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Question: Pursue full-time 1 yr. w/ cohort or part-time 2 yr. while working a full-time in a mid-tier job ($140kish) in the hopes of career transition down the line? In a complete state of decision-paralysis here. Hoping that this community can assist. Long time lurker. First time poster. Employer will only sponsor around $20k of tuition reimbursement over a 2 yr period. Afraid / worried that taking the 2 year school pathway will lead to bare minimum focus on schoolwork and the end result = another degree while working in the same industry as before with a comfortable paycheck but little intellectual stimulation.

Program Details:

Program: UPenn’s MBDS (Masters in Behavioral and Decision Sciences program). Yes, I see the irony in my indecisiveness here.

Cost: $81,000, no scholarships, no financial aid.

Post-grad ROI: Unclear. $70k seems to be the median annual pay. Higher end tends to be $115kish or so. Unsure if this data is skewed by new grads in entry-level roles.

Profile: Mid-career professional w/ 15 years of experience looking for a career shift.

Ideal post-grad role = boutique, specialized consulting firms w/ high growth potential or start a new thing with contacts in the program. No MBB (McKinsey, Bain, BCG, et. al.).

Full-time School Pros:

  • Be done in 1 year.

  • Career shift transition to desired industry / field / role (no guarantee but worth a shot).

  • Better focus on the content / possibility for cool deliverables (i.e. projects) in capstone (practical).

  • More time to network

Full-time School Cons:

  • $81k in student loan debt

  • opportunity cost of 1 yr of lost income ($140k annually).

  • No guarantee that income will be replaced at the same level post-grad

  • ROI on this program is uncertain

Out of school commitments = a toddler + a spouse who is very supportive.

I understand the position of privilege I am in but the level of indecisiveness is getting pretty stressful — and I must make a decision in soon (and live with it). Advice from random internet strangers is welcome / appreciated.

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