<p>I was accepted into Dukes Masters of Environmental Management program, but did not apply to their MBA program. There is an option to apply during my first semester to both Fuqua and UNC Kenan-Flagler for a joint MEM/MBA degree. My work experience and grades are as follows:</p>
<p>3.54 GPA from UC Santa Barbara with a double major in Business Economics (Accounting Emphasis) and Communication.</p>
<p>I worked for 7 months at a start-up firm after graduation in enterprise software sales. Our top competitor was bought by Oracle and our board of directors hired the CEO from our competitor and fired the original CEO. When this happened the new CEO immediately fired the VP and Directors of Sales. At this point the VP told me to leave the company because the new CEO was going to dismantle the entire sales team and bring in his sales team from his old firm. I went to work as a client service analyst at a wealth management co. and 80% of the sales team was let go a month after I left. </p>
<p>So, I worked for 6 months at a wealth management firm and realized I was not learning anything new. After initial training, all I did was compile performance reports for my clients investments and make recommendations for the current market environment. There was little upward movement in the firm as analysts typically left after a year to pursue other options. I had always wanted to travel for an extended period of time so I left the firm as I figured it was better to travel earlier in my career than later. I spent the next year in southeast asia where I was a volunteer english tutor in Laos for a few months and volunteer in Indonesia for a month and spent the other 9 months traveling 9 countries.</p>
<p>I returned at the start of the year and am now working in financial sales at a different wealth management firm. I cant decide if I should go to duke this fall and apply to the MBA programs with 20 months of professional work experience and a year of traveling, or try to defer acceptance and apply for the mba programs for next year to add an additional 12 months to my work experience. Many people at my company have had the same job for 4+ years so the extra 12 months wont offer a promotion of any type or the learning of additional skills. </p>
<p>Do I go to Duke in the fall and apply in the fall, or do I defer?</p>
<p>Thanks in advance!</p>