EBS MBA vs B.S. from state college

As a 21 year old, what is your advice for me. To get an MBA from the Edinburgh Business School or to get a Business B.S. from a good state university?

 

Be sure you know what your getting into with the EBS MBA. Just because you can begin taking their courses without a bachelor's doesn't make it a good idea. By all accounts, it's a tough program.

Consider also the potential impact such a hole (a master's but no bachelor's) might create in your resume. There are conflicting views about the negative side to this, but it is there.

 

Thanks Rich, some good points I had'nt thought of. Anyone care to comment on my situation, I would be grateful for all advice from the board...

 

It's hard to make generalizations... Individual circumstances are so fluid, and they depend a great deal on the current economic situation in your area.

I'm a successful software developer without a degree at all. I got into the industry during the beginnings of the Internet growth, and now I'm making nearly six figures doing what I really enjoy. That said, I don't believe I could find the same opportunities today with my resume that were literally just there for my taking a few years ago, and I am pursuing a bachelor's degree to just stay apace with my peers.

My two cents: I'd get a regionally accredited US bachelor's first before delving into the Heriot-Watt MBA no matter how much it intrigues you.

 

During the 7 years I was involved in marketing the EBS MBA (1991-98), we went through more than 1,000 approval processes, mostly with corporations; some with other schools and government agencies.

More than 98% were successful. None had a problem with the 'no Bachelor's' aspect. And about 40% of the students in question did not have a Bachelor's.

But clearly it is not for everyone. Two things seriously to consider:

1. I hope they still have their excellent huge student handbook: 500+ pages, including very detailed descriptions of every course, plus dozens of sample exams, with model answers, and a long article, 80 or 90 pages as I recall, from the people who grade exams, explaining how they do their work, and common errors people make. This book was $50 in 1998. Well worth a serious look, I think, after which some people say, "Yes, I think I can handle this," and others head for the hills.

2. We also used to sell courses with a 30-day moneyback guarantee, as long as they weren't written on, dribbled on, etc. That was a really good way for an uncertain person actually to get into the work, without obligation. I hope they're still doing that.

(Note: each country has its own agent or representative, and a student can buy a course from any of them. Different agents (at least during my time) had different policies and prices. We sold a great many courses to people in Europe and Asia because of our guarantees and good prices. But we also lost sales to other agents who might have been offering lower prices or special deals (like airline miles, or 4 courses for the price of 3). It may pay to shop around.