Pursuing an MBA

[cricfan]

I am at a crossroad where I am trying to decide whether to stay here in the US or move back to India. My PD is EB2I 03/2010. I have been pushing my dream to pursue an MBA for a while now and it's time for me to make a decision. I have an admit from the top b-school in India as well as an admit from one of the top 10 schools in US. The US program would be part time since I have not received my green card yet. So, I cannot leave my job. Will I get my green card by mid 2018? I want to change my field from Technology to product management or management consulting post mba. So, I just want to make sure that I have a green card by then. Otherwise, it would make sense for me to move back to India although it will be a difficult transition after staying here for 10 years. Sorry for the long post. Hoping for gurus to chip in.

[imdeng]

You don't need GC for joining MBA program full time. Do you have EAD/AP? Would you have the same placement opportunities as a PT student? A top 10 US MBA is very valuable in the right context. Do you have some funding (company/scholly/etc) - that will make the deal better.

My personal opinion after seeing both sides is that from a learning and experience point of view, a US top 10 MBAs is head and shoulders above anything you can get in India especially if you have enough work experience and maturity to actually make the best use of a US MBA experience.


I am at a crossroad where I am trying to decide whether to stay here in the US or move back to India. My PD is EB2I 03/2010. I have been pushing my dream to pursue an MBA for a while now and it's time for me to make a decision. I have an admit from the top b-school in India as well as an admit from one of the top 10 schools in US. The US program would be part time since I have not received my green card yet. So, I cannot leave my job. Will I get my green card by mid 2018? I want to change my field from Technology to product management or management consulting post mba. So, I just want to make sure that I have a green card by then. Otherwise, it would make sense for me to move back to India although it will be a difficult transition after staying here for 10 years. Sorry for the long post. Hoping for gurus to chip in.

[qesehmk]

crickfan - I will give you some pointers but in the end you are a better judge of what's good for you.

I have done a US MBA long back. Tier 1 but not top 10. My experience is a bit dated in terms of schooling but relevant in terms of career progression.

If you want to ultimately settle in India - I will highly recommend an Indian MBA from IIM-A B C L. Others I am not so sure. The reason being - MBA doesn't just give you a degree- it gives you connections and roots you in an ecosystem. If you are a US mba - all Indian MBA will try to push you down because they must prove how they are better than you. This would be a serious issue if you relocate to India in middle management.

If you are going to settle in US - then the question you should ask yourself is - "WHY MBA"? If you are already a director or above in a US company - getting a normal MBA doesn't do much at all. Rather you are wasting precious time. Executive MBA is a different story. I would certainly recommend it.

US MBA only makes sense if you are currently below director level and under 30.

Also consider the time commitment. If you are going to be an entrepreneur then don't go anywhere other than stanford mba. In fact in that case don't even get an MBA. Just do whatever you feel like doing.

So the question is - what good is a US MBA for?

IMHO a US MBA is pretty good when you are in early stage of your career. 2-3 years of post bachelor experience and now you want to leap into bigger salary and a quick turn at becoming a director and above. Also if you want to join McKinsey or other consulting companies - an MBA is a great way to do so. A top 10 school is most desirable because that way you command much better salary as well as career progression.

But after you are 35 - most of what matters is what you have already done. Even a Harvard degree will not help you because you will be judged on your prior career.

I hope this helps!!


I am at a crossroad where I am trying to decide whether to stay here in the US or move back to India. My PD is EB2I 03/2010. I have been pushing my dream to pursue an MBA for a while now and it's time for me to make a decision. I have an admit from the top b-school in India as well as an admit from one of the top 10 schools in US. The US program would be part time since I have not received my green card yet. So, I cannot leave my job. Will I get my green card by mid 2018? I want to change my field from Technology to product management or management consulting post mba. So, I just want to make sure that I have a green card by then. Otherwise, it would make sense for me to move back to India although it will be a difficult transition after staying here for 10 years. Sorry for the long post. Hoping for gurus to chip in.

[incredible]

crickfan - I will give you some pointers but in the end you are a better judge of what's good for you.

I have done a US MBA long back. Tier 1 but not top 10. My experience is a bit dated in terms of schooling but relevant in terms of career progression.

If you want to ultimately settle in India - I will highly recommend an Indian MBA from IIM-A B C L. Others I am not so sure. The reason being - MBA doesn't just give you a degree- it gives you connections and roots you in an ecosystem. If you are a US mba - all Indian MBA will try to push you down because they must prove how they are better than you. This would be a serious issue if you relocate to India in middle management.

If you are going to settle in US - then the question you should ask yourself is - "WHY MBA"? If you are already a director or above in a US company - getting a normal MBA doesn't do much at all. Rather you are wasting precious time. Executive MBA is a different story. I would certainly recommend it.

US MBA only makes sense if you are currently below director level and under 30.

Also consider the time commitment. If you are going to be an entrepreneur then don't go anywhere other than stanford mba. In fact in that case don't even get an MBA. Just do whatever you feel like doing.

So the question is - what good is a US MBA for?

IMHO a US MBA is pretty good when you are in early stage of your career. 2-3 years of post bachelor experience and now you want to leap into bigger salary and a quick turn at becoming a director and above. Also if you want to join McKinsey or other consulting companies - an MBA is a great way to do so. A top 10 school is most desirable because that way you command much better salary as well as career progression.

But after you are 35 - most of what matters is what you have already done. Even a Harvard degree will not help you because you will be judged on your prior career.

I hope this helps!!

Nicely said Q. I can't stop writing here because of seeing one of my friend doing the same thing around 7 years back. Here is the context, he was a senior Manager in one of the big Indian companies having close to 10 years of experience at that time. He was also desperate to do an MBA and switch his career for the similar reasons as that of "crickfan" to go into management from technology and also to go into the big consulting firms, etc. He did his MBA full time (he had a GC at that time), at CMU's Tepper School of Business (arguably one of the good school's) and when he came out after an year and half with a hefty loan on this back, the only companies that would hire him were IT companies. It may also to do with timing (since it was around 2009 and the economy was tanking still). But now, after 6 years after MBA, he never felt that he got what is worth for spending 2 years in the school at the peak of his career. He would have been at a same or slightly better position, had he not done the MBA (and wouldn't have a big loan sitting on his head) and the life decisions like home, etc. are not pushed back.
As Q rightly said, my other friend at Chicago did an executive MBA while working and has nothing to lose in-terms of career.
Ultimately it is your choice, but please do not focus on MBA as a stepping stone to move from Tech to Management. you can do that without an MBA if you are at a right company.

[cricfan]

Thanks for all your valuable suggestions imdeng, qesehmk, and incredible. Do you think I will get my green card by Late 2017/Mid 2018 with a priority date of Mar 2010 EB2 India?

[incredible]

Thanks for all your valuable suggestions imdeng, qesehmk, and incredible. Do you think I will get my green card by Late 2017/Mid 2018 with a priority date of Mar 2010 EB2 India?

I think that is probable, but I think honestly if you are on EAD/AC-21, you are better off not even thinking about it and getting on with your career/life at this moment and let it come when it ought to come.

[imdeng]

I second this. My wife and I have been on EAD since 2012 and have not found a lack of GC to be a hindrance. Yes - you need to spend 30 mins more each time you enter the country for secondary inspection - but that's about it. Also you can not make political contributions (and that bugs me lot). Otherwise - EAD/AP is just as good and you can focus on growing in your career.

I think that is probable, but I think honestly if you are on EAD/AC-21, you are better off not even thinking about it and getting on with your career/life at this moment and let it come when it ought to come.

[vyruss]

I second this. My wife and I have been on EAD since 2012 and have not found a lack of GC to be a hindrance. Yes - you need to spend 30 mins more each time you enter the country for secondary inspection - but that's about it. Also you can not make political contributions (and that bugs me lot). Otherwise - EAD/AP is just as good and you can focus on growing in your career.

I disagree with this line of interpretation. EAD/AP is as good as a GC when it comes to career progression as long as one satisfies the SAME/SIMILAR job description. That is relatively easy to do in IT. But there are other H1B job class/categories where it becomes difficult to transition from an Engineering type work to Finance/Marketing type work post MBA using EAD becomes tough. I have been in this situation recently where most campus interviews require you to have a GC (most of the job posts specifically say that they do not sponsor). The only exceptions are consulting firms like Mckinsey, Bain, BCG etc. So I would advise the OP to take that into consideration and set a stage for easier job transition two years down the line.