Amy,
My boss here in Texas used to work very close to the GSD for a very well known LA firm in Boston. I was teetering on MLA applications when I interviewed, and he told me that regardless of your MLA degree (or location of said degree) his focus when hiring someone was to see what they could do. If you get an MLA from the least known University in the country, or the GSD, arguably one of the best known, you will still have to prove yourself to your potential employer. It’s worth mentioning as well that his firm did not pay any better for someone fresh out of school with a BLA, or the GSD. Now, having said that, I know a principal at Design Workshop that came straight out of the GSD as one of their most talented graduates ever and landed himself a job already very high on the totem pole.
I would say you need to do some self searching and determine what it is you want to make a career out of in the world of LA. 6 yrs post BLA graduation I am so glad that I did NOT pursue an MLA, anywhere. The previous comment of ROI being very low in our profession is dead on. It’s very unrealistic to expect a salary bump of $15k just because you have an MLA. While there are undoubtedly more and better jobs for those who are more qualified, that vast majority in this economy just want to see what you can do. Perhaps an internship or short lived job at a firm with the type of work you’re interested in can give you the real world experience necessary to get a “career” job that a piece of paper with MLA on it wouldn’t be able to provide.
Just my opinion. Best of luck to you.
