Managers not MBA's

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but I no longer see the benefit to coming out of pocket for one. The value just isn't there.

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Well thats just not true.

Its just like any professional degree. If you are gonna be in the bottom part of your class, it probably won't be worth it.

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The value just isn't there.

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It is if you go to Harvard. Just make sure you go there instead of LSU, it should be easy for all of us who post here.

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Its still a good value, assuming you go to a good school. Lots of employers look for it, even if its watered down. if its a night school at a lesser school or 100% online, skip it.

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True, but I would add to this: it makes all the sense in the world if you want to start a new career, if you know what you want to do. What I would also say is that the MBA gets you three things (ideally):
1) A higher level of education that prepares you for the next level (caution: you'd be better off reading books and working your nuts off at work if you aren't prepared to study)
2) A network of people that you can use for subject matter expertise, business development, or job searches in the future
3) A first job.

I'll say this as a guy that didn't get an MBA but is in a career where it's almost a requirement (management consulting): You can get there without an MBA, but the road is harder and if you choose that path you need to actively manage your career and make difficult choices. You'll be paid less, but the gap in pay between MBA degrees and college graduates may never pay off if you don't work your balls off once you get out.

On the other hand, I have managed plenty of MBA graduates at work. What I find is that the guys that have an Ivy league degree act entitled and pretty much mail it in. The ones from top 30 schools that are not Ivy (e.g., Michigan, Texas, Vandy, Duke) have a slight competitive streak and blow the Ivy kids out of the water.

As for your situation, I would at least study for the GMAT and get in, and then make your decision - especially if you want to make a career change (presumably to a highly lucrative field such as O&G or Finance). At least you open yourself up for the opportunity?

Key would be to determine what you want to do and if the future earnings will really pay off for taking 2 years off as opposed to putting that energy into working.

What I wouldn't do is study to get into a top 15 school based without knowing where I wanted to end up.

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he ones from top 30 schools that are not Ivy (e.g., Michigan, Texas, Vandy, Duke) have a slight competitive streak and blow the Ivy kids out of the water.

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I have taken several online course through well known universities, most were very interactive. I spent large amounts of time on the phone, Skype, and Emailing with members of my project groups. Companies today rely heavily on electronic meetings and communication, being able to make a online presentation to a group of people scattered all over the world is a valuable skill, and one that gets practiced a lot in online courses.

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Its not the same thing. I too have taken online courses, and its definitely better than it was 10 years ago, its still inferior to the classroom.

There is so much value, especially for something like a MBA, for interacting with students and professors directly. Not just during class but after class, running into each other the hallway, office hours, and meeting for group projects. the so called "water cooler" conversations.

Obviously the big name schools do a much better job of this than the podunk schools.

And sure you will learn many of same skills in an online class vs. traditional class but i would argue the skills you learn during your MBA have a lot less to do with technical topics and more to do with social ones.

eta; I work 100% from home and agree being able to do things from a distance perspective is a great skill to have.

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its still inferior to the classroom.

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LINK

You were saying?

His point still stands. I don't really value the education aspect of an mba, what is most important is prestige and alumni base.

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barry

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Just callin' them like I see them. Might have something to do with the Harvard and Wharton colleagues starting every 6th sentence with "When I was at Harvard/Wharton, we would [insert shite everyone does / knows / it's not rocket science ]"

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its still inferior to the classroom.





LINK

You were saying?

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I still say that. For technical skills (i.e. managerial accounting), its probably good enough. But brainstorming, making connections, face to face thing, its inferior.