A Personal Update & More Advice Needed

[BlueAlpha1]

Some of you gentlemen know my situation already. Long story in a few sentences, I went into a shell of unproductivity and depression that lasted from January 2015 until very recently. It was pathetic. For most of 20 months, I wasn't working, was in and out of relatives' houses, didn't get laid, driving a sh*t car, had ballooned up to 206 pounds (at 5'9"), and was sleeping until 1-2 pm every day.

Fast cut to today.

I have my own place again, which I like a lot. It's a good value and is easy on the eyes, when I (eventually) bring a chick back here.

I am now working for a Fortune 100 company at a salary + commission gig. The senior trainers are advertising their "top reps" make $85,000 a year. I think that's a big lie, but you essentially have to make $41,500 to keep your job the way the commission is set up. I think 50-52k is a reachable goal.

Obviously, I am getting up at a much more productive hour of the day again.

I STILL NEED WORK IN:

Losing weight. I'm still tipping the scales at 197-198 lb. At my height, I need to be in the 175 range. The last time I was in that range was in 2011, and I was wearing a medium and getting buckets of female attention. Since then I've ranged from 194-206. It is SO HARD to lose this pesky 20 ****ing pounds.

Getting a better ride: I am going to look at what kind of commission I'm taking in come January. There is a period from October-December where I'll be paid 7 times in 9 weeks. During that time I'm going to make a large credit card payment, and if I can't justify buying a luxury ride by winter, I will defer to April and do it then.

Women. I am still being an introverted tool, not approaching, and watching too much porn. Can't seem to break this spell yet as I'm still not completely in order.

Also want to ask you guys another question - one of the benefits of the company is a tuition reimbursement program. They even have a unique contract with one online school where the school will actually defer payment until after your coursework. If you get a B or better, the company pays.

There are 4 semesters, 11 weeks long each, and a Masters degree is 12 courses. If I take 2 courses per semester, I can graduate with the Masters in 1.5 years. If I take 1 course per semester, it will take 3 years. I am not sure what to do, if anything at all. I'm working FT, so is 2 graduate classes too much at a time? The adviser seemed to think so. On the flip side, by taking only 1 class, I'm committing to 3 years with this company in order to finish the degree. Based on my track record, 1.5 years is easily doable, but 3 years is a long term commitment if things don't go right.

If you asked me what exactly I plan to do with this degree I couldn't even tell you. I wouldn't even consider going back to school unless it resembled a "free" education, as this sort of does. All I can say is that a Masters degree is rare and by itself is a huge resume boost (only 9% of the workforce has one) and that the potentiality of taking high level business courses now will help me when I want to run my own hospitality business 5 years from now. I also think just being enrolled in coursework for a Masters degree will be a huge motivator in other areas. It will be a reflection of having really turned this around...

Calling @Tenacity ...

 

[Bible_Belt]

When I worked on WestShore, there were two mba schools in my office building alone. When I asked them if they were accredited, they both said, "Sure. We are regionally accredited....by _____." And the answer was different at each school. It sounded like a scam to me. I wouldn't want an MBA where you live that didn't come from USF. I went to U of Tampa for undergrad, and I think they have an mba program. That place is kind of a joke as far as academics go, but it's so expensive that everyone thinks it's a good school. Bottom line - there are a lot of sh!tty online degree programs out there. An ex-gf of mine got an undergrad degree from "Mid-Continent University." They just recently literally went out of business after the Feds pulled their student loan eligibility. Exactly how a person orders a transcript from a college that doesn't exist any more....I don't know.

I think cars are one big waste of money.

As for losing weight, it is mostly about managing your carb intake. Try to put off your first carbs of the day for as long as possible. I have iced black coffee, peanut butter, cottage cheese, and raw vegetables for most of the day, then a few carbs for dinner. I'm sure there are martial arts/boxing programs all over the place down there. That's what I envy most about living near a city. If I did, I would still be training. Where I live, the mma/fight scene is all retards; I can't learn anything from them.

 

[BlueAlpha1]

When I worked on WestShore, there were two mba schools in my office building alone. When I asked them if they were accredited, they both said, "Sure. We are regionally accredited....by _____." And the answer was different at each school. It sounded like a scam to me. I wouldn't want an MBA where you live that didn't come from USF. I went to U of Tampa for undergrad, and I think they have an mba program. That place is kind of a joke as far as academics go, but it's so expensive that everyone thinks it's a good school. Bottom line - there are a lot of sh!tty online degree programs out there. An ex-gf of mine got an undergrad degree from "Mid-Continent University." They just recently literally went out of business after the Feds pulled their student loan eligibility. Exactly how a person orders a transcript from a college that doesn't exist any more....I don't know.

I think cars are one big waste of money.

As for losing weight, it is mostly about managing your carb intake. Try to put off your first carbs of the day for as long as possible. I have iced black coffee, peanut butter, cottage cheese, and raw vegetables for most of the day, then a few carbs for dinner. I'm sure there are martial arts/boxing programs all over the place down there. That's what I envy most about living near a city. If I did, I would still be training. Where I live, the mma/fight scene is all retards; I can't learn anything from them.

The school is Strayer University. Don't know much but on the website they are listed as "accredited'. I think a Masters degree is still a pretty big accomplishment any way you slice it. Of course, a B.A. from Harvard is going to mean more than a Ph.D. from "Mid-Continent University", but the question is is a Masters from a "questionable" school still objectively better than no Masters at all, effectively placing you in the top 9% on the education front regardless? I view it as a velvet rope. You either in or out. Just having it on your resume helps. Bonus points if it's from one of the 100 or so best colleges that your average recruiter has heard of, but I don't think any less if someone tells me their is from a no-name college. That's just me though.

I would be willing to give it a shot if I can do it in 1.5 years as long as they're paying for it, but I'm not sure about the workload of 2 classes working FT, and I'm not willing to commit to it for 3 years taking only 1 class at a time.

Cars are a huge waste of money, but I would be paying cash. The only reason I don't get a different car now is because I won't get on a loan and assume more debt. And I'm not talking anything fancy - 5 years old, $7,000-8,000 range, preferably 80-90k miles on it. Within 6 months I'm going to have no choice as my car has 210,000 miles on it and the tranny is slipping now...

When I was on the lower end of that 194-206 scale, it came from walking a ton. I lost 10 of those 12 pounds during a month in Europe walking about 5 miles a day. Pretty simple, but I was doing tourist shlt. But during "everyday life" is very rare that you're going to be walking that much, especially with an office job.

 

[mrgoodstuff]

The school is Strayer University. Don't know much but on the website they are listed as "accredited'. I think a Masters degree is still a pretty big accomplishment any way you slice it. Of course, a B.A. from Harvard is going to mean more than a Ph.D. from "Mid-Continent University", but the question is is a Masters from a "questionable" school still objectively better than no Masters at all, effectively placing you in the top 9% on the education front regardless? I view it as a velvet rope. You either in or out. Just having it on your resume helps. Bonus points if it's from one of the 100 or so best colleges that your average recruiter has heard of, but I don't think any less if someone tells me their is from a no-name college. That's just me though.

I would be willing to give it a shot if I can do it in 1.5 years as long as they're paying for it, but I'm not sure about the workload of 2 classes working FT, and I'm not willing to commit to it for 3 years taking only 1 class at a time.

Cars are a huge waste of money, but I would be paying cash. The only reason I don't get a different car now is because I won't get on a loan and assume more debt. And I'm not talking anything fancy - 5 years old, $7,000-8,000 range, preferably 80-90k miles on it. Within 6 months I'm going to have no choice as my car has 210,000 miles on it and the tranny is slipping now...

When I was on the lower end of that 194-206 scale, it came from walking a ton. I lost 10 of those 12 pounds during a month in Europe walking about 5 miles a day. Pretty simple, but I was doing tourist shlt. But during "everyday life" is very rare that you're going to be walking that much, especially with an office job.

Walk 5 miles a day for two more months and you'll be 175. Also hit some weights. Join a yoga or salsa class to get you into proximity with the ladies.

 

[Bible_Belt]

Strayer is a scam. Read the reviews in the second link below. The vast majority of students hate the place. USF, by contrast, is a good school with a legitimate program.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strayer_University
On 9 August 2012, the syndicated comic strip Doonesbury described Strayer's unusually high executive compensation as part of a series of satirical strips on for-profit education.[67][68][69] In addition to reporting Silberman's 2009 compensation (which it described as fifty times more than Harvard's president), the strip said that in the same year that Strayer spent $1,300 per student on instruction, it spent $2,500 per student on marketing and returned $4,500 per student in profit

https://www.consumeraffairs.com/education/strayer.html

http://www.usf.edu/business/news/articles/131114-mba-top-public-florida.aspx

https://www.usfsp.edu/home/2016/01/...-online-mba-ranked-15-in-nation-2-in-florida/

http://business-schools.startclass.com/l/17/University-of-South-Florida-FL

 

[dustmuffin]

I agree with @Bible_Belt I would not take one class with an online university unless it was a state school. Your local Public Florida state institutions probably offers at least part of your program online.
The University of South Florida offers these graduate degrees online:

http://www.usf.edu/innovative-education/programs/online-programs/online-graduate-programs.aspx

 

[BlueAlpha1]

Strayer is a scam. Read the reviews in the second link below. The vast majority of students hate the place. USF, by contrast, is a good school with a legitimate program.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strayer_University
On 9 August 2012, the syndicated comic strip Doonesbury described Strayer's unusually high executive compensation as part of a series of satirical strips on for-profit education.[67][68][69] In addition to reporting Silberman's 2009 compensation (which it described as fifty times more than Harvard's president), the strip said that in the same year that Strayer spent $1,300 per student on instruction, it spent $2,500 per student on marketing and returned $4,500 per student in profit

https://www.consumeraffairs.com/education/strayer.html

http://www.usf.edu/business/news/articles/131114-mba-top-public-florida.aspx

https://www.usfsp.edu/home/2016/01/...-online-mba-ranked-15-in-nation-2-in-florida/

http://business-schools.startclass.com/l/17/University-of-South-Florida-FL

Thanks guys, I appreciate the input and will do my homework before I decide to go for it.

I won't be attending USF anytime soon though. I wasn't thinking of going back to school in the first place until they offered this program virtually tuition-free. My interest level in going back to school is pretty low, but this at least piqued it.

The company has a tuition reimbursement program where they'll pay up to 8k a year for any other school, but you have to shell it out. It's not high on the priority list right now - racking up the commission is.

Was only considering Strayer because it's prepaid by the company and "MBA" on my next resume might boost my spot in line for a promotion.

 

[Tenacity]

I went into a shell of unproductivity and depression that lasted from January 2015 until very recently. It was pathetic. For most of 20 months, I wasn't working, was in and out of relatives' houses, didn't get laid, driving a sh*t car, had ballooned up to 206 pounds (at 5'9"), and was sleeping until 1-2 pm every day.

I believe for those of us destined for greatness, life gives us the "gift" of a testimony. This is your testimony, so that when you are successful and people look to you for guidance/motivation, you will be able to reference your January 2015 - August 2016 period of hardship. It makes you more relatable to people.

You're back on the right track buddy.

Losing weight. I'm still tipping the scales at 197-198 lb. At my height, I need to be in the 175 range. The last time I was in that range was in 2011, and I was wearing a medium and getting buckets of female attention. Since then I've ranged from 194-206. It is SO HARD to lose this pesky 20 ****ing pounds.

You don't want to focus on losing 10 or 20 lbs, you want to build an efficient healthy eating plan and an efficient exercise program. Your healthy eating plan begins by you looking at the list of the most healthiest foods and determining what you like to eat that's healthy. Then you want to put together about 4 meals a day (2 regular meals, 2 shake only meals). You will do cheat meal days once a week while you are just getting started, then eventually you will do 2 cheat meal days a week. Not pig out days, but just days where you can eat "bad" food.

Getting a better ride: I am going to look at what kind of commission I'm taking in come January. There is a period from October-December where I'll be paid 7 times in 9 weeks. During that time I'm going to make a large credit card payment, and if I can't justify buying a luxury ride by winter, I will defer to April and do it then.

What's your budget? Does the job pay about $40k - $45k a year gross? How about getting a nice car that's about $6k - $8k out of the door? It would have efficient miles, look nice, and you can add accessories to it to give it an even better appearance. I would stay away from car notes FOR NOW and for the life of me, NEVER lease a car.

Women. I am still being an introverted tool, not approaching, and watching too much porn. Can't seem to break this spell yet as I'm still not completely in order.

There's nothing wrong with jacking off. My plate rotation has been full for 6 years straight but I still jack off...it's relaxing before I get ready to go to bed or take a nap.

And I understand that you are introverted but here's the question, are you introverted because you want to say something but are afraid to say it....or are you introverted because you naturally just have a "laid back" personality?

....one of the benefits of the company is a tuition reimbursement program. They even have a unique contract with one online school where the school will actually defer payment until after your coursework. If you get a B or better, the company pays.

If the company is paying for it, TAKE IT.

I'm working FT, so is 2 graduate classes too much at a time? The adviser seemed to think so.

Fvck that pvssy a.ss advisor! Hell from 2008 - 2014, I was working full time while completing some sort of college related program which led to my 4 degrees. I was doing that while also working out and spinning plates. It's all about time management.

You mentioned that the program is with Strayer University right? They are regionally accredited through the Middle States Commission On Higher Education, they have ACBSP Accreditation, and they have been around since 1892. There's nothing wrong with this and after all, it's FREE....TAKE IT. Either that, or choose another regionally accredited college that they will pay for 100% with nothing (or very little) out of pocket for you.

You just have to better manage your time. You will now have a very busy life like most working professional adults. Welcome to the life of the working professional buddy!!

 

[speed dawg]

Getting a better ride: I am going to look at what kind of commission I'm taking in come January. There is a period from October-December where I'll be paid 7 times in 9 weeks. During that time I'm going to make a large credit card payment, and if I can't justify buying a luxury ride by winter, I will defer to April and do it then.

Let me offer one piece of advice - don't blow your money on a car. Get some type of small used truck or something, that is manly but at the same time not over the top expensive. If you are an introvert, the flashy car won't suit you any way. Play this to your advantage, don't be the slickster who lives behind his possessions.

 

[BlueAlpha1]

I believe for those of us destined for greatness, life gives us the "gift" of a testimony. This is your testimony, so that when you are successful and people look to you for guidance/motivation, you will be able to reference your January 2015 - August 2016 period of hardship. It makes you more relatable to people.

You're back on the right track buddy.

Thank you. And what you wrote following this was detailed and practical, as always. I will continue to defend you whenever others get on you for being human "emotional", in threads similar to this one.

What's your budget? Does the job pay about $40k - $45k a year gross? How about getting a nice car that's about $6k - $8k out of the door? It would have efficient miles, look nice, and you can add accessories to it to give it an even better appearance. I would stay away from car notes FOR NOW and for the life of me, NEVER lease a car.

The job will pay minimum $41,400 gross in 2017. That is my "in the black" yearly target where my job will not be threatened in 2018. And we saw charts that show 80% of salesmen do hit that target without much difficulty. I do believe I will can $50,000 in 2017. Come January, I should be grossing 4k, netting 3k per month. My expenses only add up to slightly over 2k a month.

I really do not want to have a loan for a car, but we'll see when the commission checks come in. I don't need a $40,000 Camaro like you bro, although it would be nice. I was thinking of looking for a 5 year old Benz, BMW, or Audi with 90,000 miles or so. They depreciate so fast - you can get them out the door for 8k cash deal and you own it. And I would purchase any extended warranty and have my mechanic sign off before buying.

My total financial situation is as follows. I have about $35,000 in cash across multiple accounts. It's a lot of disposable cash in hand at my age, but I also have a $29,000 student loan I'm paying on. I also have one credit card with a substantial balance, but the line of credit is almost 15k. I keep charging a lot, then paying, and asking for credit increases every few months. My score is around 700.

And I understand that you are introverted but here's the question, are you introverted because you want to say something but are afraid to say it....or are you introverted because you naturally just have a "laid back" personality?

I am introverted ever since my breakup last July, but it wasn't like that immediately. I engaged girls right after because I knew I had to, but I had about 8 flakes in a row after that, got really frustrated with women, and have not got back in the game since but for about 2 dates. I have very little tolerance for female BS right now but I NEED to start getting regular poon again.

If the company is paying for it, TAKE IT.

Fvck that pvssy a.ss advisor! Hell from 2008 - 2014, I was working full time while completing some sort of college related program which led to my 4 degrees. I was doing that while also working out and spinning plates. It's all about time management.

You mentioned that the program is with Strayer University right? They are regionally accredited through the Middle States Commission On Higher Education, they have ACBSP Accreditation, and they have been around since 1892. There's nothing wrong with this and after all, it's FREE....TAKE IT. Either that, or choose another regionally accredited college that they will pay for 100% with nothing (or very little) out of pocket for you.

I know bro. I read about Strayer, and yes more than a few people had problems, but an MBA is an MBA. Even if at the current time I can't name one thing I plan to do with that degree, degrees are often a valuable substitute for experience in a hiring process. Plus, it would be a confidence boost and really push the "comeback" narrative I'm trying to buy into.

 

[Bible_Belt]

Those luxury cars depreciate so fast, because once they come off warranty, the maintenance is so expensive that it makes more sense to just buy a new one. A buddy of mine was a dealership mechanic for Mercedes. Their average ticket was something like $1,700, which is about triple the average bill at the Chevy dealership. Audi makes their cars so that special tools are required; they can usually only be worked on at the Audi dealership.

I really hate new cars and the way they are built to create maintenance revenue for dealerships. Chrysler does this crap where they mount the battery under the wheel, so you have to take the tire off to get to the battery. When you run the battery dead in a Chevy Cruze, it won't let you remove your key, or open the hood to get to the battery. These are the things I would try to avoid. I'd rather be able to change my own oil or battery when I needed to. There's no reason a job like that requires a professional.

 

[ChristopherColumbus]

Cut out the porn. It is poisons your ability to connect with women.

Most guys are addicted to it today. Where in Brave New World, they had the drug of Soma, we have easy access to porn. It's an addictive drug as bad as crack..

 

[Tenacity]

Thank you. And what you wrote following this was detailed and practical, as always. I will continue to defend you whenever others get on you for being human "emotional", in threads similar to this one.

Oh don't worry about them lol. They are too busy trying to reserve their Manosphere/Sosuave "cartoon Alpha image". I speak what's on my mind and don't give a fvck if it comes off "Alpha" lol.

The job will pay minimum $41,400 gross in 2017. That is my "in the black" yearly target where my job will not be threatened in 2018. And we saw charts that show 80% of salesmen do hit that target without much difficulty. I do believe I will can $50,000 in 2017. Come January, I should be grossing 4k, netting 3k per month. My expenses only add up to slightly over 2k a month.

This is solid middle class income, you do live in a low or average cost of living area right? As long as the area doesn't have a high cost of living, you are middle class with this income.

I really do not want to have a loan for a car, but we'll see when the commission checks come in. I don't need a $40,000 Camaro like you bro, although it would be nice. I was thinking of looking for a 5 year old Benz, BMW, or Audi with 90,000 miles or so. They depreciate so fast - you can get them out the door for 8k cash deal and you own it. And I would purchase any extended warranty and have my mechanic sign off before buying.

I would go on Autotrader.com, put your area in, and put in a criteria for cars that are no more than $8,000 with less than 75,000 miles on it. Then just scroll through the options. What I would do if I were you, is get a nice general car that won't provide many problems, low gas, and one that you can throw some accessories on that will give it a "good presentation". You just don't want to look BROKE, but at the same time you don't need to look RICH either.

I am introverted ever since my breakup last July, but it wasn't like that immediately. I engaged girls right after because I knew I had to, but I had about 8 flakes in a row after that, got really frustrated with women, and have not got back in the game since but for about 2 dates. I have very little tolerance for female BS right now but I NEED to start getting regular poon again.

Here's my recommendation. From now until the end of the year, focus SOLELY on getting the financial/fitness house in order. This includes kicking a.ss in the new career AND getting your college program started, structured, and fit into your schedule. Then this will also include managing your expenses, configuring your passive investments such as Index Funds, etc. Finally, this includes getting on a healthy eating plan and exercise plan that works FOR LIFE.

Spend October, November and December structuring this. You will now have a pretty busy schedule but at this point your financial house will be in order and the fitness (in combination with your natural nice looks) will be in order.

The only thing remaining will be to fix the Personality, which consequently, the financial/fitness house being in order will give you a BOOST of confidence. So pretty much all that would need to be done in January is to add into your schedule the ability to meet gangs of women on a consistent basis....could be online, in social circles, or a combination. As long as you are getting 12 numbers, going on 6 dates, and fvcking 3 (in which those 3 becomes your "plates") you are doing fine.

By February of 2017, your financial, fitness, and personal relationship aspects should ALL be efficient. You will be very busy my friend so get prepared for it. You will also have women pissed off at you for having to cancel dates at the last minute due to work/school conflicts lol.

I know bro. I read about Strayer, and yes more than a few people had problems, but an MBA is an MBA. Even if at the current time I can't name one thing I plan to do with that degree, degrees are often a valuable substitute for experience in a hiring process. Plus, it would be a confidence boost and really push the "comeback" narrative I'm trying to buy into.

Well, I will tell you a harsh reality.....there's only two values with MBAs. One value is if you have a Top 10 MBA and it gets you recruited into a top Finance position because for those positions, they usually only recruit from said Top 10 MBA programs. The other value is just to CHECK OFF THE BOX, for management related positions you are applying to that are looking for the applicable 5 - 10 years experience and a regionally accredited master's degree.

So the Strayer program would be a check off the box. If you don't like Strayer, you mentioned that they will pay $8,000 a year towards a degree, so pick another University that's within that budget range. But for the CHECK OFF THE BOX, I would try to get it for free.

The best way to get an MBA is for free....why? Because quite honestly, the MBA degree in and of itself is worthless. You don't learn shyt over what you already learned in the undergrad business program. The MBA degree in and of itself is just a networking tool.

 

[samspade]

I believe for those of us destined for greatness, life gives us the "gift" of a testimony. This is your testimony, so that when you are successful and people look to you for guidance/motivation, you will be able to reference your January 2015 - August 2016 period of hardship. It makes you more relatable to people.

That is a great way of looking at things. The gift of testimony. Interesting. I just recently started an anonymous blog to track my goals. I gave up pursuing what I didn't want and have started pursuing my interests and writing about it. I liked the idea that I'd have a journal to look back on so I wouldn't feel like a failure. But that's for another thread.

BlueAlpha, good for you for taking the early steps toward self-improvement. It never ends - you're either getting better or you're getting worse. I'm maybe an inch shorter than you, and I was up to 192 or so. This summer I joined a 3-on-3 basketball league that really got my blood pumping. Way better than just running and way more fun. That's over, but it got me feeling better and making healthier choices. The past few weeks I haven't had a drop of alcohol. I'm not quitting that, but I realized I'd been having wine every day and rationalizing it. The reality was it was slowing everything down. Anyway I'm down to 182 now and keeping up the walking, running, and lifting.

As for school, only you know if a Master's will be worth it. I just decided against doing that, on the cheap and in a foreign country. My reasons were my own. As for the cost, if the tuition is reimbursed, ask if the tax on it is as well. I work for a university that offers tuition remission to employees. It's an expensive one so the tax alone is as much as some 4-year programs.

The one thing I can tell you is time flies, and 2-3 years will fly by and you'll look back and say "wow, I got my degree, and it wasn't as bad as I thought" or you might think "why didn't I just get that darn degree?" Or you might be glad you used your time for other pursuits. Meditate on your dreams and you'll have an answer.

 

[BlueAlpha1]

This is solid middle class income, you do live in a low or average cost of living area right? As long as the area doesn't have a high cost of living, you are middle class with this income.

Central Florida is not NYC or SF high, bit not KC or Omaha low either. We're kind of in the middle. I think anything over 40k for a single person would be considered middle class for sure.

I would go on Autotrader.com, put your area in, and put in a criteria for cars that are no more than $8,000 with less than 75,000 miles on it. Then just scroll through the options. What I would do if I were you, is get a nice general car that won't provide many problems, low gas, and one that you can throw some accessories on that will give it a "good presentation". You just don't want to look BROKE, but at the same time you don't need to look RICH either.

Good idea. I like the idea of luxury, but I'm fine with entry level luxury. A 5 y/o Benz or BMW under 100k can be had for under 8k. A 2-3 y/o economy car (Hyundai or Nissan) Like New with only about 20k miles can be had for that same range 8-9k - cash deal of course where you have a lot more buying power.

The other value is just to CHECK OFF THE BOX, for management related positions you are applying to that are looking for the applicable 5 - 10 years experience and a regionally accredited master's degree.

That's exactly what it is, a check off the box. There's no question that just having *any* Masters Degree gives you a competitive advantage in the market place. Sure an MBA from Harvard means more than an MBA from Strayer, but an MBA from Strayer means a lot more than nothing. And while SOME recruiters would do some heavy digging on the school every time, most will simply allow their HR unit to verify that the school exists and that you did get a degree from there. That's often it, if they haven't heard of the school.

Keep in mind that a Masters Degree can sometimes REPLACE required experience. Good luck breaking into middle management in a new industry when they want 5 years experience...OR a Masters degree in business. That's a big deal too.

So the Strayer program would be a check off the box. If you don't like Strayer, you mentioned that they will pay $8,000 a year towards a degree, so pick another University that's within that budget range. But for the CHECK OFF THE BOX, I would try to get it for free.

Right now it's Strayer or nothing. They prepay this one school, they "reimburse" up to 8k all other schools. USF is across the street from me, but they're more than 8k AND I'd have to go through financial aid in the interim and turn my transcripts over AFTER I pass. My interest level is not nearly that high.