Normal to 2nd guess myself? Cornell Tech or reapply?

Question

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I got into Cornell Tech and I was over the moon. I first heard about the program years ago and it always seemed like a fantastic mix of traditional business school, and technology. The curriculum is unlike anything I’ve seen before and I’m excited to actually take classes. I’ve never been to NYC before so it sounds like an exciting adventure.

However I’ve been wondering if I made a mistake. What if I don’t get a job after and I spent all this time and money with nothing to show for? More nagging, what if I got into a better school? Ross places so well in tech it seems, and it’s been one of my favorite programs since I first learned about b schools some 10 years ago. I think something like Haas would be a reach, but I never even shot my shot. I feel like maybe I sold myself short. On the flip side of that, if I didn’t get a job after a two year program I’d feel even more silly.

I’m not too concerned about giving up my salary. I already quit and my most recent company did not seem too fond of me.

bschool22 · Answer

I would check the Cornell Tech employment report. MBA programs are about career outcomes. It won't matter how much you enjoyed the academics if you don't walk away from the program with the job you desired.

Posted from my mobile device

Posted from my mobile device

overandoverandov · Answer

I think they’re strong and I’ve spoken to many grads who work in companies I’d like to work at. People similar to my academic background seem to do quite well at recruiting season. I just worry that I’d be the one dummy to mess it up, get unlucky, etc

bb · Answer

Hi! Congratulations on your admit! First of all, it is rather normal to think/feel you should have done more/tried more programs if you applied to one and got in. You don't have additional data points and that's hard in evaluating your offer. Kind of like making a full price or 105% offer on the house and getting accepted - always wondering if you should have undercut it, maybe asked for less. Maybe you are overpaying - you would rarely know and only when you are dinged everywhere else and beaten down only then the offer you have shines. Funny how things work, isn't it

I am exactly the same way. Second, you may think it is hard to tell what your chances would be or would have been in other programs since you did not apply but we do have a bit of other data points. The main one being that you did not get a scholarship and that indicates you were not considered by the adcom a "highly valuable asset" or "unique" applicant that they felt they strongly wanted to attract or someone they felt they did not want to lose to the Kellogg MMM program or Ross for example. This tells me you were a fit but they offered you a sticker price, so you did not blow them out of their socks and chances are you may not have made the cut at other programs. Moreover, you can poke around the decision tracker and filters and see where you fit in on the admission scale compared to other admits from the US (or use the WAMC tool to see how you stack up) if you want. Personally I feel the Ross and Johnson programs are likely not that vastly different in terms of the folks they attract and their alum bases. Ross grads have done great in tech and that's in part because that was the least path of resistance for many. You can't seek employment in Detroit really... Chicago is dominated by Booth and Kellogg - stronger applicants. New York is competitive with HBS/Tuck/Yale/Wharton/MIT and the only path is west where UW has 100 students and other programs are fairly small and weaker compared to the East Coast choice. Same reason Anderson does well in tech is there is not much else but I digress. My point is that some of the differences you see with New York based schools is that there are more options and more diversity in terms of traditional finance and other corporate roles that are often not available to schools such as Ross and Yale, so they focus on Consulting, Tech, and everything else is secondary. There is also the age-old question of chicken and the egg - are HBS students get great jobs because they went to HBS or were they pretty exceptional candidates to start with? I think there is a bit of both involved. The program draws employers and there is a validation of "Ross" or "HBS" other such reputation but you are not just given a job. Not a single Rosser or HBS'er was handed a job this year (HBS and Stanford had the lowest employment rate at graduation by the way this year, so you won't be the only dummy - you will have decent company

) https://gmatclub.com/forum/what-us-news ... 55274.html. Whichever program you attend, you will have to recruit, fret, and FOMO the heck out. Unfortunately no other way - that pressure and that fire under your behind is what pushes people to do the impossible and grow. You cannot achieve better and greater things without pressure and going outside of the comfort zone. Otherwise, if you are just given a job at the end of graduation, you will feel about it exactly the same as you do about Cornell Tech - unsure if it is a good deal. But don't worry, I think you will feel pretty good about your accomplishment at end of the program. Anyway, if I have not beaten you enough yet, to convince this is a good choice, I would say this - your options for reapplication are probably slimmer at the moment. You will need to recruit for a new job and immediately, 2-3 months in, inform your supervisor who just hired you and still training you about how to use the corporate expense report system, that you are planning to leave in 9 months to go to business school and can you please write me a good LOR. Ha! Good luck with that on a few levels. Even if they do write a great LOR, their examples will be shallow and limited. You will have to likely go back to your old boss which sounds like they did a decent job last time but with quitting a job, you are in a tricky situation, which could be for the better.... sometimes having too many choices is not helpful. Good luck with your decision!

overandoverandov · Answer

Thanks so much for your response bb (won't let me direct quote

) I actually did get a small scholarship, but yeah, overall agree with everything you said. Although you did strike some fear into my heart about the other b-schools recruiting for NYC

bb · Answer

Sorry for breaking it to you but you won't have the monopoly on the city, though you will have a loyal alum base that should be pretty concentrated and focused, Tech, MBA, and finally Undergrad if you have to reach all the way there. Ultimately whichever school you attend, you will have competition from your classmates for on campus recruiting and it is not like Amazon says they want 40 people from Ross (they do have some ideas and targets but those are flexible and depends on the results). Companies would like to get some but if they see better candidates elsewhere, that's where they go so the best thing you can do is make yourself stronger, better, and more attractive to employers.

Work on the speaking and delivery skills. Rehearse and practice interviews as much as you can, and pursue every opportunity like it is the one.

Normal to 2nd guess myself? Cornell Tech or reapply?

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