Here are my credentials: 10 plus years work experience; recently went back to school (online) and will graduate from Daytona State College with a 3.95 GPA shortly. My GMAT score is not good, but I have been able to get it waived due to high-level work experience at the following schools:
Florida Gulf Coast (General)
Marist College (Finance)
University of South Florida St. Pete (General)
UMass Lowell (Accounting)
Michigan, Dearborn (Finance, or Investing)
UMass, Amherst (Finance)
William & Mary (General)
At first glance, W & M sticks out, but then realize I have ranked them in cost of attendance. Florida Gulf Coast and Marist would be less than 20k (scholarships), UMass Lowell is around 22k, UM Dearborn has an in-state tuition rider than one can apply for (otherwise $36k). UMass Amhert is around $36k and W & M is $50k.
I have job history as a Manager, Banking & Operations up to a Director at a small family health benefits firm and I currently work as a Financial Analyst for a State school. I’d potentially like to make the jump from the state school to the private sector as FA and progress from there.
My question is, which program would give me the best chance at that while still coming out the other side with the least amount of debt? Is the W & M prestige really going to be worth twice the cost of the others?
Any insight or advice is greatly appreciated.
While I am a strong supporter of William and Mary and its programs, personally I do not think it is worth the extra debt to attend the MBA program. The online MBA program is relatively new as it was just launched this year (https://www.wm.edu/news/stories/2015/raymond-a.-mason-business-school-launches-online-mba123.php). And while I think it is very innovative, you could probably gain the same skills from another school with less cost
Definitely UMass Amherst (UMA). U.S. News ranks their online MBA program in the top 15 nationally.
http://www.usnews.com/education/online-education/mba/rankings
Not to mention that U.S. News ranks UMA as one of the top 34 public national universities.
http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-colleges/rankings/national-universities/top-public/page+2
I have been looking at UMass Dartmouth as well. I was born in Cambridge, but grew up in Toronto, so I don’t really know how big the drop-off is from UM, Amherst to UM, Lowell to UM, Dartmouth, but Lowell and Dartmouth do offer an accounting option, which is the way I am leaning. UMass, Amherst doesn’t offer an accounting MBA (despite offering an online MS in Accounting).
Other things I have to consider are “foundation” courses. Most programs require them (I would need 2), but W & M does not. Right now I’m on the edge between UMass Lowell or UMass Dartmouth and W& M.
I have some decisions to make!