What is the general consensus regarding an MSRE vs. an MBA?
Hey Everyone,

As the title states, what’s the general consensus regarding an MSRE or an MBA, preferably online, to break into CRE. I graduated with a B.S. in Management Info. Systems, 4.0GPA &amp; summa cum laude, at a state school. Unfortunately, that puts my at a disadvantage since it’s not from a target school or a desired degree.

I noticed there’s a few schools such as NYU, USC, Kelley, just to name a few, that offer an online MBA program. Is there a preference over the other? I didn’t get to experience any role in Real Estate, but from the people I spoke with, Acquisitions is something of an interest. 

Thanks in advance!
[{"id": "iu22wgn", "text": "I don\u2019t think a masters should be pursued until anyone has a couple of years of experience and their employer wants them to have it.", "replies": [{"id": "iu235ud", "text": "Prior to my current role, I worked as a logistics coordinator for 7 years. At my current job, my boss mentioned an MBA and how it\u2019s becoming the standard. That being said, I can\u2019t stand the job I\u2019m at right now, and feel like my degree is limiting me extremely lol.", "replies": [], "depth": 2}], "depth": 1}, {"id": "iu28xy8", "text": "They are fundamentally different.  The MSRE is essentially worthless for most people.  You learn nothing you wouldn't pick up on the job.\n\nI've hired and worked with NYU MSREs in the past, and they are no better or worse than anyone else.  I've known many who thought it would open many doors, but did not.\n\nNow, graduate school is really all about the networking in business. So right out the bat, online is pointless.  But a Columbia MBA or NYU MBA versus an NYU MSRE?  Completely different world.\n\nDon't waste the time and money. Life is short.", "replies": [{"id": "iu2cufl", "text": "What do you think my best option would be to break in? I\u2019m planning to do the A.CRE Accelerator program soon and hopefully at least 6 months of business analyst exp. would be enough to somehow get a foot in the door.\n\nAcquisitions is something that interests me, especially since talking to several individuals.", "replies": [{"id": "iu2mozc", "text": "Go to wallstreetoasis.com, real estate forum, and search around. It is a very active community with a wealth of knowledge, both old posts and current", "replies": [{"id": "iu40giw", "text": "I\u2019m already on it lol, trying to get the most info. possible", "replies": [], "depth": 4}], "depth": 3}, {"id": "iu4n42x", "text": "This is a unique time to be interesting in CRE.  Master A.CRE and as many excel models as possible...  In this market, which is challenging to understand irrespective of computer skills, if you can't create the waterfall model from A.CRE from scratch, you're probably not up for the job.\n\nI'm 44, and I can do it myself in a relatively short period of time. If I hire you, it's because in part I've been cranking them out for 20 years and am sick of it. Excel hasn't change radically in decades.  The VBA editor is exactly the same as Excel 2003 and looks it.\n\nBut you have to remember - anyone with a high school education can be taught finance and accounting math.  You have to be honest with yourself: Do you want to do more? Can you?\n\nUltimately, \"more\" means picking up the phone, speaking to people in person when possible, or taking it to the next level and reading academic papers, government laws and records, speaking to economists, etc. to understand where we are in the market cycle and how to make sense of it.\n\nYou can learn people skills, while economics is not that hard but time consuming. This is the reason no MSRE course really gets into fundamental real property economics.\n\nIf you're considering an NYU MSRE, it means you have time and some family money.  I would spend your time and money in the following ways:\n\n1. Learn excel well enough to create a waterfall model from scratch.  You should be able to calculate loan terms in your sleep.\n2. Take cheap classes so you understand at least linear regression in an economics context. It has been a long time since economics has been taught as a social science, let alone the required statistics.  You can master this on your own, but may need some help.\n3. Do the same for programming in Python, Javascript, and R.  Microsoft has decent online classes for Office.JS, the replacement for Visual Basic for Office.  Best to learn it now.  Be careful of dated programming language courses. There are a million Youtube videos about VBA, and virtually none on Office.JS.  I find this amazing as going from the ancient VBA Office editor to the latest version of Visual Studio or Visual Studio code is like night and day. The Typescript structure of Office.JS is also far easier to understand for a third party, like your boss, if he is smart.\n4. Once you do #3, you should have the skills to learn any of the Cloud provider databases. I recommend the Azure platform.  Microsoft has good online classes, and they tend to keep things around for a long time. Sometimes too long.  Azure SQL for example will never go away.  Learn SQL first, but there are new database services even I wish I knew.\n5. Relationships and networking matter. Meet with as many developers, investors, brokers as you can during this time.  Just ask for 30 minutes to get their opinion on the market. Keep it friendly for 10 minutes.\n6. Spend your free time wisely. Spending the next 2 years living and home and learning/playing golf 1 day per week for that time period is more valuable than a USC MSRE.  Country club memberships in NY, NJ, or CT are cheap at 22, except for the most exclusive.  If you plan on staying in the region, sailing is just as popular as golf.  Learn both if you have time.\n7. Minimize or stop drinking.  Many RE people are drunks, but many are not. Stay away from drugs, including marijuana. Eat a healthy diet. Throw out your Xbox or PlayStation.  Hell, throw out your television. No computer games.  No porn and stay away from women who are a problem.  Be very careful about thinking about marriage before 30.  If you succeed, you will at 30 be able to easily start dating girls in college or just out of it.  If a girl isn't married by 27 or 28, chances are she has problems you don't need.\n8. Exercise every day, but don't become a gym rat.  Run 3-5 miles per day as fast as you can for 30 minutes.  Speed, not distance matters.  You should be able to bench press, military press, and squat your body weight.  Do pullups and dips, but avoid machines.  It's amazing how many people use a lat pulldown machine wrong and can't do 1 pullup. Focus on high reps and low weight and work up to your body weight.  Too many people focus on lifting as much as possible even for 3 reps and never make progress. Do this slow and steady over the 2 years you plan to be at an MSRE program, and you'll be in great shape with habits to last a lifetime.\n9. Learn to be cultured and interesting. If you didn't learn any musical instruments, you won't be able to learn now given everything else. If you can, for example, play the piano and you have one - practice it for 1 hour per day.  If you can't, at least learn the difference between Bach and Beethoven. Otherwise, read in your free time. Get your focus up to one book per week.\n\nSuccess at your age demands a regimented, disciplined, almost militaristic mindset. Don't waste time, and don't waste money.   Remember *you are not young*.  The next 8 years are the last time you will have to become the man you need to be.  After 30 it becomes much harder - after 40, nearly impossible.  Vices and frivolity are your greatest enemies.\n\nBut so too is complacency and misjudging your skills.  Everyone is outsourcing Argus models.  Being able to program outside of the box and learn analytics is necessary for this reason.  There are probably a million kids who got some Argus certification a year ago and never improved their skills such that they are economically obsolete and too old to learn anything new. Mastering basic programming will insure you always have the tools to tackle the next problem after automation or outsourcing takes care of the prior one. \n\nYou've got a great opportunity to spend the next 2 years to become someone amazing. You can do it.", "replies": [{"id": "iu4vgpj", "text": "LOL. This is hilarious and has got to be a joke. To summarize, learn R, SQL, JavaScript, VBA, Python, Azure, join a country club to golf, learn to sail, network, no drugs, no alcohol, no porn, no bad women, no TV, no computer games, and no workout machines. But do run 5 miles a day, and make sure you aren't a gym rat, but can still squat, bench, and military press your body weight (MILITARY PRESS YOUR BODY WEIGHT?!?). Also, don't get married before 30 so that you can date a college girl at 30. And play piano for 1 hour a day, and read a book a week. No problem", "replies": [{"id": "iu5z91f", "text": "Ok, military press half your body weight.  You got me there.\n\nA lot of this is pretty standard for successful people in Manhattan.  But a lot of it are habits and skills easily learned in the 2 years wasted on grad school.\n\nBut more importantly, I did it (other than golfing or sailing).  I'm a multimillionaire today and dating a college girl at 44.  I'd be even more successful if I had followed all the advice from 22, but some of it is essential to anyone with whom I would partner or hire.\n\nIf you blank out with the question \"what book are you reading right now?\", that's it for me.  I won't even waste my time conversing with such people.\n\nAnd sheesh - the technology skills enumerated are simple and basic.  I learned it all myself.  Anyone can learn all of that in 2 years, even if a drunk or stoner.", "replies": [{"id": "iuieth7", "text": "While I agree with the regimented way to reprioritize life around developing soft skills and business acumen,\n\n&gt;\tI\u2019m \u2026 dating a college girl at 44.\n\nThis is not the flex you think it is and actually quite gross.", "replies": [{"id": "iuiq3xf", "text": "Not flexing, but it\u2019s better than porn.  The point is real life interactions that add, not detract, from your life.  Honestly, I made the mistake of getting married at 28 and getting divorced raped in 2009 after my income tanked.  Would I be happier today with a stable relationship? Maybe, but I know few happy married people.  This wasn\u2019t a list of flexes, but things I learned later than I should have and in some cases never learned but really wish I had.\n\nI think it\u2019s also important to point out how much easier it was to make money before 2008.  I know young people don\u2019t have the same luxury I did of easily making $150k by 25 in Manhattan when apartments were a fraction of the cost.  And I wasn\u2019t working IB hours.", "replies": [], "depth": 7}], "depth": 6}], "depth": 5}], "depth": 4}, {"id": "iud932n", "text": "I actually got 2 deals worth $110,000 in commission from a public golf course.  I took continuing Ed classes at Fordham for RE Financial Modeling.  Have secured 10 private portfolio accounts and brokered financing.  You can do it without the MBA or Master if you can sell your self and your skills.  Learn scripts, qualifying skills, persuasive speach.  Of course I am a broker and independent contractor, if you want the cushy job and a boss to ride you, go for the MBA", "replies": [], "depth": 4}], "depth": 3}], "depth": 2}], "depth": 1}, {"id": "iu2c7xv", "text": "You don\u2019t need either for commercial real estate. It\u2019s really only valuable if you\u2019re looking to join a corporate acquisitions or portfolio mgmt team, and even then they\u2019re more concerned with your contacts and expertise. Learn basic finance for free online. Once you\u2019re in a good spot financially and business wise, then pursue a degree if it still interests you.", "replies": [{"id": "iu2cms0", "text": "The issue is that I\u2019m rejected every single time I try to apply at firms such as CBRE &amp; JLL lol. Acquisitions is something of an interest from speaking with individuals in the industry. Unfortunately, I\u2019m 26 years old and feel like time is running out lol.", "replies": [{"id": "iu2cyfb", "text": "You may want to join a firm as an analyst first. Decent pay anywhere from 60-90k annually depending on where you are. After a year, most firms will be interested in hiring you as either a sr analyst, jr. acquisitions specialist, or similar. I\u2019ve seen it work this way many many times over the years.", "replies": [{"id": "iu2d8cd", "text": "I\u2019m trying lol. I\u2019m hoping that with at least 6 months exp. as a business analyst will be enough to try to transition into a similar role at one of the CRE firms.\n\nThanks for the advice though, it really cleared some things up.", "replies": [{"id": "iu2m1wz", "text": "Could be poor timing, a lot of the big commercial firms are cutting or at least not growing their teams at the moment.", "replies": [], "depth": 5}, {"id": "iu9zbqp", "text": "Yeah you'll just have to hang in there, everyone's bracing for layoffs or not really moving around. Once they start happening there might be movement though. People invariably get pissed about the different work balance/hating their new bosses etc. \n\nI wouldn't spend more money on a degree you don't need though.", "replies": [], "depth": 5}], "depth": 4}], "depth": 3}, {"id": "iu5n066", "text": "Have you been networking like I suggested, or still throwing apps in blindly?", "replies": [{"id": "iu5pzui", "text": "Yes, networking via LinkedIn and locally.", "replies": [], "depth": 4}], "depth": 3}], "depth": 2}], "depth": 1}, {"id": "iu2nuhb", "text": "MBA &gt; MRED in all situations.  \n\nGo to the best school you can get into and if that isn\u2019t top 10 MBA or USC, MIT, NYU MRED then don\u2019t waste your time.  \n\n- Director at institutional developer", "replies": [{"id": "iu2xfk9", "text": "Best input on here", "replies": [{"id": "iu3qin8", "text": "What about UNC? Top 20 program", "replies": [{"id": "iu4qqu2", "text": "As in their MBA? It\u2019s a solid program, grads place well in real estate across the southeast, plus Chicago and NY. Their KFBSF setup is definitely a selling point if you\u2019re serious about moving into the industry. I\u2019d personally take this option all day over a top 10 MSRE degree.\n\nRound 2 apps are due in January, so better start studying for the GMAT asap.", "replies": [], "depth": 4}], "depth": 3}], "depth": 2}, {"id": "iu40jdk", "text": "Thank you, that\u2019s what I was planning. Is there a huge difference between online, part time, or full time?\n\nEdit: NYU, Cornell, and Marshall are ranked 12, 15, and 19 respectively, are those automatically out due to not being a T10 MBA?", "replies": [{"id": "iu45n1v", "text": "Online - not worth anything. Part time is ok. Full time is best because of the connections you will make. \n\nIf you\u2019re applying east coast and west coast Marshall may be the one exception to my top 10 logic because of the network.", "replies": [{"id": "ivbqpm6", "text": "Hey, I PM\u2019d you, I have some questions, if you don\u2019t mind answering some of them.", "replies": [{"id": "izd0gzk", "text": "I wouldn\u2019t say an online program is worthless.  Executive MBA and DBA programs have become a lot more common since Covid.  I\u2019d try to get into a school close to the region/market you hope to work in.", "replies": [], "depth": 5}], "depth": 4}], "depth": 3}], "depth": 2}], "depth": 1}, {"id": "iu2um2f", "text": "Don't bother. You learn sales on the job, not wasting a year on an MBA you don't need and won't use.", "replies": [{"id": "iu41bi4", "text": "I lack the \u201cpreferred\u201d degree and come from a non-target school. It\u2019s been really problematic getting my foot in the door.", "replies": [{"id": "iu4jr7o", "text": "If you're too young, or don't have mojo for sales, or aren't a hot chick who can charm buyers, established teams don't need dead weight.\n\nPlus the market is freezing and going to the shitter, I would guess nobody is expanding right now.\n\nEdit: nobody cares about your degree. If you were the right person without any degree, they would hire you.", "replies": [{"id": "iu4ss16", "text": "I\u2019m not looking to get into sales or brokerage, I\u2019m interested in analytical roles.\n\nSure, if you have experience in underwriting, modeling, and/or financial background, it\u2019s easier, but I have none of that lol, hence I want the best chance to get in.", "replies": [{"id": "iu5fm90", "text": "Commercial property analysis isn't rocket science. Go apply to investment firms as an analyst.", "replies": [{"id": "iu5icys", "text": "I have been applying, but it\u2019s all been rejections. I don\u2019t know what else to do.", "replies": [{"id": "iu6lv14", "text": "Recession is here, whatever they say.\n\nKeep at it.", "replies": [], "depth": 7}], "depth": 6}], "depth": 5}], "depth": 4}], "depth": 3}], "depth": 2}], "depth": 1}, {"id": "iu2uwh9", "text": "Disagree with everyone here. I got a MSRE from University of Denver. My degree was 2/3 the cost of an MBA and completed in a year. The school got me an internship with the development group at a publicly traded reit. After that I was able to land a job as a development analyst at a multifam PE shop. No previous RE experience, came from hotel management. On track to get equity 5-7 years in. The network and connections is the value.", "replies": [{"id": "iu393y9", "text": "Second this. Has worked well for me. Did an MRED after working in urban planning for a while and now work for a developer.", "replies": [], "depth": 2}, {"id": "iu418gu", "text": "Thank you for your input. I\u2019m still debating what to pursue, but haven\u2019t had the opportunity to experience the industry first hand. I\u2019m basing it off what the individuals told me about.\n\nHowever, MSRE is still in contention, but it seems it would have to come from a top ranked program.", "replies": [], "depth": 2}], "depth": 1}, {"id": "iu3mwob", "text": "Focus on the network.\n\nAnd make it local to the area you want to develop your career.\n\nYou can also get a dual degree.", "replies": [{"id": "iu411r3", "text": "I\u2019d like to have the opportunity to work both on the east coast and west coast eventually", "replies": [{"id": "iu43cv2", "text": "Probably NYU then.\n\nBut USC isn't bad either.", "replies": [{"id": "izd1z47", "text": "NYU (Stern) Or (Mellon-Tepper) for East Coast North Atlantic.  USC (Marshall) for West Coast.  \n\nUSC is a top 5 alumni network school.", "replies": [], "depth": 4}], "depth": 3}], "depth": 2}], "depth": 1}, {"id": "izd03hi", "text": "If you can figure out a way to pay for it and not milk yourself with the debt, the highest ranked MBA you can get into with a RE/finance Concentration would be advantageous.  I dropped out of Georgetowns MRE program because I\u2019d already learned everything that entire program was teaching in 4 years in industry.  \n\nThe MBA is way more robust and cross disciplinary and if you can get into a top 10-20 B school, I think the network could pay off.  I know several MBA\u2019s that are killing it and their alumni network leverage absolutely helped them.", "replies": [], "depth": 1}]