Hi all,

I’ve been seriously considering a full-time MBA, but I’m struggling with one core question: whether I’m already too late for it to make sense.

Background:

• 34M, Chinese (green card)
• Bachelor in Engineering (GPA ~3.2)
• Master in Materials Science (Top 30 US school, GPA ~3.2)
• 3 published papers (Nano Energy, Langmuir)
• ~9 years experience:
  • ~5 years Materials Engineer
  • ~4 years Product Manager (owning product lines, launching products, cross-functional work)
• Currently making ~$120k in the Midwest

Context:

• I previously took a Program Manager role in a tech company in the Bay Area (~2x my current pay), but left after ~9 months because it felt too execution-focused and not very strategic
• Since then, I’ve been trying to move toward more strategy-oriented roles, but it hasn’t been easy without a stronger brand or background

Goal:

• Transition into more strategic / business-impact roles
• Long-term target: ~$300k total comp in California
• Not interested in IB / consulting

Main question:

At 34, am I already too old for a full-time MBA to be worth it?

What programs should I target? Is M7 possible?