Grad School Quandry

[ShooterJM]

Ok. Here's the issue. I took the GMAT yesterday, did very well on the verbel but totally bombed the math portion. My overall score is still high enough to get into pretty much any school outside of the top 15-20 though.

So here's the question. Do I drop down another $225 to retake the test and probably get a high enough score to give me a really good shot at getting into Harvard, Yale, or MIT. Or do I just say screw it and go to a "normal" school.

I guess the big thing is I don't want to look back in 5 years and say "damn, I made the wrong choice again!" (I do that now when thinking about where I got my undergrad).

So what do you guys think? Anyone in charge of hiring business type people want to chime in? Given the choice and the price difference should I try to go to a top 10 school instead of say a University of Florida or something?

[Hasty8]

Ok. Here's the issue. I took the GMAT yesterday, did very well on the verbel but totally bombed the math portion. My overall score is still high enough to get into pretty much any school outside of the top 15-20 though.

So here's the question. Do I drop down another $225 to retake the test and probably get a high enough score to give me a really good shot at getting into Harvard, Yale, or MIT. Or do I just say screw it and go to a "normal" school.

I guess the big thing is I don't want to look back in 5 years and say "damn, I made the wrong choice again!" (I do that now when thinking about where I got my undergrad).

So what do you guys think? Anyone in charge of hiring business type people want to chime in? Given the choice and the price difference should I try to go to a top 10 school instead of say a University of Florida or something?

Two choices. Start in one of the "lower" grad schools that switch, if they allow that, or retake the test. Not sure what you are going for but it's a well known fact that for some fields the Ivy Leagues guarantee you a high paying position very quickly.

[jwren00]

The math section on the gmat is not too difficult. I would practice the math questions and retake the test. If you get at least a 720 or so then you might have a chance of getting into harvard or wharton, but who knows. It all depends on your application essays. I would retake it if I were you. Let me tell you, the connections that come along with an mba from harvard/wharton/columbia are worth so much.

[ShooterJM]

Well I'm going for my MBA, probably concentrating in Finance or International Business.

Very true about the salaries. Average starting salary out of harvard is over $100K, but then again, tuition costs are like $115K.

Basically I think it breaks down to this:

Ivy League, about $265K costs (lots of travel, living expenes and I can't work), so about 3 years to break even.

Indiana or Florida, about $70K in costs (less travel, no increase in living expense, and I can work), about 2 years to break even.

[Hasty8]

Well I'm going for my MBA, probably concentrating in Finance or International Business.

Very true about the salaries. Average starting salary out of harvard is over $100K, but then again, tuition costs are like $115K.

Basically I think it breaks down to this:

Ivy League, about $265K costs (lots of travel, living expenes and I can't work), so about 3 years to break even.

Indiana or Florida, about $70K in costs (less travel, no increase in living expense, and I can work), about 2 years to break even.

This is correct but you fail to extend your time line further. Do you plan to stop working after you repay your bills? Unlikely. Thus you are faced with a truly difficult choice.

Do you earn more or less? Also, do you want to condemn youself to eternal middle management or do you want to make C-level Exec in a few short years?

[ShooterJM]

The math section on the gmat is not too difficult. I would practice the math questions and retake the test. If you get at least a 720 or so then you might have a chance of getting into harvard or wharton, but who knows. It all depends on your application essays. I would retake it if I were you. Let me tell you, the connections that come along with an mba from harvard/wharton/columbia are worth so much.

Yeah I know, I just spazzed out and didn't remember any of the geometery I haven't used in like 10 years. If I bring my math up to around my verbal score I should be pretty deep into the 700's, around a 750 or so.

[ShooterJM]

This is correct but you fail to extend your time line further. Do you plan to stop working after you repay your bills? Unlikely. Thus you are faced with a truly difficult choice.

Do you earn more or less? Also, do you want to condemn youself to eternal middle management or do you want to make C-level Exec in a few short years?

Both of you guys are telling me things I know, but really didn't want to think about. I mean, after all, just taking my score and going to a normal school without even trying is the easy way out. Might as well shoot for the stars at least once, right? Guess I better start studying that math shiza.....

[-Carnifex-]

Do you mind if I ask what your score was?

I'm looking into doing the same thing as you: Ivy League MBA.

[ShooterJM]

Pretty bad, got a 670 or 680. Don't have the paper in front of me. Like I said, I totally bombed the math part, just totally blanked out. Got so pissed I felt like chucking the computer moniter across the room.

[jwren00]

Yeah and make sure you do well in the beginning of the test! The gmat is an adaptive test, and the only way to get a high score is to do well in the beginning, so the computer will give you harder questions in the end. I'm sure you already knew that though...

[spazzed]

Yeah I know, I just spazzed out

You did a what?

Seriously though, I've gotta take mine here in the next handful of months, not looking forward to it at all

[ShooterJM]

Yeah, it's pretty boring. Like I said I think I'm probably gonna retake it. Just gonna spend some serious hours reviewing the math section. Freakin geometry. Who the heck uses that? That last course I took was as a freshmen in HS and I haven't used it since.

Eh well. Just have to hit the books again!