If I finally decide to do this, I would like to start next fall 2008. I’m finally at a point where I’m just about finished with my professional qualifying exams, and I have a better sense of what I want to accomplish with a grad degree. Of course, this would be something I would do on a part-time basis while continuing to work full-time. First and foremost, I want to learn more for my own personal satisfaction regardless of whether my degree will benefit me professionally. If there is some professional advantage then that’s something I want to consider as well but this motivation would be secondary.
I was thinking about getting an MA in Economics from Cal State LA, an admittedly mediocre local school. That doesn’t matter to me so much because my main goal, I think, is just learning more. A manager at work told me a masters in Economics is worthless unless you’re in a top program and going all the way for the PhD, which I can’t do because I don’t want to quit work. He said I would be better off getting an MBA with a quantitative emphasis. So, I’m also thinking about an MBA program I saw at USC for professionals and managers, which I would be able to complete part-time and that has the economic emphasis I want. However, USC is hard to get admitted to and the cost of the program could be as much as $80K. The idea of an MBA from USC has a lot of appeal if I can actually get into the program (especially if I change my mind and decide professional development is really my main goal), but I just don’t know about the cost.
I need to clarify my thoughts on this further…
