Thread: MBA's- Still worth something or not?

yes MBAs are valuable from top 10 schools like you said.. as are law degrees from top 14 schools. difference is that you need to be top 1/3 of your class [if you want the high paying gigs] in LS along with the fact that it's twice as long (and expensive and risky)

only if you graduate from a top ten school

Another MBA thread...

Hey man, I went down this road and the MBA is not warmly discussed here.

I am actually in the final stage of the application process for my MBA - the WAITING stage. Here is how I see it for MBAs - If you have a job where they basically tell you that an MBA is either a requirement for advancement, or where you look at the next level of in your workplace and they all have MBAs, then obviously its a good idea, and it really doesn't matter where you get it (especially if you are staying with the same company). Also, there are some schools out there that have strong networks with specific (usually local) companies. For example, I can't recall what school it is but most Disney execs come from one of the Florida schools.
Finally if you are like me and really have no idea what you want to do and mainly want to open doors than a top 10 or 15 school is a must. Its all about networking at these places, as the education is the same as what you will get at a "lower" school. Hence as I wait, it is to hear back from the 3 top schools I was fortunate enough to interview at.
One thing about b-school in general which was mentioned before is that for many places it really doesn't matter how well you do. In fact, a bunch of the top schools have grade non-discolsure policies!


Law school on the other hand is different in that the hardest part is not getting in, its the school itself (oh, and its still just as hard as b-school to get in if not harder in some respects). Its a lot of work and 3 years as opposed to 2. Then you have to take the bar after everything is said and done. I know less about Law School, but from what I've heard if you do well, even if its not a top tier school you will have lots of opportunities, although how well you have to do is relative to how good a school you are at (i.e. at middle tier school you need to be in the top 10% for the top firms, at U Chicago you just need to be in the top 50%)

Oh, and a great forum to learn more about MBAs (and also about the GMAT) if you are interested:
The B-School Application

Thanks for the link HERM3S, I've recently written my LSAT, scored a solid mark but I'm reconsidering my route and looking into writing my GMAT's if it appears to be a worthwhile option. Helpful link!

The way I see it (I'm finishing up my undergrad):

The only way to go is to top 10 Bschools. In the global economy, and globalization, I feel like everything is going global, even more than it already has. If you have an MBA from Keller or Lake Forest Graduate school it will mean not a lot. No one knows the name outside their respective states and I don't think will add value to your commercial appeal domestically and certainly not when your going abroad. Now going to HBS or Oxford, even though it can give you the same curriculum as the lesser known schools, the name sells it.

Networking seems to be the biggest reason to get an MBA. Your fellow students in a top 10 MBA program will go on to become CEO and people that you will want to know. You go to school to get to know those people. I feel that when you get into Harvard or other top 10 or even 5, your join an elite club of people. Not necessarily elite in a sense that they are better than everyone, but elite in the sense of importance in the business world.

Therefore if I go to Bschool it will have to be the top 5 or none.

Just my opinion.

I was trying to figure out if anyone who has posted in this thread, other than Pun, actually has an MBA.

Yes, it's still a great degree to have. Yes, the better the school, the more value it has. Yes, plenty of people, particularly entrepreneurs obviously, do great in business without an MBA. And plenty of people do great with a local, or non-top-20 MBA. Particularly if they are going to stay in that area.

Whether or not it is worth two years of your life, a lot of money, and a lot of opportunity cost, is different for every person. But I find the way you phrase the question funny: MBA still worth something? In many areas, or at many levels, it's all but become a requirement for entry these days, and thus is worth more now than it ever was in the past.

Good post Russ. I'm gonna see what I can do without one, and if I need one, I need one. I can always make someone else pay for it

Originally Posted by D-VO

Good post Russ. I'm gonna see what I can do without one, and if I need one, I need one. I can always make someone else pay for it

So true...

Everyone has their own opinion and everyone has heard both sides of the education argument:
Dell, Gates, etc... no college at all, UBER-Rich!

Lawyers, CEO's... all the education in the world, UBER-Rich

If you can do it, go for it... it cant hurt, but i know a handful of my friends who dont have the right motivation, are scared of the real world, and dont have the poise to interview well and get a job they are qualified for, therefore they went back for more education, but will surely not benefit them... as well as people who have aced the Bar, aced B-schools and still cannot (due to lack of trying) find a job...

All that to say, it cant hurt, just make sure youre there to learn, and when you get out, be aggresive, creative, innovative, and motivated to change some things in this world for the better...

Your actual skills matter infintely more than the piece of paper that says you have them. Sometimes you need the paper, sometimes you don't.