this is very true. If you aren't already in a company, or have an independently marketable skill to go along with it (accounting, engineering, etc) you had might as well get an art history degree.
anyways
MS applied economics
You'll hear all these skewes about how top program graduates average 150k one year after graduation or whatever, but they fail to mention that most of these guys already have 15+ years of experience and were likely making 6 figures before they even entered the program.
Originally posted by: Alienwho
I think top program may hold more weight if you go for an MBA, but I don't think it's a deal breaker if you don't make it into a top program. You'll hear all these skewes about how top program graduates average 150k one year after graduation or whatever, but they fail to mention that most of these guys already have 15+ years of experience and were likely making 6 figures before they even entered the program.
My brother in law is in a top program right now and graduates in the spring and he is struggling on lining up a job when he graduates. He told me he doesn't even care about class or school right now and he skips it all the time in order to attend job fairs all around the country trying to secure a position for a company. He said tons of people at these fairs are MBA graduates from one or two years ago that still haven't found a job. The competition is tough for MBA's right now.
In my opinion an MBA is great to have if you get lucky and happen to be in the right place at the right time and know the right people. If you don't catch a break and are able to garner a bunch of experience it will be tough to infiltrate into a real high paying MBA executive style salary because unfortunately MBA's don't really have any hard skills to market themselves with. Your hope would be to get a middle management job that any bachelors holder would qualify for, and hope to rise up the ranks. Of course your chances to attain that $50k middle management job are probably greater than your non-MBA counterparts, but this isn't the kind of job most MBA's are set on finding.
I think a masters degree in a specialized position may be of more worth in a lot of different situations, and also has the benefit of not necessarily requiring a "top school" to be perceived as worthwhile. I'm getting a masters in information systems from my state school. It only takes one year and costs a total of 15k. I'll be able to demand a raise of 15k right off the top, so it will essentially pay for itself in one year. I haven't even begun the program yet but I already have 3 job offers upon graduation (one from my current company to retain, one from a friend of my dads, and another from a guy in my neighborhood). None of these places would even blink an eye at me if I was getting an MBA, because they want to fill a specific nitch in the company that the MIS degree fills.
I may never make hundreds of thousands a year as a CEO, but I wouldn't want that anyway and can certainly merge towards CIO or CSO with my degree if I decide to leave the technical aspect and merge towards management.
It all comes down to hard skills, who you know and a little bit of luck.
Originally posted by: Blackjack200
Thanks,
I'm thinking of going but I hear a lot of noise about how it's only worth it if you go to a top program, and how it's just a piece of paper.
Glad to hear that was not your experiance.
Originally posted by: Blackjack200
To those who got MBAs, I have a couple of questions...
1. Did you go to a "top" competitive program?
2. Do you feel like it helped your career?
3. Do you feel like it was a useful educational experiance?
Originally posted by: Zaitsev
Genetics
Originally posted by: Buttzilla
Physiology
Originally posted by: Svnla
Originally posted by: Blackjack200
Thanks,
I'm thinking of going but I hear a lot of noise about how it's only worth it if you go to a top program, and how it's just a piece of paper.
Glad to hear that was not your experiance.
You are welcome, glad to help. BTW, one of the many reasons that I got my MBA was because my former employer paid for the whole thing (tuition, fees, books, etc) as long as I got B's or better grades. I did not have to pay a dime.
I would love to go to top 10 MBA schools (Harvard, Northwestern, Stanford, etc.) but how? I would have to quit my job and move to another place and then get another job and then apply for school.
ANY degrees are just pieces of paper, yes, even hard science degrees (I don't remember that science degree award in 24K gold plates). How you use/apply the degree and knowledge/education to solve problems/cut cost/improve quality or product or process is what make you a desirable candidate to the potential employers.
Do a google search on the Fortune 500 companies and look at the top dogs (CEO, CFO, etc.) and you will see that most of them have business or business related degrees. I did make a post in a similar thread a while back but I can't locate it now.
Originally posted by: dennilfloss
M. Sc. in Geology (paleontology).
Originally posted by: Alienwho
Do you masters of accounting guys also get CPA certified? Is a masters required for a CPA?
Originally posted by: halik
Originally posted by: Alienwho
I think top program may hold more weight if you go for an MBA, but I don't think it's a deal breaker if you don't make it into a top program. You'll hear all these skewes about how top program graduates average 150k one year after graduation or whatever, but they fail to mention that most of these guys already have 15+ years of experience and were likely making 6 figures before they even entered the program.
My brother in law is in a top program right now and graduates in the spring and he is struggling on lining up a job when he graduates. He told me he doesn't even care about class or school right now and he skips it all the time in order to attend job fairs all around the country trying to secure a position for a company. He said tons of people at these fairs are MBA graduates from one or two years ago that still haven't found a job. The competition is tough for MBA's right now.
In my opinion an MBA is great to have if you get lucky and happen to be in the right place at the right time and know the right people. If you don't catch a break and are able to garner a bunch of experience it will be tough to infiltrate into a real high paying MBA executive style salary because unfortunately MBA's don't really have any hard skills to market themselves with. Your hope would be to get a middle management job that any bachelors holder would qualify for, and hope to rise up the ranks. Of course your chances to attain that $50k middle management job are probably greater than your non-MBA counterparts, but this isn't the kind of job most MBA's are set on finding.
I think a masters degree in a specialized position may be of more worth in a lot of different situations, and also has the benefit of not necessarily requiring a "top school" to be perceived as worthwhile. I'm getting a masters in information systems from my state school. It only takes one year and costs a total of 15k. I'll be able to demand a raise of 15k right off the top, so it will essentially pay for itself in one year. I haven't even begun the program yet but I already have 3 job offers upon graduation (one from my current company to retain, one from a friend of my dads, and another from a guy in my neighborhood). None of these places would even blink an eye at me if I was getting an MBA, because they want to fill a specific nitch in the company that the MIS degree fills.
I may never make hundreds of thousands a year as a CEO, but I wouldn't want that anyway and can certainly merge towards CIO or CSO with my degree if I decide to leave the technical aspect and merge towards management.
It all comes down to hard skills, who you know and a little bit of luck.
Generally MBA from other than top programs isn't worth it if you're paying out of pocket. The costs is still in the 6 figures for just about all of them and the lower tier programs won't provide much of a salary boost to pay for it.
My master's was through Michigan Ross School of Business btw and what i said above is in line with what I saw at the schools. Top firms won't come to lower tier schools, but you're still paying through your ass for tuition.
Originally posted by: Alienwho
Do you masters of accounting guys also get CPA certified? Is a masters required for a CPA?
Originally posted by: Blackjack200
To those who got MBAs, I have a couple of questions...
1. Did you go to a "top" competitive program?
2. Do you feel like it helped your career?
3. Do you feel like it was a useful educational experiance?
Originally posted by: Cattlegod
If you ever end up in Michigan for any reason, make sure you check out the new Ross building. It is pretty sweet