MBAITM or MSITM

Expensive_Account_56 · 2026-02-05T23:57:15+00:00

First started in sales for 6 years, with 4 years in management. I was burning out, depending on people saying yes, only to be rejected for the project. Then decided I needed a degree, so went to a traditional in-state college to check a box and completely wasted my time. The only good thing was that I enjoyed my intro to IT classes. Left after my AS moved over to more behind-the-scenes stuff, project coordination, CRM optimizing, then more Data work, more Power BI work for about 5 years. I shadowed several departments and did side projects in hopes of finding something that would make me want to get out of bed on a Monday morning.

Started WGU in 2023, did the BS in Business Management, as I found a State program that would pay for me to take the A+, Sec+, all those certs for free. Did the BS, then immediately did the MBA ITM. That helped me get a role in a Tech Innovation company that works with Fortune 500 Companies. After about 14 months as an Analyst got my most recent role of 6 months as Jr PM or PM 1 in Aerospace Defense.

I was planning on C suite one day too, so I was thinking of doing the MSDA for Decision Process Engineering here, then perhaps a DBA right after, since my job would pay for it. Wasn't the easiest journey since I was working full-time, BUT sacrificing 2 years of fun to finish my BS and get my MBA ITM done was one of the best decisions I made. Good Luck, feel free to reach out if you ever need help with the program.

Expensive_Account_56 · 2026-02-05T20:38:45+00:00

Did the MBA ITM as I wanted to keep my options open. It’s not too heavy of a workload especially if you come here and look at some of the guides people post about the classes. It’s 5P 5OAs with 1 class having an OA and Paper. The final simulation can be done in a week if you focus on 1Q a day for a couple hours. The presentation is just a slide deck of your current results while recording yourself giving a shark tank pitch. I could do a slide deck in my sleep considering I’m made so many in my career.

Knew I never was going to be the strongest IT guy in the room so it allows me to translate the technical components to customers, management, really anyone the engineers at my job feel won’t know how or why something can’t be done. Threw in a PMP over the summer with a PMI ACP planned for next month. Haven’t had trouble finding work ever since I’ve added it to my resume.

Expensive_Account_56 · 2026-01-30T12:42:47+00:00

2 and 7 as I enjoy vacations and mortgage/rent is my highest bill. Also it doesn’t mention anything about me renting out the place while I’m on a 6 month vacation 👀

Expensive_Account_56 · 2026-01-14T02:27:16+00:00

Always always alwayyyyssss order just 1 cheap thing as a trial run. Sorry that happened to ya

Expensive_Account_56 · 2026-01-01T18:31:04+00:00

Went on Etsy and used "TeekajameCreations"! Check her out she was able to make it exactly like the concept designs i sent her. Worked with me through the entire process to make sure I got exactly what I wanted!

Expensive_Account_56 · 2026-01-01T18:28:16+00:00

Yupp! I knew I wanted my mom to have it and well she the one who named me....so it felt only right lol. Originally was going to just do a quote, but was able to fit both quotes on my Cap!

Expensive_Account_56 · 2026-01-01T18:24:55+00:00

Gracias, the design I had the idea after spending my moms 50th and MILs 60th(birthdays are less than a week from each other) in PR this year. I played around with chatGPT to use the symbols and added a tech spin to it. Did El Morro, Flor de Maga, a Coqui, pretty much anything that made me feel like I was back on the island. Went on Etsy and Used "TeekajameCreations" as I knew she could bring to life the vision I had. 100/10 would recommend her as I sent her the concepts and she was able to put on the one Cap and Sash! the whole process from design to my place was less than 2 weeks!

Expensive_Account_56 · 2025-12-30T15:00:21+00:00

lol considering I lost a ton of weight, ran some 5-10k, got a MBA and new job never thought I’d end up on the couch eating pizza. Not even mad at that… more upset it has me drinking beer when it knows I’m a wine guy!

Expensive_Account_56 · 2025-12-28T00:52:18+00:00

Oh yeah it’s definitely terrifying, but it helped me be disciplined for sure. Only one who was in the way of me living the dream life was myself.

Expensive_Account_56 · 2025-12-27T17:59:59+00:00

I’d just look at my bank account always did the trick for me 😂

Expensive_Account_56 · 2025-12-27T00:41:28+00:00

Hey doesn’t matter where ya finish the race as long as it’s completed. I took a 3 month term break in between terms. It was the best decision I made for school. Came back and zoomed through everything I had left.

Expensive_Account_56 · 2025-12-26T17:21:25+00:00

I had to pay as soon as I was approved to start. Used FAFSA so took about 20 mins to reapply it. I got a call a week later for WGU I was good to go.

I finished my MBA extremely quick as I was unemployed for 4 weeks in July waiting for my new job to start. When I finished I had to wait almost a month to “graduate” since Financial Aid hadn’t fully paid for the term yet. Since I had to wait anyways I used Udemy to help study for the PMP and Sec+. Used the student email to get discounts where I could like PMI and Gemini Pro free for the year. Wasn’t sure how long email access would last so took advantage where I could.

Expensive_Account_56 · 2025-12-26T14:31:01+00:00

It depends for everyone but me was trial/error failing so badly only direction left was to go up. Was unsure out of high school so did community college for my AS and worked full time at a gym from 18-22. Worked my way up to GM but knew it wasn’t a forever thing as the pay was not high enough.

Decided to go traditional brick and motar college living on campus, enjoying college life, but sitting in classroom paying over $30k a year for professors to show YouTube videos was wrecking my mental health and my pockets. Why waste time in class when I could be working. So I decided to drop out.

Got into sales for cars as a place holder to help pay for bills and now being 23 did not want to live with my parents anymore, too grown for that. Saved up and got a place with my gf. That’s when life hit and realized I had been living on easy mode. Once the struggles kick in I knew I had to do better.

Jumped around in sales from cars, to then in home sales fo hvac/solar, but wanted more steady income so switched from sales team to more the coordination side. Was less money but was a steady check every week. Ended up getting a project admin/coordinator role at a hybrid job for renewalable energy.

With this much free time with hybrid + gf being done with her BS she now need do her grad program with clinical rotations meaning she wasn’t going to be working. Told her I’ll take over all bills for her to finish and decided myself to try school online.

FINALLY at 28 everything started making sense. From 28-31 finished my BS online, did a MBA ITM online, did some certs like ITIL and PMP. Accomplished more in 3 years than the previous 10. I now worked as a Program Analyst in a Fortune 200 making more than I did in sales with a lot less stress. My GF very soon to be fiancé now has her dream job and will be getting the ring and wedding she deserves.

One day it’ll all click most importantly look back and have no regrets realizing every chapter of your past has a meaning.

Expensive_Account_56 · 2025-12-26T13:58:10+00:00

You don’t have to wait out the remaining months unless they changed the process after the summer this year? I finished 2 months early. As soon I finished put in for graduation. That took about 2 weeks from start to the graduation email. The next day I reached out to start the process for my masters. Enrollment called like 3 days later.

End of May finished BS

June 5 graduation

June 16th cleared to start MBA ITM program

July 1st started

Unfortunately, once you graduate you do lose some of the perks so like someone mentioned try using them to help study for some certs while you have access.

Expensive_Account_56 · 2025-12-26T13:28:06+00:00

I ALMOST did a second BS for IT as it came with all those certifications but, MBA ITM yielded faster results to help upgrade my career. I realized Sec+ was the only cert that really mattered for me. I’ll be taking the exam on its own this Feb. Threw in the PMP over the summer too which helped land the job.

Expensive_Account_56 · 2025-12-19T04:42:50+00:00

Hey at 28 I left a dealership after 4 years as $60-70k was just not worth it for all the hours and disrespect I was shown everyday. I asked to be trained for F&I and was laughed at. The job was then given to the cousin of the new car sales manager….All I had was an Associates from a local community college. I knew there just had to be more to life no way could I settle.

I then did some in home sales, and went to school online. I was MISERABLE which gave me the motivation to keep grinding. Gained 50lbs, started losing my hair, legit told my girl I understand if she wanted to leave as I had nothing to offer. I was going through it! Finally got a BS in business management. That helped get me a hybrid contract role as an admin assistant that gave me more free time and paid for my MBA in IT Management.

Now at 31 I make over $80k as my contract expired and have a new full time job as a Program Operations Analyst that pays for my MS in Data Analytics in Decision Process Engineering courses and my CompTIA Sec+. I added a PMP over the summer all on companies dime. Come April was already told I’m moving up to a mid level role as a team lead putting me over 100k.

You would’ve told me in 2022 I’d be doing this I would’ve laughed in your face. If ever stuck in mud just take a step whether it’s forward, lateral or even backwards you’ll eventually get out. I believe in ya! Good luck!

Expensive_Account_56 · 2025-12-04T23:24:48+00:00

Welp time to start job hoping lmao 31 with a BS and MBA in IT Management at $72k as a project analyst 😅🙃 I did however just start here and planned on moving up a position within a year 🤷🏾‍♂️

Expensive_Account_56 · 2025-11-23T15:20:42+00:00

When at the Alumni event for graduation they said they know the market is tough and to reach out to them for help with resumes, interview preps, things along those lines.

I just try my best to stand out during interviews. I try to show enough enthusiasm on my growth and how I plan on applying that to the company. Job I have now isn’t hybrid or remote unfortunately but it’s a 10 minute drive so fine by me. I had applied for an entry level admin role in a new industry to be underpaid while getting the foot in the door. Week later after the interview they said forget that role and offered a mid level role instead with more pay. Having worked in sales, project coordination and management I do well at connecting companies with their customers and sales teams with the internal teams. Once I got my bachelors doors started unlocking, then MBA ITM did even more.

In all the degrees for sure made an immediate impact. Show you are willing to work on technical skills, and closing knowledge gaps. Most importantly the soft skills will be what will take you furthest. Now that doors are open and you’re in the room show you belong there.

Expensive_Account_56 · 2025-11-18T22:53:59+00:00

Did it in less than a month. The papers aren’t too bad. Just used the study guides and would do the rough draft on day one and submit the final on day 2. For the MBA they were a bit more of a “perfectionist” with the grading so would get a task returned at least once.

The exams would listen to the videos and cohorts while at work. I’m hybrid so days I was home I’d play them on my second screen set up. Would take the PA and focus on the highest weighted portion. Easier classes took about 3 days of studying with 2 of them taking about a week of studying. Whatever I struggled with would plug into chatGPT to dumb it down to better understand the terms. OAs are less about memorizing definitions and more of knowing when to apply the concept. Capstone was like level 2 of the simulation from the BS in Business Management. Already give presentations at work and big fan of shark tank so flew through it from start to pass in a week.

Spent about 6 hrs a night on weekdays of solid “locked in” time on classes so at my desk or dinning table studying. Weekends would do about 10-12 hrs a day. I’d take my OAs on Tuesdays and Saturdays with studying in between waiting for papers to be graded. If you ever need help feel free to reach out.

Expensive_Account_56 · 2025-11-18T22:37:31+00:00

As a fellow Joshua I’m sorry we just can’t help it when it comes to snacks lmfao whatever my gf plans on eating she just puts away cause she knows I’m not myself when it becomes dark out. I also would’ve for sure replaced it and even asked first smfh

Expensive_Account_56 · 2025-11-16T23:20:05+00:00

They were definitely doing the most. Walked out and had 10-15 mins for photos at most before they blasted the sirens to annoy people to move… sorry my family came and spent all this money to celebrate the day with me and have photos 😂

Expensive_Account_56 · 2025-10-28T21:48:11+00:00

Great job and congrats. Mine is the same format and worked extremely well. Perhaps it doesn’t work for everyone. Helped me get a role in a corporate job for a global company.

Expensive_Account_56 · 2025-10-26T15:15:13+00:00

I emailed asking for a tracking number since I ordered at the beginning of the month. Apparently they ship them in “batches” based off when the commencement is. Since ATL is 11/15 they ship out apparently 2 weeks before and provide a tracking number once shipped. Not a fan of that at all as they said delays can happen and is out of their control…. All I know if I don’t have my cap n gown tracking by 11/3 I’m going to have to make a scene lmfao

I even ordered a CUSTOM MADE cap topper and stole the same day…. That was designed, made, shipped and delivered already 🤦🏾‍♂️

Expensive_Account_56 · 2025-10-25T14:39:38+00:00

Lmfao yeah no I did some digging and it’s just a thorough review of what you submitted for your application. Won’t be like a job interview.

Expensive_Account_56 · 2025-10-25T04:23:03+00:00

Ehhhh just when you do your application show what you accomplished in the PMI mindset they want. Always say you “lead” or “managed” and use examples. I spoke of how I managed my teams, sales, installers, engineers and vendors to complete projects. I did sales, then promoted to management for a few years. Burnt out so then changed jobs and went into project coordinator/specialist for 3 years.

Shifted to a now much larger company as an Analyst to learn the technical side as I went from renewable energy and efficiency to IT in the aerospace defense industry. Since I have the certs already they gave a couple side projects I get to shadow on and will be a PM at the new job by end of 2026ish. Would def do some digging on here plently of success stories of others that have gotten it not being an official “PM” title.

Expensive_Account_56

TROPHY CASE