wharton to Temple?

Is it wrong not to apply to the best.

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