Best option for Masters in Management vs. MBA for a VC associate (special case)

Hi everyone,

This is my first post in this forum, butI have been following WSO for a few years now.

I would like to share my profile and story with you before getting your views on what should I do in terms of business education. I hold a bachelors and masters degree in chemical engineering from UCL and Imperial, and a Masters degree in Management of Biotech companies from Grenoble Business School (not a top bschool but I wanted to gain that industry specific knowledge to break into the sector more easily)

After I finished my studies I returned to my home country and joined Deloitte M&A department for 2 years and then jumped into a corporate development / M&A role in a pharma company for another 2 years. Then, I started thinking going back to a bschool as I believed it would help me to land a Biotech VC associate role, given my past industry-specific academic and professional experience. Here comes the "funny" part.

These were my target schools: INSEAD, NYU (2-year MBA), Kellogg (1-year MBA) and Cornell (1-year MBA) I took the GMAT a few times but I ultimately failed the verbal part (640, Q 49/51, V 28/50) so I was disappointed and thought didn't have a chance to any of these schools.

But my essays were amazing. Got invited for interview at NYU (when I was actually in NY for holidays and called them to schedule an interview next day which I thought I screwed because it was ultra-hard) and INSEAD and waitlisted at Cornell (then invited to interview), and ultimately got admitted to all three. Dinged from Kellogg, as I completely screwed up the 30 second video interview (too much stress).

My top choice was either NYU or Cornell as I wanted to pursue a career in the US (NY dream and all). However, my family wouldn't support me for an MBA in the US. I couldn't come in terms with the fact that TINA (There Is No Alternative)!

So then I started looking for another job and moved to a big4 (again) Transaction Services role (London) with focus on Biotech. The rationale was that I completed most of my studies in the UK but I wasn't able to get a job there when I graduated (2008 and stuff).

During my time there (I stayed for 2 years) I had a family and decided to return to my home country. I actually landed a VC role, which I am super happy about, it is amazingly more interesting and much less stressful. I know most of you would say that I don't need another degree at this moment as I have already achieved my goal (which is the rational point of view), but I still have the spark inside me to learn more things and get proper business education from a top business school without leaving my current job. So I have thought of the following options (each has its with pros and cons):

1) NYU MS Quantitative Management (new program) - chances of admissions very high as I have already been admitted in their MBA program in the past, ~$65k 2) Stanford (MS Engineering and Management science) - chances of admissions very low, 11%(!!), ~$65k 3) Imperial MBA on-line - chances of admissions very high, low cost (~$40k) 4) Wait a few years do Exec MBA at a much better school

First two are not MBAs so I wanted to get your view on the added value of another Masters degree on my profile vs. an MBA. Imperial's is an MBA but much less prestigious vs. Stanford and NYU in terms of business education. And of course Stanford may beat all but need to work a lot on my application (and GRE!) to be at least in the radar when I apply! Not sure if 4) is the best option though...

Thanks for reading this long long post!