Out of College - MBA or Work?
I am looking for some advice and opinions. I am a recent graduate (2011) with an undergraduate degree in economics. I am currently interning in audit and assurance with a major pharmaceutical company. Through a scholarship and private grants I have a full ride to a top 25 MBA program. Within the next few weeks I will have to make the decision whether to start working full time or take my MBA now. I am very interested in both audit/assurance, and finance such as IB. What would be my best long term career move?
keep working, think about the MBA in around 3 years
Can you defer the start date?
i second keep working. top 25 is not that great even if its free. get some more exp and am for a top 5 mba
by top 25 i assume you mean something ranked 20-25?
i would work for several reasons.
1) as mentioned above, you can probably get into a better program. in the long run, going to Wharton over USC is probably worth the wait and extra cash.
2) you are putting yourself in a very awkward position by geting an MBA right out of undergrad. with an MBA, you are overqualified for entry-level positions, yet you are not experienced enough for companies to take the risk of hiring you for traditional post-MBA roles. generally speaking, MBA recruiting is a very structured process, and usually a card you can play only once. you don't want to ruin it by being an oddball (good program, but no FT experience).
3) you will get more out of your MBA experience in terms of learning if you work for several years first. it will give you a better perspective on the theory you will be learning in classes, and you will have more interesting and relevant stories when networking with your peers.
you have to weigh these advantages against the uncertainty of MBA admissions and your financial situation. good luck.
@ sayandarula - Thank you for the very nice answer! Yes that's what I meant by top 25. Very good arguments for work now - I agree with your reasons. That is what makes it a tough decision since what mainly draws me towards an MBA now is the fact that it would be for free.
@ UFOinsider - I don't know for sure if I could. I have not heard anything about deferring at that school, but it might be worth calling up an advisor next week!
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