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With an MS you could start out at a much higher level, and put yourself closer to the business/management side of the industry. Additionally, I think it would be easier to show an admissions committee that an MBA will be of immediate and substantial use.
Also it gives a chance to build a good alternative transcript, not just for gpa's sake, but also to take a few background classes in econ/finance.</p>
<p>Does this rationale make sense? Or is one really just better off working instead?
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and to sakky, the only reason i want a masters(1-1.5 year program) is so i get an one-up against other people my age. im sure if i have a masters, as opposed to working right out of college, my increased knowledge would help put me on the fast track to management. hopefully
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<p>While I sympathasize with you guys' positions, I would say that it's STILL probably a waste for you to get an MS if you're eventually gunning for an MBA. Yes, an MS will get you a higher position than if you had just a BS. But more so than somebody with a BS + 1-2 years of experience? That's highly questionable. Nor can I agree that the increased knowledge you would pick up in the MS really put you on the fast track to management. I wish it did, but the truth is, it probably doesn't. The truth is, you don't really get tagged for management because you have strong technical skills. you get tagged for management because you have strong soft skills, and these are things you probably won't learn by picking up an MS. </p>
<p>Look, if you can get an MS without having to spend any extra time, then I would say to absolutely do it. Or if you can make a major jump in ranking from your BS to your MS school such that you get access to a significantly improved chance at getting top jobs, then that might work out well too. {For example, I know people who graduated from low-tier schools and entered master's programs at MIT and Stanford not because they really cared about getting the master's, but just because they wanted access to the MIT and Stanford recruiting. Heck, some of them didn't even bother to finish their master's after they got the plum job that they wanted.} </p>
<p>But otherwise, getting an MS when your ultimate goal is to get an MbA just doesn't seem to be a very efficient use of time. Like I said, once you get an MBA, you're not going to want to go back to working as an engineer.</p>