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The thought of going back to school conjures up serene
campuses, summer vacations, and a laid-back lifestyle. After
several years of long workweeks, heading back to class might
sound like a much-needed two-year break. Well, business
school can be a great experience, but it's no picnic.
MBA programs are academically rigorous, highly competitive, and
demand your full attention for two years. So should you go
for it? Only you can decide that, but here are a few things
to consider. |
What is an MBA?
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What is an MBA, anyway? A degree, of course. In fact, it’s
probably the world's best known and most widely recognized
post graduate degrees. At its core it’s a professional
degree which is intended for those who work in business and
management. The goal of an MBA is to prepare or further
prepare individuals, usually in managerial positions, by
teaching them the theory and practice of business
management. This doesn't mean that everyone needs an MBA,
but there are a good amount of people who logically view it
as a major stepping stone to career success.
A good MBA program will teach lessons that can't ordinarily
be mastered on the job, such as finance, statistics and
managerial economics. It also can reduce the time necessary
to learn lessons that can be taught on the job, but only
over a long period of time. In addition, it shows how
different functions work, how they're related, how companies
in different industries compete, and how they manage in
diverse environments. The best programs also prepare
students for the new worldwide, information-driven
environment. |
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Reasons for Getting an MBA
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The MBA is an accommodating degree, which can serve either
to expand your knowledge of business or increase your
knowledge of a particular function, such as management or
finance. As a result, it's often viewed as having something
for everyone. Although this is clearly an exaggeration,
there are definitely many legitimate reasons to get an MBA.
Here are a few of the common reasons for getting an MBA from
Richard Montauk, author of "How to Get Into the Top M.B.A.
Programs":
- Improve your pay.
- Change careers.
- Advance in your current field.
- Shift from individual contribution to managing
others.
- Learn to manage a technical or creative field you're
currently in.
- Get an advanced degree needed to obtain a useful job
in your field.
- Gain adequate skills to start and run a business.
- Grow a small or start-up business, but need more
skills and credibility for dealing with lenders,
investors or customers.
- Develop your network of contacts.
All of these are good reasons for getting an MBA.
However, many experts advise that advanced MBA degrees are
best suited for professionals that already have some
business and/or management experience. A person who chooses
to pursue an MBA without any relevant work experience is
often less valuable than someone who first gets some
practical professional experience under their belt before
entering b-school and pursuing an MBA or other advanced
degree. Read More... |
Is an MBA Degree Right for Me?
