Is it worth using $100k of your 3 years savings to get a top class masters overseas?

[Liverpool]

Originally Posted by Unregistered

It would be worth it for the cert AND the network with your coursemates and teaching staff in an ivy league MBA course. This network will certainly come in useful.

yes that is one consideration... but another is the cost... and another is the location of where I plan to work in when I graduated...

my evenutal aim is still working in asia, need not be Singapore.... so some friends have been persuading me to take an Asian Masters instead like the ones in Singapore or Hong Kong.

[Liverpool]

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Do look beyond the Havard, Chicago & Insead. If you are company sponsored, by all means go ahead. If you are SELF sponsored, then perhaps the next tier MBA should be considered.

My reasoning: The litmus should be your ability to reap ROI and weigh the opportunity cost (Alternative).

The ultimate: if you are PROVEN to be good@work, be sponsored for Advanced Management Program (Wharton/Harvard) in your subsequent advancement.

I know of associates in different fields who had taken MBA (e.g.: from MBS) distance learning who are able to recuperate the amount spent within 1 year upon graduation.

Risks Management:
-Mitigate (You request for partial/full sponsorship from your firm. Beware of the bond)
-Accept (You pay the full course fees yourself)
-Avoid (You decided to 'wait and see'. Try to influence your friend with similar background and results to proceed ahead. i.e.: He becomes Advanced party. If he clears KPI, you proceed.)
-Transfer (Ask your spouse/GF to take the course and the loan herself)

Hi how do you mean by "If you are SELF sponsored, then perhaps the next tier MBA should be considered?"

my job scope is accounting based, so even I get sponsored by the company, I'll still be doing accounting work after I graduate. Anyway, my firm is unlikely to offer such bonds in the first place too.

I see the MBA as a way to change my career.

Nonetheless i still appreciate your inputs. Thanks.

[lazyplane]

Originally Posted by Liverpool

hi, yes I have to really make a decision soon as I am not young anymore...

ah.. so starts the rat race.....

sounds like your plan for your life is as follows
1. get masters
2. get better pay job and maybe career switch
3. get married and have kids
4. make lots of money to retire comfortably

if so, can i suggest you think about what happens after pt 4

I can't speak much about US but I am familiar with the UK system. US wise, 3 schools come to mind MIT MFIN, Princeton MFIN and Cornell MFE.

Within the UK, the Oxford MFE, Cambridge MFin, LBS MFin and LSE finance programmes are all decent as far as graduate jobs are concerned. In your case, since you already have 3 years of accounting experience I am not sure how well these programmes may place you. You can can and apply as an associate after your MFIN but if you don't manage to break in ~12 months after graduation, that boat will be long gone and you will be saddled with 100k in debt.

As always, degrees don't matter too much. Once you get an interview, everybody's on a similar playing field. It is all about the individual's capacity.

Good luck.

[Liverpool]

Originally Posted by lazyplane

ah.. so starts the rat race.....

sounds like your plan for your life is as follows
1. get masters
2. get better pay job and maybe career switch
3. get married and have kids
4. make lots of money to retire comfortably

if so, can i suggest you think about what happens after pt 4

are you trying to preach some higher purpose lesson in life to me?

[Liverpool]

Originally Posted by SFL

I can't speak much about US but I am familiar with the UK system. US wise, 3 schools come to mind MIT MFIN, Princeton MFIN and Cornell MFE.

Within the UK, the Oxford MFE, Cambridge MFin, LBS MFin and LSE finance programmes are all decent as far as graduate jobs are concerned. In your case, since you already have 3 years of accounting experience I am not sure how well these programmes may place you. You can can and apply as an associate after your MFIN but if you don't manage to break in ~12 months after graduation, that boat will be long gone and you will be saddled with 100k in debt.

As always, degrees don't matter too much. Once you get an interview, everybody's on a similar playing field. It is all about the individual's capacity.

Good luck.

yes! basically if 12 mths still cannot break in, I will have missed the boat already... but banking is so wide... i'm not going to limit myself to IB... like wat i said earlier, I dun mind corporate or private banking...

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Do look beyond the Havard, Chicago & Insead. If you are company sponsored, by all means go ahead. If you are SELF sponsored, then perhaps the next tier MBA should be considered.

My reasoning: The litmus should be your ability to reap ROI and weigh the opportunity cost (Alternative).

The ultimate: if you are PROVEN to be good@work, be sponsored for Advanced Management Program (Wharton/Harvard) in your subsequent advancement.

I know of associates in different fields who had taken MBA (e.g.: from MBS) distance learning who are able to recuperate the amount spent within 1 year upon graduation.

Risks Management:
-Mitigate (You request for partial/full sponsorship from your firm. Beware of the bond)
-Accept (You pay the full course fees yourself)
-Avoid (You decided to 'wait and see'. Try to influence your friend with similar background and results to proceed ahead. i.e.: He becomes Advanced party. If he clears KPI, you proceed.)
-Transfer (Ask your spouse/GF to take the course and the loan herself)

just a few comments.
a) for those who are doing well, doing a '2nd tier MBA' may make sense. It enhances what you are currently doing. Since the cost is low, frankly, the ROI is easy to achieve. For a 20k MBA, it takes less than 2k/month increment or 20k bonus to cover the cost of the MBA.
b) for those who are stuck or need to change career, I don't think a 2nd tier MBA helps. Most friends I know find no noticeable change in employers perception after they complete the program. Also, we are talking about singapore market, which is extremely small to begin with. If your plan is to stay in singapore, i wouldn't bother to spend too much money on top tier MBA program since opportunities are limited.
c) the AMP program from Harvard or Wharton, frankly, is has limited market value per se. It is a program to prepare top performers in an organisation for higher management roles as well as recognition for doing a good job. Most of the time, there is a bond associated with it. More of a feather in cap. It is not a career changer, like an MBA. Also, people who do AMP tends to be much older, late 30s, early 40s, and at that age, experience matters more than just the AMP credentials.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

just a few comments.
a) for those who are doing well, doing a '2nd tier MBA' may make sense. It enhances what you are currently doing. Since the cost is low, frankly, the ROI is easy to achieve. For a 20k MBA, it takes less than 2k/month increment or 20k bonus to cover the cost of the MBA.
b) for those who are stuck or need to change career, I don't think a 2nd tier MBA helps. Most friends I know find no noticeable change in employers perception after they complete the program. Also, we are talking about singapore market, which is extremely small to begin with. If your plan is to stay in singapore, i wouldn't bother to spend too much money on top tier MBA program since opportunities are limited.
c) the AMP program from Harvard or Wharton, frankly, is has limited market value per se. It is a program to prepare top performers in an organisation for higher management roles as well as recognition for doing a good job. Most of the time, there is a bond associated with it. More of a feather in cap. It is not a career changer, like an MBA. Also, people who do AMP tends to be much older, late 30s, early 40s, and at that age, experience matters more than just the AMP credentials.

Agreed to your 'add-ons' to my initials points. It boils down to the initiator of the thread to decide if he is willing to pay the price, or weigh the risks to be amongst the tier1 (Insead, Chicago, Harvard). Please factor in the preparations (time, $, effort) to secure sterling GMAT/GRE score, as well as beautifully worded referral letters as part of the 'Application Package'. Nett Qns => What's the trade-off and the 'sweet spot' he feels comfortable.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

just a few comments.
a) for those who are doing well, doing a '2nd tier MBA' may make sense. It enhances what you are currently doing. Since the cost is low, frankly, the ROI is easy to achieve. For a 20k MBA, it takes less than 2k/month increment or 20k bonus to cover the cost of the MBA.
b) for those who are stuck or need to change career, I don't think a 2nd tier MBA helps. Most friends I know find no noticeable change in employers perception after they complete the program. Also, we are talking about singapore market, which is extremely small to begin with. If your plan is to stay in singapore, i wouldn't bother to spend too much money on top tier MBA program since opportunities are limited.
c) the AMP program from Harvard or Wharton, frankly, is has limited market value per se. It is a program to prepare top performers in an organisation for higher management roles as well as recognition for doing a good job. Most of the time, there is a bond associated with it. More of a feather in cap. It is not a career changer, like an MBA. Also, people who do AMP tends to be much older, late 30s, early 40s, and at that age, experience matters more than just the AMP credentials.

to further summarize my points above. Doing a top tier MBA program makes sense only if the some conditions are met:
a) prepared to work abroad.
b) most high paying jobs have long hours or travel a lot, so balanced life style is out during MBA and early years post MBA.
c) luck - as someone has mentioned earlier, which I agree.
d) pick jobs that pay well.
e) interview with big firms but volunteered to be posted to emerging economies. you stand a better chance than US citizens who chose to work and stay in US.
f) opportunity cost are low. meaning you are stuck in your current job/career and you want to switch to something better. If you are doing well, stay put and do an EMBA when you are older.

[Liverpool]

Originally Posted by Unregistered

just a few comments.
a) for those who are doing well, doing a '2nd tier MBA' may make sense. It enhances what you are currently doing. Since the cost is low, frankly, the ROI is easy to achieve. For a 20k MBA, it takes less than 2k/month increment or 20k bonus to cover the cost of the MBA.
b) for those who are stuck or need to change career, I don't think a 2nd tier MBA helps. Most friends I know find no noticeable change in employers perception after they complete the program. Also, we are talking about singapore market, which is extremely small to begin with. If your plan is to stay in singapore, i wouldn't bother to spend too much money on top tier MBA program since opportunities are limited.
c) the AMP program from Harvard or Wharton, frankly, is has limited market value per se. It is a program to prepare top performers in an organisation for higher management roles as well as recognition for doing a good job. Most of the time, there is a bond associated with it. More of a feather in cap. It is not a career changer, like an MBA. Also, people who do AMP tends to be much older, late 30s, early 40s, and at that age, experience matters more than just the AMP credentials.

thanks for your reply... yes, a career change through a 2nd tier masters won't cut it... i was thinking either i don't do it, or do it to the best of my ability, so that means making alot of sacrifices to study at top tier...