u/thuk_05 — reddlx

Hi everyone,
I’m currently at a crossroads in my career and could use some unvarnished truths from people who have successfully navigated this. I have maximized my growth in a core engineering capacity and am now eager to pivot into a broader management/leadership role.
I am deciding between pursuing an MBA in the US versus Europe, but I'm struggling with the opportunity cost and assessing my realistic target schools.
Basic Stats:
• Demographic: Male, International Engineer.
• Undergrad GPA: 7.9 / 10.0 (B.Tech).
• Work Ex: 3 years as a Software Development Engineer (SDE) at Amazon. I have solid impact stories (migrating massive backend architectures, cloud optimization, scale).
• Current Comp: Earning a Tier-1, top-percentile tech salary for my region.
• Test Scores (Cold Mock without any prep): GMAT Focus Edition: 555 (Quant: 83, Verbal: 79, DI: 70).
Post-MBA Goals:
I want to leverage my backend architecture experience to transition into management and business leadership within the tech sector or strategy consulting.
My Dilemmas / Questions for the Community:

US vs. EU for my Profile: Given my background, does it make more strategic sense to target tech-heavy US programs (like Tepper, Foster, Haas, MIT) or top European programs (INSEAD, LBS, HEC)?
The 7.9/10 GPA Anchor: How badly will my 7.9 GPA hurt me for the schools mentioned above? Can a 685+ GMAT FE actually offset this for US schools, or are European schools genuinely more forgiving of undergraduate grades?
The European Age Factor: I know EU schools usually prefer older cohorts (5-6 years of work ex) and deep international exposure. With 3 (going on 4) years at Amazon, am I too "young" or lacking in cross-border experience for LBS or INSEAD?
The Opportunity Cost Trap: Leaving my current role means walking away from a highly lucrative tech trajectory. Has anyone here left a Big Tech engineering salary for an MBA to pivot into management? Is the massive USD-denominated debt actually worth the ROI for this specific pivot?

Hi everyone,
I’m currently at a crossroads in my career and could use some unvarnished truths from people who have successfully navigated this. I'm contemplating an MBA to pivot out of pure coding.
Here is my profile:
Basic Stats:
• Demographic: Male, Engineer, OBC (OEM category for Indian schools).
• Academics: 10th: 9.8 CGPA | 12th: 79% | Undergrad (B.Tech): 7.9 CGPA.
• Work Ex: 3 years as a Software Development Engineer (SDE) at Amazon. I have solid impact stories.
• Current Comp: ~30 LPA.
Test Scores (Cold Mocks without any prep):
• GMAT Focus: 555 (Quant: 83, Verbal: 79, DI: 70).
• CAT Mock: ~80th percentile (Terrible accuracy and time management).

My Dilemmas / Questions for the Community:

The 7.9 GPA Anchor (Global vs. ISB): How badly will my 79% in 12th and 7.9 UG CGPA hurt me for tech-heavy US schools (like Tepper, Foster, Haas, or MIT) or ISB? Can a 685+ GMAT FE actually offset this, or is that just a myth pushed by admissions consultants?
The European Route (INSEAD / LBS / HEC): I know European schools are slightly more forgiving of UG grades but usually prefer older cohorts (5-6 years work ex) and deep international exposure. With 3 (going on 4) years at Amazon, am I too "young" for LBS or INSEAD? And how is the Tech PM recruitment scene in the EU/UK compared to the US?
The IIMs: I know my past academics would normally kill my chances at IIM A/B/C. The heavy weight IIM Bangalore gives to 3 years of work ex,should I just pivot all my energy to the CAT?
The 30 LPA ROI Trap: Leaving a 30 LPA job means giving up ₹60+ Lakhs in foregone salary, plus the cost of the MBA. Has anyone here left a Tier-1 tech salary for an MBA? Is the debt for a US/EU B-school or the opportunity cost of an IIM actually worth it for a PM pivot, or should I just try to hustle into PM internally without the degree?
Next Steps: Given my cold mock baselines and the Indian vs. Global MBA paths, which exam (GMAT vs CAT) makes more strategic sense to focus on over the next few months?