Is it really worthed???

Question

Now that I find myself in the final stages of the application process (deciding where to go), I am more stressed out than I was while writing essays of studying for GMATS. 

Last night I was looking at how much it would cost me to get an MBA and it is scary. None of this is news to me but I started doubting if I really want to go. My plan was to get an MBA, work for maybe 3-4 years at a big name/$$$ company and then go back to my current company where I work reasonable hours, use my brain at work, and have a life outside of work. 

Am I crazy? I wanted this so bad and it made sense to me up till now. Now I feel like a bride with cold feet on her wedding day!

c00624 · Answer

Honestly, if you just want to work for a few years at a "big name/$$$ company", then it makes no sense for you to spend the money to get an mba. 
However, it seems like if you had the ambition/motivation to get this far in the process then you probably have some reservations about spending your whole career at this smaller company. I don't think you're signing your life away by getting an mba. You are committing to being a top performer and a leader in the business world. There are plenty of mba's who don't work ridiculous hours and have plenty of interests outside of their careers.

squali83 · Answer

It makes sense for you to be nervous. You are giving up a steady source of income to go spend up to 150K in the next two years. However, the money will come back once you graduate. More, your position will be more respected and rewarding. You will be able to brush shoulders with execs and have more of a say in the the operations of a company. I understand why you are nervous, but try to remember why you started this long journey to an MBA. Then you should remember why you want to go to B-School and should feel a little better about spending bookoo bucks!

fluffydot · Answer

Hey Econgirl,

I totally know how u feel too. I'm going through the same thing. which schools are you deciding between?

I occasionally get thoughts like "what if I HATE it there at school X" or "what if I totally suck at finance"...

I need some confidence juice...

rhyme · Answer

I wonder too. All told, between lost income and tuition I estimate Bschool will cost me over $350,000. It's scary, very scary. What if I suck at it? What if I can't pass the courses?

EconGirl · Answer

Thanks C, I hope you are right.

EconGirl · Answer

thank you, your message is a very good one, just the sort of thing I was hoping to hear :-D

sujith · Answer

I'm nervous as hell and have 2nd thoughts every day.

EconGirl · Answer

I am deciding between NYU and Duke. How about you? You should not worry about how you will do in classes. There is NO WAY that you or rhyme or any of the gmatclubers will be in a situation where they can't pass a course. 

But choosing between schools is a whole different nightmare I am going through as well....

OasisNYK · Answer

Must be nice to have options....53% of those who responded to the poll havent even gotten in to a single school yet - I think many on this board would gladly trade stresses.

Ozmba · Answer

I havethe same fear, what i FAIL in few classes or worst not able to complete the program kinda thoughts...hoping the bschool is not too rigorous academically

Mark4124 · Answer

Yes... I'm not worried about academics in the least but the financial part is indeed daunting and may play a big role in where I end up.

rhyme · Answer

I just worry everyone around me will be breezing through crap focusing on recruiting and I'll be struggling like mad.

necromonger · Answer

I have my nervous moments too. But I look at it as "I'm getting a chance to do something that very, very few people in the world can do and are given the opportunity" and therefore I will cherish that experience and work hard to utilize it later. 

If we were to find things to worry about, you can worry about practically anything. You've been given a chance - use it and push forward. If you did not do it, you will always wonder "what if", and then you'll look at your own career and start wondering and worrying :) there's no end to it.

jaynayak · Answer

Strange how we all feel the same thing but yet find ways (in each others word) to solace ourselves.

Throughout the whole process (GMAT, application, interviews etc ) I never doubted my decision to go for MBA but as soon as I got an admit and decided upon on school, the uncertainty crept in. 

Anyways good to see that I am not alone.

johnnyx9 · Answer

I have a friend who was a liberal arts major who worked in non-profit after school before going to Stern. He said he was a little worried about showing up and being surrounded by people that would be able to cruise the classes like finance and accounting and he'd be left at the back of the pack.

But he said it was nothing like that, some people may have tested out of some classes, but overall the playing field was fairly level, classes were manageable and he and the other liberal-arts background people weren't being left in the dust by any means.

braindancer · Answer

I too have quite a lot of doubts about whether I need this thing at all. However, what I am totally confident about is my performance at school - and I really advise most of you to chill on that point. Gee, we here at gmatclub are SMART. Really. We're the freakn' top 5% when it comes to intellectual ability. Besides, some of us can speak/write like Cicero and/or have a Goldman Sachs or similar stuff in the resume. How the hell can we NOT beat those arrogant fools?

jinkazama · Answer

Most B-School programs use team/group projects. So if you suck at finance just hope you have a finance stud in the group. All I have to say is..............I love group/team work :twisted:

dukes · Answer

If you're staying in the corporate word/private sector the MBA will almost always pay for itself. However, I know some folks who view their b-school loans as a burden that keeps them from getting into a career that doesn't pay as well.

Tajik4GMAT · Answer

U guys score 700+ (me too hopefully one day

) and doubt you will do good at grad school :lol:

U gotta be kiddin me

Is it really worthed???

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