M.S./MEng followed by an MBA?

[mackintosh]

I'm looking heavily at applying to a few different programs that offer the dual degrees, an engineering degree (electrical) with an MBA.  I'm curious about applying to other programs solely as an engineering student then applying to business school during the masters program as an alternate course of action.  Anybody have any experience or insight on accomplishing?  The obvious barriers would be not getting into a business school where I'd be finishing my masters and having to move again.

[efh0888]

ASU has a dual masters program in EE and MBA. Something to consider, though, is the quality of the school REALLY matters in business... see http://qz.com/42233/if-you-cant-get-into-a-top-five-mba-program-dont-even-bother/

Edited May 25, 2013 by efh0888

[mackintosh]

I could only find a few options for dual degrees: ASU, Cornell and MIT.  The latter two have a top-ten MBA program which would look significantly better to potential employers.  I'm not positive if I can get into Cornell or MIT on the first go due to grades and GRE scores alone, which is another reason why I would like to do the engineering program first, in order to recover from a lower undergrad GPA.

 

I've heard that reapplying the following year, increases chances of acceptance in some programs.  But what is the general sentiments if I applied to two separate programs but I'm accepted to both and then having to decline.  Or would I be able to defer for a year from the MBA to pursue the engineering degree?

 

I know I'm dreaming big pretty early in the game here with these kinds of questions..

[efh0888]

Honestly, an MBA from Cornell would probably not be worth the money, seeing as it is not at the very top. When you go to a school like Ohio State or Arizona State, you somewhat offset the lower rankings with much cheaper (in-state) tuition. Schools worth the ridiculous tuition probably include Harvard, Stanford, Penn, MIT, Kellogg; maybe Chicago, Columbia and Berkeley but probably not unless you are going into Finance or Consulting.

 

Regarding your question, I imagine it would be much easier to first do engineering then go to MBA. They like students with strong quantitative backgrounds. Now the MIT LGO program is incredible, assuming you want a career with an operations focus. But of course, to do it you must pursue both degrees simultaneously. They do provide generous fellowships, and MIT is usually considered top 5 in both business and engineering. Of course, the competition is pretty stiff.

 

Quick question: do you have any full-time work experience? If not, you won't be able to get into any top MBA program.

Edited May 29, 2013 by efh0888

[mackintosh]

I've heard that MBA programs aren't really worth the cost unless you're going into a top five or top ten program.  As much as I would love to go to Harvard, Stanford, or MIT, my GPA will probably be a glaring blemish on my undergrad record.  This is an additional reason why I was looking at studying EE first in order to boost my GPA and make my application more appealing. 

 

As for work experience, I'll have 8 years in active duty military service by the timeframe I'm looking to apply.  That work experience is not really tied to EE type work though; actually it lends more towards management with a heavy emphasis on management.  I'm fairly confident I will have good LoRs to strengthen my packet as well.  But does being away from the school house make me more or less appealing to either program?

[MadtownJacket]

1)  I read an article on WSJ or NYT that stated the average engineer increases their salary by about 30% after obtaining an MBA, which is impressive compared to an average of 10% increase for other positions.  There's a trend of companies hiring engineers with MBAs for their executive positions.  Just FYI. (I can't find the article, but it was from a year ago).

 

2)  It's not "worth" getting an MBA unless you go to a top 10 school, and they almost always require work experience. Now, whether that work experience has to be relevant, I'm not sure, but as long as you can explain why you think your experiences are valuable, then I think you'd be okay.  In MBA programs, there's a lot more "teamwork" involved than in traditional graduate schools, so they believe that the more students can share about their experiences with each other, the more they'll get out of the MBA program.  This applies to any professional school (MHA, MPA, etc).

 

3)  It wouldn't be a bad idea to get your EE degree first and then obtain an MBA.  Also, check and make sure both your GPA and GRE scores meet the minimum thresholds for the schools that you want to apply to.  I have heard that they are slightly more forgiving for those with engineering degrees, but I wouldn't depend on that.