General Musings on Future Plans

[Chebasaz]

Forgive the rambling, but it sometimes helps to write these things down. I also like to get everyone's opinions from time to time, and the folks here have never steered me wrong when it comes to academics. Here's my quandary:

As I noted in an earlier thread, I've finished my first degree (BS in Liberal Studies). I now have 18'sh credits left on my BSGB degree. With the BSLS degree being completed, I can now prepare for my PMP exam, and I've been busy for the last few days putting together my experience portfolio. I should be done with that by next weekend, and I plan on studying for the exam and sitting it by the beginning of next month once the degree completion is verified by EC. After that's done however; I'll admit to being a bit lost.

The plan has always been to pursue a MBA after my initial degrees were done. The larger question has always been, "Where to attend?" There have been a plethora of great threads on this very subject both here and on degreeinfo.com, but as usual I like to color outside the lines.

A few qualifications:

1) I plan on retiring at 40. By retiring I mean that if I choose to work, it's because I "choose" to work. I'm looking for the educational chops to make employers sit up, take notice, and open up their wallets. It may sound trite, but money equals options, and I"m all about the options.

2) I'm also looking for something that can be accomplished reasonably quickly, since each year that passes is one year closer to my age 40 deadline (I'm 30 now). Quality shouldn't be sacrificed however; and I'm looking for a program that I can use.

3) I have no social life besides an occasional round of golf/politics and weekly paintball on Sundays for anger-management The course load isn't a factor, as long as I can continue my usual work-week of 50-60 hours as well as the classes, and still keep most of my sanity.

4) I work in Cuba, and as such am faced with a variety of limitations. For example: Slow internet, so a university like Harvard or MIT which relies on video-style classes isn't much of an option for me unless I can get them on DVD. An hour of video takes me almost 12 hours to download. Text based courses (Online or via books) are preferred.

5) Residencies are also a no-go, even if it's a few days every few months. The IRS would hunt me down for their money if I spent more than 30 days in the states each year.

5) As you've probably noticed by the length of this post; verbosity is a trait. Some of the graduate programs are heavy on the writing in exchange for lesser group projects. Since I hate to rely on someone else for my grade; that type of course would be ideal.

So to sum up for the one or two folks that are still reading this (I'm guessing Cinderly is one of them; happily tearing apart my grammar - blasted editors!), I'm looking for suggestions. The institution should be well regarded, quickly managed with intense effort, and have a good MBA program. Price isn't that big of an issue, though if it's something along Duke's lines (100k'sh) the ROI should be of equal value. I do plan on taking the GMAT so a school requiring that is fine.

I've also been looking at overseas colleges. If I stick to the English/Scottish/German universities, then the prestige factor isn't that big of an issue. Some, like Heriot Watts offer an extremely attractive format (Testing with self study). Oxford is also attractive, as they have a distance learning program as well, and it's hard for an employer to argue with a degree from such an institution. Getting accepted would prove a challenge.

And then there's that blasted BSGS degree to finish in the next month or so...