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MBA school - to go or not to go - a guide to the eternal question…
I indicated in another post that I was going to tackle the eternal question of whether one should get an MBA or not. Sorry for the long post but I hope it helps those of you who have been wondering. Here it goes…
My Story
I graduated from UVSC with an undergrad in business. I had attended BYU but ended up transferring back to UVSC when I realized I could get out of my undergrad faster at UVSC. At the time I wanted to go to law school and since law schools don’t care where you go for an undergrad I figured it was a good, fast option. After I bailed on the idea of going to law school I regretted going to UVSC (I no longer regret it). Even though I was satisfied with the business program at UVSC I felt a bit of a social stigma having gone there. At the time, part of me didn’t feel like I’d earned a real undergrad degree. The reality is that I did and I think UVSC is a fine school but in Utah some people have haughty opinions and look down on UVSC.
I believed I had no other option but to further my education and get an MBA. I was working full time and had two kids so I didn’t feel I had any other choice but to attend a night or executive MBA program. I looked at several schools including BYU and the U. My wife’s uncle suggested that I look at Westminster. I hadn’t heard much about the school so I went in for a closer look. The advisor indicated that I could join the executive program the coming semester because I had over a 3.6 GPA in my last 60 credit hours, I had over three years of management experience, and I had an undergrad in business management. I decided to jump in because heading to the U or BYU would have forced me to wait another year.
Was it good for me?
In a word…yes. I can track back much of my current success to MBA School. Its not so much the knowledge I gained in MBA School as it was the ancillary benefits like building a network. The biggest benefit for me was being invited back to teach in the undergrad program. I get more mileage out of the fact that I teach at the college level than anything else on my resume. For some reason that impresses people and it really helps me stand out in a crowd. Teaching has opened up a lot of doors for me. So track the success path: I went to school. I then taught school and that got me in a lot of other doors. If I had not earned an MBA I would not have been able to teach and some important doors may not have opened for me.
Who should go?Â
In my opinion, the ideal MBA student is someone with more than five years of management experience working in accounting, finance, or operations and can attend a night program.
If you’re in sales and you want to be in management then an MBA might help your career. Remember, business is a lot like an aircraft carrier - the captain of the ship always started out as a fighter pilot and then worked his way up. Sales are the fighter wing of all businesses and most CEO’s worked in sales at some point prior to taking on the CEO role. Â
MBA School is about 10 years behind the real world when it comes to marketing. So if you work in marketing don’t go to MBA School for the marketing education. I think marketing people are always benefited by the financial education one receives in MBA School.
If you’re an IT guy or computer programmer than an MBA can’t hurt. Possessing an MBA and being technically experienced is a great combination. I’d advise you to consider an MBATM or MBA in Technology Management - a techno MBA that teaches you the fundamentals of business with a tech spin.
MBA School is not for people under 30. MBA School is not for people with less than three years of real management experience. Go get some real experience first. MBA School forces you to take inventory of your life, your career, your management style and your intelligence. The more work and life experience you have the more valuable your MBA experience will be.
What they teach in MBA School
Critical analysis, numbers, spreadsheets, stats, research, management theory, IT management, product development, operations and manufacturing theory, business law, accounting, strategy, marketing - all good foundational stuff. The education is challenging because its both left and right brained (think finance guy vs. marketing guy inside your head all the time…ouch).
What you won’t learn in MBA School
Overall, MBA education needs to improve - its not perfect and its not a panacea. They don’t teach you real management, communication, sales, or how to make money. This is the real meat of business and they can’t teach it because it has to be learned and developed on the job. You don’t learn experience in MBA School and no amount of education can replace real life on the job experience. An MBA is a complement to your experience not a replacement for it. That brings us to our next point…Â
Night or day program?Â
DO THE NIGHT OR EXECUTIVE PROGRAM. Only 20 percent of business school students are enrolled in two-year, full-time day programs and for good reason. Going to a day program is like a brewing apprentice saying he’s going to leave the brewery for two years to learn about brewing in some far away school. It doesn’t make sense. Medical education focuses on doing because you can learn a lot more working in the O.R. than you can reading about the O.R. in some book. The medical industry has this figured out so when will the business world figure it out? If you want to attend a day program make sure its a top 10 school or forget about it. On that note, going to a top 10 school is not about the education (the education is same everywhere) its about the network you develop.
When you’re in a night program the experience is much more valuable because you see the theory learned at night play out at working during the day. Furthermore, and this is critical, bailing on your career to take a two year break from reality is not healthy for your personal and professional development. You lose your edge and that is something you can’t afford to lose on top of two years of lost income.
MBA’s hire other MBA’s
I recently read a quote from John Huntsman Senior where he was bagging on MBA’s. If its so wrong, Mr. Huntsman, then why do you employ so many MBA’s? If MBA’s have no value or aren’t necessary then why is it that most legitimate companies list job description after job description requiring an MBA? Here’s a fact - businesses love to hire MBA’s and MBA’s love to hire other MBA’s. Why? Because it means you probably have half a brain and because visionaries dream it and MBA’s build it. Without the MBA’s who would build it? The English majors? The computer programmers? Its just the way the world works.
On that note, do you think just having a bachelors degree is going to cut it in a flat world? Sure, experience means more than education but when it comes down to it - if you’re up for a job where all else is equal except the other guy has an MBA and you don’t - guess who wins.
MBA School and the entrepreneur
Are you an entrepreneur? What does MBA School offer you? How about a network of potential customers and employees. How about an intellectual incubator to test and formulate new ideas. How about something else to put on your resume when the shiz hits the fan. How about impressing investors? Contrary to what they say VC’s love putting money into guys with MBA’s.
It’s hard to run a business and go to night school but boy does it say a lot about your character. On the other hand, an MBA can be a major distraction for a small business owner so weigh it carefully.  Â
The religious perspectiveÂ
(This section is for the Mormons out there so you can skip it if you’re not LDS) With all the emphasis that’s placed on education in the LDS Church I find it a little odd when I hear fellow Mormons bag on getting more education. I think I remember reading something in the Doctrine and Covenants about the more intelligence a person gains in this life the better it will be for that person in the next. Remember that one?
I’ve also heard about the importance of ongoing and continual life learning in general conference time and time again. This doesn’t necessarily mean you need to get an MBA. It means you need to make education a lifetime endeavor and that may also include seeking advanced degrees like an MBA. Consider this from Russell M. Nelson:
“So my counsel then—and now—is to continue your education wherever you are, whatever your interest and opportunity, however you determine you can best serve your family and society.”
A couple of other things to remember
- Just because you have an MBA doesn’t mean you’re God’s gift to business.
- Just because you have an MBA doesn’t mean you automatically know what you’re talking about.
- Just because you have an MBA doesn’t mean you deserve a raise or a promotion.
- Just because you have an MBA doesn’t mean you should be treated differently than those around you.
- Just because you have an MBA doesn’t mean you are the most qualified person in the room.
ConclusionÂ
Should you go to MBA School? Its completely up to you. I generally encourage people to look at night or executive MBA programs because I don’t think getting an MBA hurts a person’s professional development. In fact, for most people, it probably helps. Remember that MBA School is not for people under 30 or people with less than three years of management experience. Most importantly, You don’t learn experience in MBA School and no amount of education can replace real life on the job experience. An MBA is a complement to your experience not a replacement for it.
Finally, to the Guy’s and Seth’s of the world - stop railing on an MBA education. What isn’t good for one may be good for another. Encourage people to figure it out for themselves rather than spewing forth broad generalizations, cliches, and bad anecdotes.
Take Guy’s own advice and don’t listen to the bozos. When it comes to MBA School do what’s best for you and make the best of the experience. If you do, MBA School will work out to your benefit and you’ll be glad you did it.
Best of luck…Â
@Chris,
Two fantastic posts (MBA & Legitimate). I enjoyed them both. Thanks for the thoughts.
Brock
Left by Brock Blake on 12/05/2007First thing: MBA school and kids don’t mix. The more kids, the harder — for day or night programs.
NOT having an MBA is my biggest personal and professional regret. And for those considering Marketing as a career — while facing a curriculum 10 years behind the real world, please remember that marketing is not colors (designer), presenting creative campaigns (ad agency), creating buzz (PR), or getting top Google ranking. The world needs more thinking people who can execute a collection of strategies to move product and ideas through channels with the least drain on sales costs. It’s war; it’s taking the biggest hill with the fewest casualties by using the Army, Navy, Air Force, etc.
Left by Brad Baldwin on 12/05/2007@ Brock - thanks!
@ Brad - ??? - I thought you had an MBA? Everything you say here about marketing is true.
If you don’t know Brad - check out his blog and Rocky Mountain Voices - he’s one of the great marketing minds here in Utah
Left by Chris Knudsen on 12/05/2007Did you not have to take the GMAT for Westminster? I’ve taken it, but I’ve never pulled the trigger on applying anywhere.
I met with a ton of schools about two years ago, but I just never got myself to go for it.
Left by Russell on 12/05/2007Chris,
Thanks for the post– you just saved me a few hours of mental work thinking through some of the debates back and forth I’ve had re: MBA or not.
Left by Carolynn on 12/06/2007I love it. I got an MBA, have a CIS undergrad, worked in management, went to the night program (you are spot on with that advice), and am now an entrepreneur. It’s been beneficial, of course, but not because of all the learning. In fact, my first class was an absolute mess - the professor was a loser who didn’t understand the subject matter.
Note that you’ll get different networking opps from different schools. I went to Idaho State. I think there are more MBA grads (or dropouts) featured in magazines like Fast Company and Inc. from Stanford than from ISU
Realize who you’ll be networking with, if you are comparing schools.
I’ll be referring others to this post, as it comes up all the time.
Left by Jason Alba on 12/06/2007I agree with a lot of things you point out.
For me, it was about answering the following questions:
* Where do I hope to be in 3-5 years (income, location, etc.)?
* How does an MBA help me get there?
* Can I get there without an MBA?
* Do I need to go to a particular school (or kind of school) to get there?
An MBA can get your foot in the right doors, that’s for sure. For example, if you attended at top-10 school, then getting a job at Mckinsey, Goldman, etc. is much easier. Once you’re in, however, then it’s up to you.
An MBA can also teach some skills necessary to do well in business, but one can learn these without going to B-school. In fact, if you seek this type of learning on your own without going to B-school, then you are already demonstrating the behaviors that indicate a successful future in business.
In terms of building a network, becoming part of a Top-20 B-school alumni is very good. Alumni from this batch are influential and can open future doors, but the relationship-building part is still necessary and being part of the same alumni group helps.
All in all, an MBA is helpful in degrees. There are trade-offs: if you go to a better branded business school, then the alumni group is better, future earnings is better, and getting your foot in the door of top companies is easier; if you go to a lesser branded school, you can learn skills that are helpful, but will struggle on the some other areas.
There are trade-offs, that’s all. For me, an MBA got my foot in the right doors, but after that it’s all up to me. The Alumni connections is very good and the name-brand of the school commands initial respect. But, like I said, after that, it’s really up to the individual.
Left by Pete Abilla on 12/22/2007@ Pete:
I was wondering when you’d weigh in
Great points - thanks for the comments!
Left by Chris Knudsen on 12/22/2007Chris, great insights. Thanks again for your thoughts regarding my direction.
Left by Jacob Hanson on 01/02/2008Chris, Enjoyed your postings. As one who has just left ten years employment with the International Center at UVSC to take a new position as Director for Global Engagement with the Woodbury School of Business I can advise you that big plans are in the works. We are modeling international initiatives after Thunderbird School of Global Management, and after the International MBA program at Moore School of Business, University of South Carolina. Regards, Boyd Bauer Ph.D.
Left by Boyd Bauer on 01/18/2008