Getting an MBA directly after undergrad

[2Xtreme21]

Do you think I could swing it? I'm currently a junior/senior (depending on how you look at it... graduating in December 2008) going for a degree in Information Science. I'm also currently in a co-op position with US Steel doing tech support and development project work, though since I'm a full-time student as well, I only work 16 hours a week-- that is, until the summer when I'll be working full time and continuing part time during the fall semester. It is pretty much an all but guarantee that I'll be offered a job after I graduate.

Now as much as I enjoy working in the IT field, I'd really prefer to have the opportunity to be a project manager, or, ideally, work internationally. I see an MBA as the ticket to one or both of those opportunities. I feel as though I could get into Carnegie Mellon University's business school (ranked ~10th in the country) with everything but the "required" career experience of 2 years. I would probably be doing it part time as I don't plan on quitting my prospective job with US Steel (and that they'll give me $8000 a semester to pursue a master's degree).

Everything I've read says you shouldn't rush an MBA, but should get it after you're in your career and you've decided to move up. Am I looking at this the wrong way? I'm obviously not assuming people are going to be begging me to work for them with a starting salary of $1,000,000/yr, but I'd like to think it'd be looked upon favorably and possibly open the door to starting in a managerial role with opportunities like international work that I mentioned before.

Any thoughts?

 

[magomago]

Many moons ago I was interested in an MBA, so I attended quite a few information session that I could. One thing I did learn is that you should try ANYWAYS - partially because MBA schools like to get people from many different kinds of backgrounds. They aren't going to go for everyone with 10+ years of experience in their respective industries. If you apply - you'll probably be competing for slots of people with very little to NO experience.

So decide if that if actually what you want, because "experience" should be a non issue; especially since it seems you will be most likely working at the same time. What I would consider aftewards is if you want a pay raise - because sometimes companies don't want to pay more...

 

[WingZero94]

First of all I would recommend getting your MBA if you want to get into IT Management / CIO role.

Next - I would wait an gain some experience. It will help you as you go through the classes to understand concepts / etc. Half of MBA is networking and situational stuff. This is the kind of information you won't get unless you are working in a full time environment.

 

[Utterman]

Originally posted by: magomago
Many moons ago I was interested in an MBA, so I attended quite a few information session that I could. One thing I did learn is that you should try ANYWAYS - partially because MBA schools like to get people from many different kinds of backgrounds. They aren't going to go for everyone with 10+ years of experience in their respective industries. If you apply - you'll probably be competing for slots of people with very little to NO experience.

So decide if that if actually what you want, because "experience" should be a non issue; especially since it seems you will be most likely working at the same time. What I would consider aftewards is if you want a pay raise - because sometimes companies don't want to pay more...

You're spot on. I also suggest meeting with someone with admissions. They usually are very detailed on the background of the students they admit.

 

[LegendKiller]

I went in straight out of undergrad with 3 years of part time /summer full time experience. It went pretty well and I did well coming out of it. Granted, I went in with an IT slant and came out straight finance with my psych undergrad.

Although I wouldn't recommend everybody do that, especially if you aren't going in a different direction from a general undergrad.

 

[gotsmack]

Originally posted by: LegendKiller
I went in straight out of undergrad with 3 years of part time /summer full time experience. It went pretty well and I did well coming out of it. Granted, I went in with an IT slant and came out straight finance with my psych undergrad.

Although I wouldn't recommend everybody do that, especially if you aren't going in a different direction from a general undergrad.

what do you do now and where did you go?


I went straight through at Rutgers and I'm a supply analyst now trying to get into the product strategy/development group at work.

Grad school was definitely for me. I don't have the desire to go back to school part time now that I'm out and making decent money.

 

[sniperruff]

MBA is not the silver bullet to management. you can do just as fine with some work experience and decent network.

 

[LegendKiller]

Originally posted by: gotsmack

Originally posted by: LegendKiller
I went in straight out of undergrad with 3 years of part time /summer full time experience. It went pretty well and I did well coming out of it. Granted, I went in with an IT slant and came out straight finance with my psych undergrad.

Although I wouldn't recommend everybody do that, especially if you aren't going in a different direction from a general undergrad.

what do you do now and where did you go?


I went straight through at Rutgers and I'm a supply analyst now trying to get into the product strategy/development group at work.

Grad school was definitely for me. I don't have the desire to go back to school part time now that I'm out and making decent money.

Undergrad was UofMN-TC, Psychology/History undergrad with a 2.72gpa. Grad was FIU (SoFla was where my GF's (now my wife) parents lived). I had to go down to be with her. Finance MBA with a 3.92. I am also a CFA charterholder.

At UofMN I was a Helpdesk/Server admin for 3 years for a couple Ag departments, ran their Solaris server and supported about 300 users. At FIU I did an internship at Seagate in CA, another for the president of my school as a Grad Researcher studying business management equating to financial success (published), which then translated into one for McKinsey & Co.

I then started in Orlando for a timeshare developer, worked there for 3 years doing securitization (Sr. Fin analyst). Moved to a credit card issuer doing securitization for a year (Manager). Now I work for a large international i-bank with a smaller domestic presence doing securitization in NYC, as an investor/underwriter/originator (VP) for the last year.

I'll stay here for maybe 3 years total, then move to a different bank doing term securitization underwriting as a higher-ranked VP or a junior-ish director. Then maybe into principal finance or advisory, who knows.



It just worked out well for me since I kept going to school or getting more education/knowledge but it also blended well with my internships or current experience. The IT part has served me well since all of my jobs have required IT knowledge or at least the ability to learn Excel (VBA and such) modeling.

I wouldn't recommend it for everybody, but getting an MBA really does open up a lot of doors. I loved my time in b-school, especially finance classes, I took every one they had.

 

[LegendKiller]

Originally posted by: sniperruff
MBA is not the silver bullet to management. you can do just as fine with some work experience and decent network.

No, but it puts you on a higher trajectory more easily.

 

[Queasy]

A good friend of mine went MBA immediately after college. It didn't hurt him at all. Conversely, several of the MBAs who were managing groups in my undergrad courses had a few years work experience.

I don't think it can really hurt you either way.

 

[2Xtreme21]

Thanks for your advice all. Anyone else have any experience?

 

[Eeezee]

I've heard most MBA programs want several years of experience, since that time will help determine your starting salary for your next job (ie it inflates the starting salary of the MBA program's graduates).

There's no harm in applying to a few MBA programs. If you don't get in, work for a year and try again the next year. An extra degree can't possibly hurt you. In fact, we're in such a bad job market right now that it would probably be a good idea to be in school anyway. MBA programs are what, 2 years? No sweat.

 

[archiloco]

i am currently doing one right out of college, but i am taking my time (4 years into it). you can do it online and just take your time and if you do need a place to get it online. get it here.. www.utb.edu

 

[2Xtreme21]

Originally posted by: Eeezee
I've heard most MBA programs want several years of experience, since that time will help determine your starting salary for your next job (ie it inflates the starting salary of the MBA program's graduates).

So the number of years experience I have before I go into the MBA program will determine how much more I'll make after I graduate?

 

[gotsmack]

no, the number of years of work experience determines the ranking of the program you can get into. Most top tier programs only have 1 or 2 slots for people with no exp. and they only give out those slots if they think you can really make a contribution. I went to a 3rd tier program and we only had about 14 slots the year before I entered, most of them went to engineers.

But seriously, before you discuss this any further, take the GMAT. Your score will determine which schools you can apply to.

 

[2Xtreme21]

And I'm guessing by experience you mean full-time career experience? I'll have ~2 years of mix part-time/full-time/internship experience in the IT field once I graduate from undergrad.

 

[gotsmack]

I dunno about other schools, but mine wanted to know the number of full-time post degree work experience I had.

 

[Fingolfin269]

I went to grad school right out of undergrad and I hated it. I needed a break from school and I was the young guy in class. Everyone else knew so much more about the real world and that is just something you can't get unless you've lived it yourself.

I left after one semester and now that I've been in the work force for about 5 years I plan to go back next year. I think it will mean much more.

 

[sniperruff]

Originally posted by: LegendKiller

Originally posted by: sniperruff
MBA is not the silver bullet to management. you can do just as fine with some work experience and decent network.

No, but it puts you on a higher trajectory more easily.

Well, an MBA is not just an education, it's more of an experience where you'll get to meet people who are in similar fields, learn to work better in teams, and acquire various practical knowledge. An MS/MA will get you a better job, but an MBA is a different beast.

With that said, as Fingolfin269 has said, I think it's possible that OP might find something not quite right mingling with a group of more established people, some of which have their own families and such.

 

[Svnla]

I finished my MBA a few years ago at the same school for my BS. It was a state school.

I was the 2nd youngest in the class. If you want/desire to do it, then do it. Just don't do it because it is "cool" or expect to make a bus load of money unless you get your MBA from Wharton or Ivy League schools.

It did help me with my career <moving up> and I believe it was a good choice then and it still is a good choice now.

BTW, if the OP did study in IT field, he will have to take some basic business classes <foundation> before he can study at the MBA level.