Painful reflection on EMBA/Sloan Fellow application timing dilemma, does opening one door means shutting down another?
I started considering applying for mid-career programs this February, and finding most Sloan Fellow programs (MIT, Stanford) won’t open application until fall, while some EMBA programs offered by INSEAD and Chicago Booth, Kellogg were still accepting applications until around June.
As I attend info sessions, one EMBA program’s admission staff said they can waive my application fee, so based on a “let me try first” psychology, I applied to one, got accepted with a merit base scholarship, and another is also saying would offer similar scholarship for me if I apply NOW for the August intake.
I did not expect the process to be so smooth, so at first I was happy, but then facing a dilemma of accepting a “good enough” option (current EMBA offer), and for going the dream school learning opportunity (Stanford).
I’m a marketing/communication background person with a big tech company, non-US based in Asia. Currently making $200K+ and if I go EMBA, majority of the tuition is still self funded. (EMBA $$$ tuition is like my annual income before tax lol)
So I now feel like I am very cornered. Not sure if waiting for another cycle (another year) to apply to a dream school, while forgoing a chance to get some merit based scholarship from the EMBA programs I mentioned above is worth.
Career wise, as a senior level manager I’m now in a very strong position in the job market, receiving headhunter DMs almost every other week. And one recent option is to join a leading company in crypto as the same title as I hold. While I do have some interest in crypto industry, just not sure 10% salary increase is enough for me to make the change, supposed to be busier, and if I consider applying to my dream school this fall, that would be a challenge for me to do both getting used to the new job and getting my application perfect at the same time.
I know all the options are not bad… but I feel like I’m afraid to choose any…
Would love to hear opinions from people in similar situations, Sloan fellows, and EMBAs… thx!