Thinking about going back for an MBA - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

absorbentishe · 01-03-2006, 11:19 PM

Okay, this might be a little long winded, just warning.

Well, I've been thinking about this for a long while. When I first graduated, 6 years ago, and got a "real" job, I truely considered it, but the time commitment at the time wasn't good. I played with the thoughts for years, and finally talked to an advisor, and he told me I wouldn't make it (3 kids, full time job, 2.7 GPA). Now I know this guys is gone.

This brings me to today. Since I've been unemployed, a month now, the thought has gotten stronger. I can go to school, work pt, and collect unemployment, but the time factor is what I'm looking at, and the money. I'm sure I can get loans, and grants, but I've not only got to worry about feeding me, I have 4 kids and a wife, and school isn't cheap. I had visited a friend over the weekend, and we talked about this. He actually quit working to get his MBA, but his wife works, and only one child. He sent me an e-mail today, that really made me think... I don't think any one I know could have said what he did to make me really want to go back. He's my best friend, and what he said has truely touched me.

Okay, so I'm really really considering, but I won't be able to start until summer at the earliest, but what do I study? My degree is in management, and my experience is in management. I need a direction. Has anyone every gone through this, and if so, how do you go about figuring what direction to go?
Sorry for the rant, helps to get this out though. Any help would be appreciated.

Suave · 01-04-2006, 12:52 AM

The way I figure out my directions (which you likely don't have the luxury of doing) is by sampling a bit of everything. I direct myself towards what best holds my interest. If you've already concentrated in management, I imagine you've got a relatively strong interest in it.

Warning: Completely unsolicited opinion ahead. I just feel that I must add, that if I were in your position, there is no way in hell I would be going back for my MBA.

maleficent · 01-04-2006, 06:04 AM

Back when I graduated from college, in '86, I know of a bunch of people who went for an MBA because the job market was the major suckage and it put off paying back loans for another 2 years.

In the early 90s MBAs were a dime a dozen...(when I worked on Wall Street) and quite honestly, most people with any real experience in the business world weren't overly impressed with them.. UNLESS it was from a top tier school... (ie Wharton, Harvard, etc... )

If I were you, I'd probably look into the schools you want to go to and see what you can do with the degree when you are done with it...

Poppinjay · 01-04-2006, 06:09 AM

My wife got an MBA from a large state school, the same where she got her BSBA 15 years earlier. The result was a job offer that paid 50% more, a $2k signing bonus and annual bonuses of $10k-$20k.

I want to get a Master's myself, but I'm betting the benefits of a M.A. in Navel Gazery won't be as great.

BigBen · 01-04-2006, 07:17 AM

Well, considering that this is BigBen, MBA speaking...

I went back for the grad school because I felt that I had more to offer than my BA in economics. I was interested in general business, and had a good grasp on the general business courses.

I have no kids, and the student loan debt was helped out by the army. I am still in debt, but I believe that education is a good debt to have. I didn't smoke a boatload of pot in Vegas for god sake's. I am preparing myself for a future.

I think that I have a lot to offer my organization with my graduate management degree, and the MBA made me a better person. Unfortunately, the degree has been tarnished by the late 80's/early 90's upper management bubble; businesses required their managers to get an MBA in order for promotion. Colleges realized the demand, and all of a sudden you have hundreds of schools pumping out thousands of MBA's that really don't know what the hell they are doing.

There has been a backlash against the three letters, and rightfully so! When someone is wearing their ass for a hat, it can affect everyone in the association. Luckily, the pendulum has started to swing the other way. Business schools are a lot more picky who they let in, and the degree is challenging once again, to protect the school's academic reputation.

Don't just do it for the money. Yes, a grad degree commands extra income, but what you need to do is sit down and find out what gives you passion.

Age old question: What would you do if you won the lottery?

absorbentishe · 01-04-2006, 03:37 PM

What would I do if I won the lottery? I'd play a lot of golf, and coach more baseball/softball. Oh, I wouldn't have an alarm clock either. See, I had planned on professional golf, way back in HS. Then I decided to go to college, met a girl (now my wife), and golf became just a hobby. My total skill set include working with people (hence manager), I'm really awesome with a pc (I can program just a little, know excel word access great), and can talk in public. I think I'd like to be a trainer of some sort, but that's where I get stuck. Every trainer I've ever had, can do, but can't teach or vice versa. So I'm just stuck... What to do at this point.

maleficent · 01-04-2006, 04:14 PM

Have you thought about either corporate training or even project management... both of those require the skills that you already possess -- project management wouldbe a bonus to get some additional schooling for - but corporate training is not that hard to get into... (though training adults can be rather tiresome at times... basically children with attitudes)

01-03-2006, 11:19 PM	#1 (permalink)
absorbentishe Boy am I horny today Location: T O L E D O, Toledo!!	Thinking about going back for an MBA Okay, this might be a little long winded, just warning. Well, I've been thinking about this for a long while. When I first graduated, 6 years ago, and got a "real" job, I truely considered it, but the time commitment at the time wasn't good. I played with the thoughts for years, and finally talked to an advisor, and he told me I wouldn't make it (3 kids, full time job, 2.7 GPA). Now I know this guys is gone. This brings me to today. Since I've been unemployed, a month now, the thought has gotten stronger. I can go to school, work pt, and collect unemployment, but the time factor is what I'm looking at, and the money. I'm sure I can get loans, and grants, but I've not only got to worry about feeding me, I have 4 kids and a wife, and school isn't cheap. I had visited a friend over the weekend, and we talked about this. He actually quit working to get his MBA, but his wife works, and only one child. He sent me an e-mail today, that really made me think... I don't think any one I know could have said what he did to make me really want to go back. He's my best friend, and what he said has truely touched me. Okay, so I'm really really considering, but I won't be able to start until summer at the earliest, but what do I study? My degree is in management, and my experience is in management. I need a direction. Has anyone every gone through this, and if so, how do you go about figuring what direction to go? Sorry for the rant, helps to get this out though. Any help would be appreciated.

01-04-2006, 12:52 AM	#2 (permalink)
Suave Twitterpated Location: My own little world (also Canada)	The way I figure out my directions (which you likely don't have the luxury of doing) is by sampling a bit of everything. I direct myself towards what best holds my interest. If you've already concentrated in management, I imagine you've got a relatively strong interest in it. Warning: Completely unsolicited opinion ahead. I just feel that I must add, that if I were in your position, there is no way in hell I would be going back for my MBA. __________________ "Few people are capable of expressing with equanimity opinions which differ from the prejudices of their social environment. Most people are even incapable of forming such opinions." - Albert Einstein "Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools, because they have to say something." - Plato

01-04-2006, 06:04 AM	#3 (permalink)
maleficent Junkie Moderator Emeritus Location: Chicago	Back when I graduated from college, in '86, I know of a bunch of people who went for an MBA because the job market was the major suckage and it put off paying back loans for another 2 years. In the early 90s MBAs were a dime a dozen...(when I worked on Wall Street) and quite honestly, most people with any real experience in the business world weren't overly impressed with them.. UNLESS it was from a top tier school... (ie Wharton, Harvard, etc... ) If I were you, I'd probably look into the schools you want to go to and see what you can do with the degree when you are done with it... __________________ Free your heart from hatred. Free your mind from worries. Live simply. Give more. Expect less.

01-04-2006, 06:09 AM	#4 (permalink)
Poppinjay You had me at hello Location: DC/Coastal VA	My wife got an MBA from a large state school, the same where she got her BSBA 15 years earlier. The result was a job offer that paid 50% more, a $2k signing bonus and annual bonuses of $10k-$20k. I want to get a Master's myself, but I'm betting the benefits of a M.A. in Navel Gazery won't be as great. __________________ I think the Apocalypse is happening all around us. We go on eating desserts and watching TV. I know I do. I wish we were more capable of sustained passion and sustained resistance. We should be screaming and what we do is gossip. -Lydia Millet

01-04-2006, 07:17 AM	#5 (permalink)
BigBen Comedian Location: Use the search button	Well, considering that this is BigBen, MBA speaking... I went back for the grad school because I felt that I had more to offer than my BA in economics. I was interested in general business, and had a good grasp on the general business courses. I have no kids, and the student loan debt was helped out by the army. I am still in debt, but I believe that education is a good debt to have. I didn't smoke a boatload of pot in Vegas for god sake's. I am preparing myself for a future. I think that I have a lot to offer my organization with my graduate management degree, and the MBA made me a better person. Unfortunately, the degree has been tarnished by the late 80's/early 90's upper management bubble; businesses required their managers to get an MBA in order for promotion. Colleges realized the demand, and all of a sudden you have hundreds of schools pumping out thousands of MBA's that really don't know what the hell they are doing. There has been a backlash against the three letters, and rightfully so! When someone is wearing their ass for a hat, it can affect everyone in the association. Luckily, the pendulum has started to swing the other way. Business schools are a lot more picky who they let in, and the degree is challenging once again, to protect the school's academic reputation. Don't just do it for the money. Yes, a grad degree commands extra income, but what you need to do is sit down and find out what gives you passion. Age old question: What would you do if you won the lottery? __________________ 3.141592654 Hey, if you are impressed with my memorizing pi to 10 digits, you should see the size of my penis.

01-04-2006, 03:37 PM	#6 (permalink)
absorbentishe Boy am I horny today Location: T O L E D O, Toledo!!	What would I do if I won the lottery? I'd play a lot of golf, and coach more baseball/softball. Oh, I wouldn't have an alarm clock either. See, I had planned on professional golf, way back in HS. Then I decided to go to college, met a girl (now my wife), and golf became just a hobby. My total skill set include working with people (hence manager), I'm really awesome with a pc (I can program just a little, know excel word access great), and can talk in public. I think I'd like to be a trainer of some sort, but that's where I get stuck. Every trainer I've ever had, can do, but can't teach or vice versa. So I'm just stuck... What to do at this point.

01-04-2006, 04:14 PM	#7 (permalink)
maleficent Junkie Moderator Emeritus Location: Chicago	Have you thought about either corporate training or even project management... both of those require the skills that you already possess -- project management wouldbe a bonus to get some additional schooling for - but corporate training is not that hard to get into... (though training adults can be rather tiresome at times... basically children with attitudes) __________________ Free your heart from hatred. Free your mind from worries. Live simply. Give more. Expect less.