MBA - Worth it?

[calibuck]

Just some items to consider....if you are well-heeled enough to go full time, then that's the way to go. Get it done in 1-2 years, depending on your pre-reqs needed. If you do not need to work, then you are probably not limited by geography, so could go to Harvard, Stanford, Northwestern, etc. The better reputation equates to more money (I know that'll stimulate some conversation) over the long run (or at least shorter waits to land a job).

Your engineering degree plus an MBA can be a very powerful combination in the right circumstances. In Silicon Valley, an EE plus standford MBA equals big bucks right away, and proper connections equals a job with a venture capital firm.....

If you are younger, and have time (sunny side of 30), no reason not to work and go to night school. Your company may even help you pay tuition, etc (the "earn as you learn" program), keeps some jingle in your jeans.

A Fisher MBA has become more desired (a top 25 ranking I believe), so is an elite degree compared to most. So your 'fallback' position is a pretty good one. You might want to check out your desired jobs in corporate america, and find out the credentials of someone who already is in place. YOu might find out that you're very competitive with an OSU MBA. Especially in the midwest, versus East Coast or Left Coast.

Enjoy your time, I know I did.

:gobucks3::gobucks4: Several years in the work force helps one to focus, rather than one who goes from undergrad to grad school without earning a living. That makes a BIG difference in outlook and what you want to get out of grad school (pretty much for any discipline).

 

[Merih]

Just some items to consider....if you are well-heeled enough to go full time, then that's the way to go. Get it done in 1-2 years, depending on your pre-reqs needed. If you do not need to work, then you are probably not limited by geography, so could go to Harvard, Stanford, Northwestern, etc. The better reputation equates to more money (I know that'll stimulate some conversation) over the long run (or at least shorter waits to land a job).

Your engineering degree plus an MBA can be a very powerful combination in the right circumstances. In Silicon Valley, an EE plus standford MBA equals big bucks right away, and proper connections equals a job with a venture capital firm.....

If you are younger, and have time (sunny side of 30), no reason not to work and go to night school. Your company may even help you pay tuition, etc (the "earn as you learn" program), keeps some jingle in your jeans.

A Fisher MBA has become more desired (a top 25 ranking I believe), so is an elite degree compared to most. So your 'fallback' position is a pretty good one. You might want to check out your desired jobs in corporate america, and find out the credentials of someone who already is in place. YOu might find out that you're very competitive with an OSU MBA. Especially in the midwest, versus East Coast or Left Coast.

Enjoy your time, I know I did.

:gobucks3::gobucks4: Several years in the work force helps one to focus, rather than one who goes from undergrad to grad school without earning a living. That makes a BIG difference in outlook and what you want to get out of grad school (pretty much for any discipline).

I've been in the engineering world for around 4 years. Long enough to know what I enjoy about it and long enough to know I can accomplish more in the business world.

I want to try my hand at management consulting. I know it's extremely competitive, so in that case it may be worth it to take a stab at one of the premier schools.

 

[Merih]

Slight update. I'm delved fully into my GMAT studies...have taken enough practice exams to know that around 700 or better is a reasonable goal for me as I continue studying.

With that info in mind I'm going to start researching my top 5 schools more in depth with relation to my interests. This is going to be a fun year.

 

[NJ-Buckeye]

IMO.. my MBA didn't make me 'smarter'.. what it did.. was teach me a methodology to assess a problem area; assess the options and decide the best fix.. classic decision matrix stuff.. it permits you to get thru the index and to the summary FASTER

I attended at night... and I think that helped me a great deal... so much of my program was group case studies... and I was lucky enuf to be part of groups that included CEOs and other C-levels... I assume you don't get that in day programs.. when a CEO is giving you his take on a case.. that's a great education... not saying the brainiac coming straight from his bachelors isn't good stuff...

so not saying full-time or part-time is better; but different

as far as the school - again, I'm convinced that the student makes it what it is as much as the school... so much of an MBA program is almost self-taught...

My 2 cents.. an engineer is a slam dunk in an MBA pgm.. they've already been trained to be systemic thinkers... so they'll "get" the methodologies in rapid order... now they just need to learn the business side. which I believe is easier than the methodology side

 

[Merih]

IMO.. my MBA didn't make me 'smarter'.. what it did.. was teach me a methodology to assess a problem area; assess the options and decide the best fix.. classic decision matrix stuff.. it permits you to get thru the index and to the summary FASTER

I attended at night... and I think that helped me a great deal... so much of my program was group case studies... and I was lucky enuf to be part of groups that included CEOs and other C-levels... I assume you don't get that in day programs.. when a CEO is giving you his take on a case.. that's a great education... not saying the brainiac coming straight from his bachelors isn't good stuff...

so not saying full-time or part-time is better; but different

as far as the school - again, I'm convinced that the student makes it what it is as much as the school... so much of an MBA program is almost self-taught...

My 2 cents.. an engineer is a slam dunk in an MBA pgm.. they've already been trained to be systemic thinkers... so they'll "get" the methodologies in rapid order... now they just need to learn the business side. which I believe is easier than the methodology side

I fully agree with everything you said here. I think the greatest benefits of an MBA program lie in the networks it helps you build.

It's a classic track that I'm on:

• Engineering UnderGrad
• Engineering work experience
• MBA
• Consulting (whichever type)
• ???
• Profit.

 

[southcampus]

I fully agree with everything you said here. I think the greatest benefits of an MBA program lie in the networks it helps you build.

It's a classic track that I'm on:

• Engineering UnderGrad
• Engineering work experience
• MBA
• Consulting (whichever type)
• ???
• Profit.

I'm in consulting. Got here straight out of undergrad. I think I want to get an MBA in a few years. everyone in this line of work has one it seems.

 

[Merih]

I'm in consulting. Got here straight out of undergrad. I think I want to get an MBA in a few years. everyone in this line of work has one it seems.

Mind me asking what your undergrad degree was? Engineering?

 

[Bucknut24]

If I had monies, I'd go get a MBA (Sport Mgmt major)

seems half the jobs I see want a master's degree

If anything, it just looks better on the resume and may help me land that first breakthrough job that i'm still looking for

 

[Merih]

If I had monies, I'd go get a MBA (Sport Mgmt major)

seems half the jobs I see want a master's degree

If anything, it just looks better on the resume and may help me land that first breakthrough job that i'm still looking for

You'd probably meet the person who would get you that breakthrough job while at school, if anything.

I'm also of the mind that maybe I should find work elsewhere a year or so before applying. I'm still on the young side of applicants (24) and 100% of my work experience is in engineering. Of course it will vary from school to school whether that's a positive or a negative

 

[NJ-Buckeye]

I have bachelors in acctg and comp sci.. MBA Mktg/Mgmt

I have done consulting for the last 14 years... but even in my decades as an operations exec with Goodyear, I always felt like a mgmt consultant because I would be given depts in disarray added to my span of control.. expected to fix them... then make recommendations where they should align when I was done.. so one would think my "industry" was the tire industry

I have now led consulting gigs for 10 J&J operating companies, other pharmas, the merger of NBC/Universal Studios, a construction operation, a telecom operation and the financial services industry... on numerous ones I led teams from Cap Gemini and Deloitte...

so despite what traditional thinking and most HR depts perceive... I am not a believer that being an industry expert is tantamount... IMO skill sets transcend industries... I am living proof... but the perception of only hiring industry experts is dominant

but I GUARANTEE you.. it is NOT a resume world... it is all about NETWORKING

Buy one of these two books:
Through the Brick Wall by Kate Wendelken or
Rights of Passage at $100,000 by John Lucht

they will be the most valuable books you will ever read in your life
as important as your MBA

 

[Merih]

I have bachelors in acctg and comp sci.. MBA Mktg/Mgmt

I have done consulting for the last 14 years... but even in my decades as an operations exec with Goodyear, I always felt like a mgmt consultant because I would be given depts in disarray added to my span of control.. expected to fix them... then make recommendations where they should align when I was done.. so one would think my "industry" was the tire industry

I have now led consulting gigs for 10 J&J operating companies, other pharmas, the merger of NBC/Universal Studios, a construction operation, a telecom operation and the financial services industry... on numerous ones I led teams from Cap Gemini and Deloitte...

so despite what traditional thinking and most HR depts perceive... I am not a believer that being an industry expert is tantamount... IMO skill sets transcend industries... I am living proof... but the perception of only hiring industry experts is dominant

but I GUARANTEE you.. it is NOT a resume world... it is all about NETWORKING

Buy one of these two books:
Through the Brick Wall by Kate Wendelken or
Rights of Passage at $100,000 by John Lucht

they will be the most valuable books you will ever read in your life
as important as your MBA

Wow...that's pretty much my dream career wrt management consulting...

I'm looking into these books as I type this

 

[southcampus]

Mind me asking what your undergrad degree was? Engineering?

Finance.

 

[gbearbuck]

I just finished my MBA and had the same questions/thoughts.

Some companies only want an MBA (could care less where it is from), other companies want a top 25/30 type school, while others want top 10 (or Ivy since some of the Ivy's are outside of the top ten, however they seem to get lumped in with the rest of the Ivy's).

I only looked at three schools (Booth, Kellogg, and Fisher). I wanted an evening program that was in Columbus or an easy flight (hence the two Chicago schools). My wife has an incredibly lucrative job and it made no sense to move her away from Columbus (and I wanted to live with her not in a different city for a couple years). My employer picked up a portion of the tab, paid me while I went to school, and offered a flex schedule (as long as I was in the office for 40 hours a week I was good to go). I work for a national firm with offices in every state in the union, so I could "relocate" (on paper not realistically... basically to meet the schools requirement) to a different office if there was an "in city" requirement (ie Kellogg).

For my situation when figuring in flights (booth and kellogg have a weekend program) and hotel rooms it just didn't make sense so I choose Fisher. I was accepted to all three schools (above average gpa, with a great GMAT score, and impeccable resume and recommendations).

Regarding OSU's program: The core portion of both the full and part time programs are identical (to the point you take the same classes with the exact same prof's). The difference is in options for electives (full timers have a huge variety and the part timers have half those options). I did take two classes withe the kids (full timers) during the day. I will say I was impressed with their book knowledge however most only had a couple years of direct work experience and really couldn't "take things home" (ie: come full circle during discussions if a curve ball was thrown at them... at least not compared to the part timers who are much older and more experienced). Class room discussions in the evening classes were much more robust imo. I actually talked with some prof's and they said there is a difference in the classroom discussion between the full time, part time, and executive programs (more detailed as you move up in age).

I had a great time and would do it again in a heartbeat if I could go back in time. I will warn you that the time commitment is very large (much more time was put into the program than I initially was planning).

 

[calibuck]

The difference in classroom discussions is the difference between experience and book learnin'. The night program has people already in the work force and are practioners of the MBA philosophies being espoused in class. Big difference between a kid straight from undergrad to MBA school. In retrospect, coming out of grad school with little experience and jumping into consulting, the question is how does this newbie know an industry as well as someone who has been in it for 30 years? The answer is not so much. The difference is the process in which the industry works.

If the company just wants an MBA rather than an elite one, be careful (unless you need the job then jump on it). My advice to young folk is to get into the operating side. An MBA will get you to the upper levels of operations (in the field, not in HQ) sooner, so you can learn from the OPerations Mgr, etc. I went the HQ route, and rose higher quicker, but the people who went operations ultimately passed me up. It was way cool to dress in nice suits and make presentations to people who paid five times more income tax than I made in salary, but at the end of the day the I was a 'staffer' who helped with strategic direction, and not the guys in the plants that executed that strategy and made money for the company (bigger bonuses etc).

It's a distance race, not a sprint. Any and all time spent will help build your foundation for what you will ultimately do. All schools teach the MBA process, find your industry (pick one growing, not declining :tongue2:), and learn all about it. Once the Ops guys learn you are there to help them, you'll get juicier projects and ones that make a difference....enjoy the journey.

:gobucks3::gobucks4: PM me if you have any specific questions or just wanna know.

 

[Bucknut24]

You'd probably meet the person who would get you that breakthrough job while at school, if anything.

I'm also of the mind that maybe I should find work elsewhere a year or so before applying. I'm still on the young side of applicants (24) and 100% of my work experience is in engineering. Of course it will vary from school to school whether that's a positive or a negative

Yep, which is another reason why I want to go to grad school...

They also require an internship before graduating, and that would be huge as well