<p>I had a liberal arts degree for Undergrad, but I'm looking to go into finance after a little soul searching and a year in the workforce. My GMAT was decent but not great, and my GPA was along the same lines. Because of my major background I am applying to schools with one year masters programs designed for non-finance or business majors. I went to UNC for undergrad, so I'm looking to apply there for the MAC because of the reputation and the lure of in state tuition. I'm thinking about a lesser known state school as a safety. </p>
<p>While the cost of these two programs is within my means, I have been heavily considering Pepperdine's Masters of Applied Finance. My GMAT and GPA seem to be in line with what the program is looking for and I like the idea of having three different curriculum concentrations. My only concerns are cost and location. I love the idea of going to California, but with a cross-country move and close to 100k in student loans, I am wondering about the worth of the program. </p>
<p>I was hoping there might be someone who either graduated with this degree or would have insight on a rudimentary cost benefit analysis. Does Pepperdine benefit graduates? Is this too much to take out in loans based on a projected salary? How is Pepperdine's career services department? And finally, if I don't get into the UNC program, is it better to spend twice as much to go to Pepperdine or spend less to go to the state school?</p>
<p>Any advice at all would be greatly appreciated!</p>