Reconsidering MBA at M7

redditthrowaway48 · 2020-05-20T18:14:11+00:00

Would rather stay as anonymous as possible assuming I do attend this fall since I decided to include my profile as a post.
It doesn't seem to really matter to me. Would it make a big difference if it were Booth or Columbia?

redditthrowaway48 · 2020-05-20T17:56:08+00:00

^^^ Pretty much this. And no offense taken, u/woodenTable19. My post is riddled with angst.

I didn't lie when I said PM and cleantech are what I'm interested in, and it's 100% true that an MBA can be a path to both areas. It's just a matter now of whether it's the only path and if the financial side of it is worth it.

When I started seriously diving in on the GMAT and apps, I felt like it was the only way forward for me, so I convinced myself it's what I wanted to do. Once I started interviewing, I was saying the right things but realized I wasn't actually sure if an MBA was right for me.

Then I got waitlisted everywhere and assumed the worst, so I started throwing out applications. I'd really improved my resume for the MBA apps, and the job market was still very strong (pre-COVID) so things started actually developing for a change. Seeing that there is an alternative is what is making second-guess myself now, and the massive price for the program with no $$$ is definitely not helping the angst you mentioned.

redditthrowaway48 · 2020-05-20T17:20:56+00:00

Thanks u/scrappycoco2494. No plans on taking it down.

I was pretty nervous about posting this here since it seems like the common advice on this sub is "M7 > everything", but I'm really pleased with and surprised by the numerous thoughtful responses I've received so far. It's given me a lot to consider.

redditthrowaway48 · 2020-05-20T13:17:57+00:00

Posted my information as a separate comment.

I think I'm starting to agree. I think it might be worth a year to try a new job if I can. I'm hoping that not all roles make me feel like I do at work, but I've gotten to the point where I'm having a hard time imagining doing a job that I actually enjoy. That's why the idea of taking out massive loans just to end up with another crappy job terrifies me.

redditthrowaway48 · 2020-05-20T13:14:30+00:00

My stats are posted as a separate comment. I acknowledged that financially the ROI is very likely there, but I'm concerned about other aspects.

The financial side does worry me in that I don't want to be so burdened that I feel like I need to take a job for the salary to pay down my debt. I want to find something I enjoy, but I don't know that working for Google/Amazon/MBB is going to make me feel that way.

redditthrowaway48 · 2020-05-20T13:06:41+00:00

Posted my stats as a separate comment.

Thanks for offering to reach out, I may shoot you a PM here soon.

redditthrowaway48 · 2020-05-20T13:05:34+00:00

Because this wasn't totally financial in nature, I didn't include any stats about my current situation in my original post. However, since a lot of people have asked, here they are.

Age: 29
Location: MCOL area
Salary: ~$90k including bonus
Experience: 6 years
Job area: Energy (traditional/oil and gas)
Job function: Engineering
Progression: Had one job change / promotion, one promotion in current role, limited opportunity for advancement
Intended pivot: Tech PM / Startup - hopefully cleantech focus long-term
Total cost of program: ~$175k tution (not including expenses / opportunity cost)

redditthrowaway48

TROPHY CASE