Bschool Cross-Roads

I’ll preface and apologize for the novel below ahead of time. Im at a bit of an inflection point in my career and could certainly use some thoughts . As background, I went to a non-target and managed to get into a 2nd tier BB in one of their top IBD coverage groups. From there I was able to leverage that into a lower-tier MM PE fund ($300mm fund size) however have found that its really not for me - I find PE to very slow and am quite bored as well as hate the small team environment vs banking. It could be the smaller MM PE experience that has tainted my view on the job. I took the GMAT and did well, 730+ / 3.8 GPA in college and spent time volunteering in a 3rd world country for a few months between banking and PE so I feel like I have a well-rounded background and story for B-School.
Im struggling with the decision to return to school and take out loans without having a definitive idea of what it is I want to get out of an MBA. I have the opportunity to return back to my BB group as an associate which further increases the opportunity cost as I would actually make more in banking than at my current fund. With the PE environment changing (fewer funds + tough fund raising environment = fewer seats and an estimate of 25% of funds – mostly 07 vintage expect to close within the next few years) and no guarantee that I could get into a fund post-MBA, or at least a large enough one that the experience is different, I’ve been leaning toward returning back to banking and doing a top PT program. I’ve viewed several top schools and some observations that stick out to me are the following:
1/3 are usually from top consulting shops going to return to their firms who are usually footing the bill (need to factor this in when looking at employment stats)
1/3 – 1/2 Are usually career changers (not sure I am looking to change into a career that I couldn’t already get into or have interest in joining)
-The rest want the two year break and /or need the MBA to advance
I certainly see the value of an MBA from a branding point of view, especially given the fact that I’m from an NT but I really do fear doing an MBA and then ending back up in a job I could have received without one or at least doing one from a top PT program (im in the chicagoland area so think Booth or Kellogg) and reducing my cost. I have no doubt that I would have a blast at an MBA program and expand my network but after two years I would be saddled with debt and potentially –further behind in my career. The only program I would feel really compelled about taking two years out of work for is HBS/Stanford and such programs are a crap shoot to get in. I know a decent number of post-mbas from top schools that tried to do the BB->PE->MBA ->PE and it didn’t work out for them or got in and were later pushed out and now jump from fund to fund without any stability. I feel like a lot of people on this board focus so much on getting into PE but staying in PE really doesn’t get the attention it really should. Maybe I’m being a conservative cynic but I feel like without a game changing brand name (H/S/W), I’m better of going back to my BB where I have a good standing and know I will get paid near the top of my class and try to do a PT program (they have said they would be supportive and foot some of the bill), especially since I’m not sure what it is I want to do post-mba and have had a negative experience in PE– not that banking has a growing future but its certainly not going away. Am I being too short-sighted in my thinking? My big dilemma is if I want to go back to my BB, I have to go back now thus shutting off the B-School opportunity for at least the near term.