My MBA students and I made a music video about “Gettin’ my MBA”. Please check it out.

I find it histerical the payback scenario even from a Top 10 school. Again, outside of the “Wall Street” jobs there are just not that many even $125K Corporate Jobs. Think about it, do you really think you are going to work 160 hours a month and make $150K, if you are fortunate to do so, not bad money at $78hr, but if you work like myself and other mid level to senior positions at $150K a year working 65 hrs to 70 hrs a week more normal in these position, you will earn $45 an hour. You can be an electrician, plumber, etc and make that wage.

I have been told to go get my MBA, what does it really get me, more hours and an executive package, as well as being one step closer to the door, and really not making anything more at this point. I have been selectively searching to take that next step, and the $150K plus jobs are scarcly minimal.

Do it for yourself, I have seen so many failures of supposed MBA talent, they are all “yes” man and are action item drive with no execution. They are to worried about protecting themselves and exposing there piers, been in those high level exec meeting. What a joke, it you are sensable and come with the facts it should be a roundtable for productive outcomes working together as a executive team rather a perceived finger pointing session. These individual, and I have been around quite a few leaders are so lackluser, the only reason they are in the position, is they are a friend of a friend. They are your Top 10 MBA’er, I can train a chimp to do what they do and he/she will execute.

Oh, and talk about soft skin and emotionally driven, these teams are the biggest violators.

There is no team in Corporate American, and no friends, dont let them sell you on this Corporate Kool Aid and all the other little corpoarte words that their MBA make around the company.

Here is the Corporate thought of the century, ” The weak and talentless” get promoted. Perfect example, look at GE exec’s leaving a war zone at the companies that they led for a short period. No rationalized or innovation in their business accumen or strategic or tactical initiatives.

Look for small emerging technologically advanced companies that will be acquired or specialize in Finance. An MBA in corporate american will not get you what you think it will.

I apologize for the spelling mistakes and gramatics

“a current MBA would need 6.3 years to pay back the total cost of a Top 10 MBA vs. a 2.9 year payback a decade ago.”

Doesn’t that prove that getting an MBA isn’t as great as it used to be, but after the payback is reached, you’ll still have that differential over the course of your entire lifetime? Thus, I would expect total lifetime earnings to be higher for Top 10 MBA graduates than non-MBA or non-top 10 MBA graduates.

Therefore, I don’t think an MBA is worth it.

Which one would you choose?

Anupam,
PR Head,
Managementparadise.com

Can you learn the same material without going to a formal MBA program? Yes. Is the quality of the material and it’s presentation, the interaction with seasoned professors and classmates going to be as high quality? Probably not.

There are two other white elephants in the room here that make a PMBA nearly worthless in the real world….

1) Much of what you get with your MBA is the alumni association and the network of fellow grads. Looking for a partner, funding, a job – simple truth is that working your alumni network is extremely powerful.

2) When I can put MBA Wake Forest University on my resume, that carries clout – whether it should or not is another debate…the fact is, that it does. If I were instead to say, completed JoeBob’s PMBA 2.0 at http://www.mba-for-free.biz, well…you get the idea. (which was hinted at in the article)

I did the night class thing. It was a huge sacrifice for me and the whole family. But work picked up most of the tab so there was nearly no opportunity cost involved. Check with your employer – a lot of them have education reimbursement policies that aren’t widely advertised.

End result? I’m making 40%+ more than I was 4 years ago and hold a VP position. Worth it? Every minute I spent on it, absolutely.

The MBA prepares you for a life as a corporate executive. Does this fit your overall goals? Are you willing to make the personal and family sacrifices this career path requires? If so a MBA may be a good investment. Then again you need to consider how long it will take to recoup the money and time required. Chances are that it may not be worth it.

Are you looking to branch out on your own? If so don’t waste your time or money. Most college based business programs are designed by academics who have little real world experience. Formal education won’t help you start and run a successful business.