Best time to go to B-school?

Do you guys agree that right now is one of the best opportunities for going to business school? I heard somewhere that interest in business school wanes right after a recession, because students don't know how long the recession will last (although I don't have numbers to prove declining interest in B-school). So basically B-schools see a smaller applicant pool, and gaining acceptance is a little bit easier. The graduating class could be smaller in the next couple of years, meaning that there is less competition for positions. Also, since the economy is recovering, wall street is starting to hire profusely again. The economy goes in cycles, so the economy should stay pretty good for the next twenty years or so (provided genius doesn't fail again). So, there will be a slight shortage of B-school grads and high demand. I think that means going to b-school right after a recession is a good decision, just like buying stock right after a market crash.

8 Comments
 

^ The two posts above sum up the logic driving my decision to go to Bschool just after the markets pick up. I'm applying for fall 2012.

One of two things happens then: the world ends, or I get into a better school than I would have had I applied this year.

Get busy living
 

I think it's still crowded. The best years were 2005-2007. People were skipping the top b-schools because the opportunity cost didn't make any sense. You couldn't find bankers for top programs because they were too busy blowing coke off stripper tits.

Think of the effect as opposites. When everyone has a well-paid job, you'll get into a better school. When nobody is hiring, everybody applies to school. I think we are somewhere in between.

 
Best Response
Jose.ReyI think it's still crowded. The best years were 2005-2007. People were skipping the top b-schools because the opportunity cost didn't make any sense. You couldn't find bankers for top programs because they were too busy blowing coke off stripper tits.

Think of the effect as opposites. When everyone has a well-paid job, you'll get into a better school. When nobody is hiring, everybody applies to school. I think we are somewhere in between.

^ so wait until 2013? One more year of work is irrelevant to me either way, I'm just more interested in the work that comes post MBA and want to hit the period with the least competition. This year was still too soon, so I was going for 2012.....what do you think?
Get busy living
 

If you get into a top business school you can find a job in any economy. My feeling is at you should go when is best for you and you have the right experience / opportunity for a break in your career. You cant try to time the market two years out anyways.

 

Finding employment has never been a problem for me [shit, I landed three internships and two jobs in 2008 and 2009, respectively], but my academics are shaky so I want as little competetition as possible going into bschool.

I'm more concerned about going at the point when the least amount of people are applying. The numbers are already going down, so I'm thinking in another couple of years people will opt to stay and work. The question I'm asking is do you think that it's going to take until 2013 or 2012 for the economy to begin moving forward again? Or longer?

Get busy living
 

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